by Ariana Perez

As a writer and educator, 19-year-old Marjan Naderi turns to poetry as an outlet for self-expression. As a Muslim Afghan-American, poetry helps Naderi connect to her true identity and is a way to help others who feel disconnected from the world. 

Marjan is the 2020 D.C. Youth Poet Laureate and a six-time Poetry Grand Slam Champion. She’s a fearless teen, a spoken-word poet who continuously elevates the Muslim community and shares the stories of other women like her through her words. 

We met in D.C. on a cold Sunday afternoon. And whereas a typical winter wardrobe usually consists of a palette heavy on black and grays, Naderi was dressed in bright colors - a nod to her personality. She carries a notebook and a pen, ready to write as she observes her surroundings while we walk in Georgetown. As we chatted, she confided in me that when she was 14 years old, and in the middle of a wave of depression, she grabbed a pen and paper, her grounding technique and the power to her passion.

“My mom couldn't even write or read, neither could my grandmother or great grandmother,” she explained. “They still managed, they still survived when the world felt like it was going at a high speed and they were being boxed out of it. I know I’m one of the first women in my lineage who is learning how to actively read and write. These are two things I used to hate but now, it’s all I want to do because I realize the value of it.” 

It wouldn’t take long for Naderi to immerse herself in the world of poetry and share her personal narrative as a young Muslim, Afghan-American woman. Today, Naderi holds titles as a five-time Grand Slam Champion winner; the Library of Congress's 2018 National Book Festival Poetry Slam Champion; two-time Nationals MIST Spoken Word Winner; 2018 NOVA Invitational Slam Champion; and, the 2019 DC Youth Slam Finals Slam Champion.

Naderi, herself, is inspired by the works of Danez Smith, a Black, queer, non-binary, HIV-positive poet, writer, and performer from St. Paul, Minneapolis. "Their work is vulnerable but manages to hold the reader in safety,” Naderi said. “Each piece is a timeless vessel that captures rawness, simplicity, and strength."

In 2019, a few days after the New Zealand mosque shooting, she read a poem at the Split This Rock Poetry Festival - an annual festival that cultivates teaches and celebrates poetry evoking social change. Her chest felt tight, she recalled, remembering the news about the many people who died in the mosque. 

“Before the outrage that kicks in, the first thing that kicks in is, an ‘ouch’,” she said. “I thought we were progressing as a people and after all the horrible narratives about Muslims. It felt like this progress was gone in a moment.” 

As a young accomplished writer, Naderi hopes her work connects with others. As an educator, she hopes to instill the fundamental belief that young people can rely on themselves and grow through their life experiences and connections. 

“There’s a verse in the Quran that says that the central pole is never found in the east or west,” she explained. “The verse is a parable for God's light in the heart. The star becomes a source of guidance, the tree of nourishment, shade, and life. Both bow in sujud (prostration) in humility and worship. I try to find that for myself through my writing and share it with others.”

Naderi’s work has been featured on NowThis News, The Washington Post, NPR, The United Nation’s Girl Up Campaign, NBC News, Amazon Prime, The Kennedy Center, D.C. United, Nike, The U.S. Institute of Peace, and many more. Her first book, Bloodline, sold out shortly after publishing. In it, she offers a collection of poetry that provides insight into her identity beyond the microphone. 

“These pieces have become a living artifact demonstrating a journey of learning lineage as a first-generation, Afghan-Muslim American, hoping to belong on land that’s once rejected me,” she wrote.

Naderi is proud of her heritage and of who she is - and it shows. Not just through her poetry, but also her expressions, anecdotes, and the way she embraces her culture in everything she does. 

You can learn more about Marjan’s work by visiting her website. 

Ariana Perez is a bilingual multimedia journalist living in Annapolis, MD. www.perezariana.com

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