Creative Writer and Mentor

Juthoor: Roots Growing Voices is a new after-school program for high school students in Philadelphia rooted in the belief that place is a teacher. Named for the Arabic word for “roots,” Juthoor is part of Al-Bustan (“the garden”) and is built on the idea that young people grow strongest when they understand what they’re rooted in: land, lineage, language, and community. We are looking for a creative writer whose work and scholarship is grounded in Arab cultural ecology, broadly defined. We are looking for someone who has reflected on modern Arab identity at home or abroad, or who is well-versed in classic or contemporary Arab literary production, or who has any experience working with Arab literary forms and structures.

This is not a class on the Arabic language, and it is not exclusive for Arabs or by Arabs. It’s a practice of cultural fusion: to incorporate Arab arts and culture into artistic production in the U.S., executed here with high school students in Philadelphia. We want a creative writer who can guide students in finding their own voice: how to name an idea and how to describe it in the written form.

Who We’re Looking For

We’re seeking a creative writer who has experience in creative writing:

• For either academic or public readership.
• That is published in academic, or journalistic, or blogging platforms.
• Who have reflected on Arab experiences or utilized Arab literary forms. Artists should be able to bring that context into the room as a living reference point for students, not a historical footnote.
• Experience working with teenagers is valued but not required. What matters most is curiosity, patience, and a genuine desire to mentor, to let students find their own questions rather than handing them answers.