DAUGHTERS OF SMOKE AND FIRE: Art, Activism, and Identity by Author Ava Homa

The Iranian Studies Initiative at UCSB and Farhang Foundation present DAUGHTERS OF SMOKE AND FIRE: ART, ACTIVISM, AND IDENTITY a lecture event by Kurdish author Ava Homa "At this juncture in Iranian history, when brave Iranians have fought peacefully against a brutal government in many different forms, authors and intellectuals need to become acutely aware of the necessity for the internal liberation of Iranian society: freedom from prejudices against women and minorities. A truly democratic and free country would embrace diversity as its strength and would dismantle the foundations of dictatorship that are empowered through divisions. Our freedom is intertwined, and intersectionality is a necessity. Daughters of Smoke and Fire, a fiction rooted in factual events of the past fifty years, is a poignant and timely novel that both entertains and educates, offering a glimpse into the lives of a people whose story deserves to be heard and remembered. Leila dreams of making films to bring the suppressed stories of her people onto the global stage, but obstacles keep piling up. Her younger brother, Chia, influenced by their father’s past torture, imprisonment, and his deep-seated desire for justice, begins to engage with social and political affairs. But his activism grows increasingly risky and one day he disappears during protests in Tehran. Seeking answers about her brother’s whereabouts, Leila fears the worst and begins a campaign to save him. But when she publishes Chia’s writings online, she finds herself in grave danger as well. Inspired by the life of the human rights activist Farzad Kamangar and published to coincide with the 10th anniversary of his execution, Daughters of Smoke and Fire is an evocative portrait of the lives and stakes faced by Kurds. It’s an unflinching but compassionate and powerful story that brilliantly illuminates the meaning of identity and the complex bonds of family. A landmark novel for our troubled world, Daughters of Smoke and Fire is a gripping and important read, perfect for fans of Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Half of a Yellow Sun.” Ava Homa Check out DAUGHTERS OF SMOKE AND FIRE at: https://www.amazon.com/Daughters-Smok... Part of the annual Farhang Foundation - UCSB Iranian Studies Lecture Series. To see all our current episodes in this series, please visit us at: https://farhang.org/programs/ucsb-lec...