RAWI is a literary organization for writers and artists with kinship to Southwest Asia and North Africa.
Fundraising goal
$50k by 2027
$55,995 raised!
MENTORING • RAWIFEST CONFERENCE • WORKSHOPS • ROUNDTABLES • READINGS • VIRTUAL EVENTS • MICROGRANTS •
MENTORING • RAWIFEST CONFERENCE • WORKSHOPS • ROUNDTABLES • READINGS • VIRTUAL EVENTS • MICROGRANTS •
Our mission
RAWI means storyteller in Arabic. Founded in 1993, we are a literary organization for writers and artists with kinship to Southwest Asia & North Africa (SWANA). RAWI gathers our community through a biannual conference, year-round programming, and opportunities for material support.
Our signature event is RAWIFest, a biannual conference.
RAWIFest creates a space where we can speak among ourselves. RAWI’s biannual gathering provides a rare opportunity to bring a large number of Arab American and SWANA writers, artists, scholars, and readers into the same inclusive and welcoming space.
Our next in-person conference will occur in Fall 2027, but stay tuned for virtual offerings in Fall 2026.
$10,000
We paid 65 SWANA artists over $10,000 during RAWIFest 2025.
335
335 SWANA creatives attended our 2023 fully-hybrid Mizna+RAWIFest.
30+
For over 30 years, RAWI has fostered vital connections between writers.
Make a donation, make a difference
$20
Funds RAWI’s newsletter for one month.
$50
Pays for two writers’ submission fees to career-uplifting residencies, contests, and top literary journals.
$200
Pays one writer to present at a RAWI-organized reading, panel, or RAWIFest conference.
Custom Amount
All donations support the work of this artist-led, all-volunteer organization!
