Arts & Science Alumni Publish Work Supported by the Renaissance Award

In 2021, Vikita Mehta and Inaya Yousaf were among three Arts & Science Students to receive the Drs. Jolie Ringash and Glen Bandiera Renaissance Award. Now, they’ve published a book that shares some of the outcomes of their Renaissance Award Project.

We Have Also Survived: Poetry as a Tool for Resistance in Humanitarian Crises Around the World brings together resistance poetry written by poets from four countries around the world and brief essays written by Vikita and Inaya. The authors describe the work as follows on the book jacket:

The phrase ‘We Have Also Survived’ embodies the voices of countless individuals across the globe who refuse to be silenced by horrific human rights violations. This book explores how art forms such as poetry can be tools for resistance for individuals living within and adjacent to humanitarian crises. We ask our readers to join us as we explore 16 interviews with activists, politicians, and poets from East Turkistan, Yemen, Nigeria, and Indigenous communities in Canada. We share their stories and lived experiences, providing honest insights about the humanitarian crises within these four regions. In engaging with the poetry, art, and short essays in We Have Also Survived, we encourage readers to be open to learning and unlearning, for “art is at the heart of truth-telling.”

Proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to humanitarian organizations that Vikita and Inaya deem to be “high impact.”