"Our grandmothers' tears of Tatreez live on through us. Tatreez will always hold hope, tears and sumud...our cultural inheritance. Their gift to us for the enduring. We are more than fierce grief...we are ancestral indigeneities in human form dreamed into being by our ancestors. We were formed by dreams, sand and stardust but we are shaped by love.
We are poetry. We are Palestine."
-- Micaela Kaibni Raen
2024 Awards & Nominated Poetry
** Yalda Award Winner **
& Nominated for Best of the Net 2025
Qafiyah ReviewPoem: On the Night of Invasion 2024, Issue TwoLink to issue:Nominated Pushcart Prize 2025 Noor MagazinePoem: Piled Limestone 2024, Inaugural IssueDirect Link to Poem:
2024, Issue Two
Brief Publications List
In Print
Available for Purchase
Palestinian Writing from the Diaspora
Edited by: Susan Muaddi Darraj
Anthology, Palestine Writes Press 2024
Palestinian Writes Press Order Link
Heaven Looks Like Us
Palestinian Poetry
Edited by: George Abraham & Noor Hindi
Anthology, Haymart Books 2025
Haymarket Pre-order Link
Catalyst
New Zealand, December 2024
https://catalystnz.blogspot.com/
Koukash Review
Micaela Kaibni Raen is a Palestinian American creator, cultural worker, queer femme-dyke, mother, and global Queer/Trans rights activist. She grew up in the Little Arabia community in California and graduated from Chapman University. During that time, she participated in the Radius of Arab American Writers, Inc., ACT UP!, and Queer Nation. She is most known for Queer Tatreez, a style of visual art and poetics inspired by Indigenous Palestinian Tatreez embroidery. She has been awarded the Yalda Award for Poetry as well as nominations for The Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net.
Her artwork appears in Writer’s Resist; Bombay Gin Literary Journal; Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art & Thought; The Olive Tree; and Heaven Looks Like Us: Palestinian Poetry.
Her written work has been featured in Bint el Nas; Mizna; Qafiyah Review; Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art & Thought; The Poetry of Arab Women; and El Ghourabaa: A Queer and Trans Arab and Arabophone Anthology; Ask the Night for a Dream: Palestinian Writing from the Diaspora; and Heaven Looks Like Us: Palestinian Poetry.
Palestinian Writes Press Order Link
Heaven Looks Like Us
Palestinian Poetry
Edited by: George Abraham & Noor Hindi
Anthology, Haymart Books 2025
Haymarket Pre-order Link
EL GHOURABAA:A QUEER AND TRANS COLLECTION OF ODDITIES
Metonymy Press 2024
https://metonymypress.com/shop/books/el-ghourabaa-queer-trans-oddities/
Bombay Gin Literary Journal
Naropa University, Autumn 2024
https://www.naropa.edu/academics/jks/publications/bombay-gin
Metonymy Press 2024
https://metonymypress.com/shop/books/el-ghourabaa-queer-trans-oddities/
Naropa University, Autumn 2024
https://www.naropa.edu/academics/jks/publications/bombay-gin
Catalyst
New Zealand, December 2024
https://catalystnz.blogspot.com/
Yellow Medicine ReviewA Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art and Thought
Poetry, Visual Poetics, and Flash Nonfiction Included, Fall 2024
http://www.yellowmedicinereviewstore.com/
MagmaFrance, November 2024
https://magmapoetry.com/
http://www.yellowmedicinereviewstore.com/
https://magmapoetry.com/
Rabbit PoetryAustralia, Autumn 2024
Art & PoetryAvailable Online Now
Rabbit Poetry
Australia, Autumn 2024
Tendrils Literary JournalA print publication as well as a highly competitive and curated online journal, has published a beautiful work of visual poetics that questions...what happens to us when we can no longer hear the whispers of the poppies? The artwork in the poem is vividly stunning and references trauma, tears, and sumud.Link to my work in the issue:
https://www.tendrilsjournal.com/issue1-trauma-and-the-body#whispers
Ultramarine Literary Review
*New* Artwork in a beautiful Chilean magazine. Title: “Last Flight Home.” The artwork speaks to the global loss of life in Queer/Trans communities. Most of us surviving without basic human rights.
https://www.ultramarinereview.com/art-and-photography?pgid=m49781cs-29f9a094-8cc5-4693-a4c4-4b56e2409945
Chapter House Indigenous Literary Journal
Visual Poetics The multiple genocides and populations facing violence and starvation has been unbearable to witness and is our call to action. We must all find out place in the struggle for justice and human rights. We will mourn, more than ever before, shedding tears for Palestine, Lebanon, Congo, Sudan, Haiti, Syria, and so many more areas with people struggling to survive disease, starvation and violent attacks. Many are planning protests, performances, teach-ins, letter/email/phone campaigns, community outreach, and more. As we move forward, here is my prayer…
Tendrils Literary Journal
A print publication as well as a highly competitive and curated online journal, has published a beautiful work of visual poetics that questions...what happens to us when we can no longer hear the whispers of the poppies? The artwork in the poem is vividly stunning and references trauma, tears, and sumud.
https://www.tendrilsjournal.com/issue1-trauma-and-the-body#whispers
*New* Artwork in a beautiful Chilean magazine. Title: “Last Flight Home.” The artwork speaks to the global loss of life in Queer/Trans communities. Most of us surviving without basic human rights.
https://www.ultramarinereview.com/art-and-photography?pgid=m49781cs-29f9a094-8cc5-4693-a4c4-4b56e2409945
Visual Poetics
https://www.thehalacollective.com/blog/time-of-enduring-a-letter-to-my-hala-collective
I post event and publication announcements, community news, and humanitarian aid updates on IG. In addition, I continue to create and donate, perform, teach and more. So, follow me on IG @micaelakaibniraen
https://www.thehalacollective.com/blog/time-of-enduring-a-letter-to-my-hala-collective
I post event and publication announcements, community news, and humanitarian aid updates on IG. In addition, I continue to create and donate, perform, teach and more. So, follow me on IG @micaelakaibniraen
The Olive Tree
** PLEASE SHARE ** The Olive Tree: An international collection of art protesting the ongoing genocide of Palestinians is now available online. Proud to be a part of this beautiful collection of creative work. It will break your heart and give you hope. It is a deeply spiritual search for justice and a sacred honoring of the Palestinian people through art and literature. Thank you students for your activism. #studentintifada
Where my work is located:
Pg 21 Poem: Genocide
Pg 70 Poem: Atrocious
Pg 72 Artwork: Tatreez Armor Breast Plate
@theolivetreeeditorial
Link to the Olive Tree Anthology:
Writers Resist
Artwork "Death Equals Silence" and Artist Statement
2024, Issue Three
https://www.writersresist.com/2024/06/19/death-equals-silence/
The Olive Tree
** PLEASE SHARE ** The Olive Tree: An international collection of art protesting the ongoing genocide of Palestinians is now available online. Proud to be a part of this beautiful collection of creative work. It will break your heart and give you hope. It is a deeply spiritual search for justice and a sacred honoring of the Palestinian people through art and literature. Thank you students for your activism. #studentintifada
** PLEASE SHARE ** The Olive Tree: An international collection of art protesting the ongoing genocide of Palestinians is now available online. Proud to be a part of this beautiful collection of creative work. It will break your heart and give you hope. It is a deeply spiritual search for justice and a sacred honoring of the Palestinian people through art and literature. Thank you students for your activism. #studentintifada
Where my work is located:
Pg 21 Poem: Genocide
Pg 70 Poem: Atrocious
Pg 72 Artwork: Tatreez Armor Breast Plate
@theolivetreeeditorial
Link to the Olive Tree Anthology:
Artwork "Death Equals Silence" and Artist Statement
2024, Issue Three
https://www.writersresist.com/2024/06/19/death-equals-silence/
Koukash Review
2023, Issue Two
https://www.koukash.com/issue2/woodcutters-and-waiters
Rowayat Literary Journal
2023, Issue Seven
https://rowayat.org/accept-the-moon/
https://www.koukash.com/issue2/woodcutters-and-waiters
Rowayat Literary Journal
2023, Issue Seven
https://rowayat.org/accept-the-moon/
Performances Available Online:
Ask the Night for a Dream: Palestinian Writing from the DiasporaPalestinian Museum U.S., February 16, 2025Link the to Event - Available to watch now on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y8K0x6HPaA&list=PLhervyCf8iV5PetlP0A5Dl7315-pmm7PV&index=2Poetry Reading and Presentation
SWANA Regional Radio - Podcast on SpotifyOriginally aired on KPFK Los Angeles, NPR on January 7, 2023
“Who Remembers?”: Armenian-Palestinian Solidarities: A Reading on YouTubePoetry Reading and Presentation on December 10, 2023
Pending Publication
Visual Poetics:
Ask the Night for a Dream: Palestinian Writing from the Diaspora
Palestinian Museum U.S., February 16, 2025
Link the to Event - Available to watch now on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y8K0x6HPaA&list=PLhervyCf8iV5PetlP0A5Dl7315-pmm7PV&index=2Poetry Reading and Presentation
SWANA Regional Radio - Podcast on Spotify
Originally aired on KPFK Los Angeles, NPR on January 7, 2023
“Who Remembers?”: Armenian-Palestinian Solidarities: A Reading on YouTube
Pending Publication
Visual Poetics:
More Coming Soon
Poetics:
More Coming Soon
Poetics:
More Coming Soon
More Coming Soon
Art:Cover Art for Sinister WisdomSWANA Dykes IssuePending 2026
Art for Palestine(Art for Mankind) Donated ArtTo be Featured on IG and on website for purchase.
Flash Nonfiction:More Coming Soon
More exciting announcements coming soon!
Micaela Kaibni Raen is a Palestinian American creator, cultural worker, queer femme-dyke, mother, and global Queer/Trans rights activist. She grew up in the Little Arabia community in California and graduated from Chapman University. During that time, she participated in the Radius of Arab American Writers, Inc., ACT UP!, and Queer Nation. She is most known for Queer Tatreez, a style of visual art and poetics inspired by Indigenous Palestinian Tatreez embroidery. She has been awarded the Yalda Award for Poetry as well as nominations for The Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net.
Her artwork appears in Writer’s Resist; Bombay Gin Literary Journal; Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art & Thought; The Olive Tree; and Heaven Looks Like Us: Palestinian Poetry.
Her written work has been featured in Bint el Nas; Mizna; Qafiyah Review; Yellow Medicine Review: A Journal of Indigenous Literature, Art & Thought; The Poetry of Arab Women; and El Ghourabaa: A Queer and Trans Arab and Arabophone Anthology; Ask the Night for a Dream: Palestinian Writing from the Diaspora; and Heaven Looks Like Us: Palestinian Poetry.
Socials:
Web Site: https://micaelakaibniraen.blogspot.com/
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/micaelakaibniraen
IG: @micaelakaibniraen
Past Publications (Brief List)
Anthologies:
- A Kiss is Just a Kiss, Tall Grass Writers Guild, Baker & Taylor Publishing, Summer 2001
- A Different Path: An Anthology of the Radius of Arab American Writers, Ed. D. H. Melhem & Leila Diab, Ridgeway Press, 2000
- The Poetry of Arab Women: A Contemporary Anthology, Ed. Nathalie Handal, Interlink Publishing, 2000
- Yellow Medicine Review,, “The Ancestors We Were Looking for We Have Become: International Queer Indigenous Voices,” edited by Ahimsa Timoteo Bodhrán, Fall 2010
- Mizna Literary Journal, 2014
- Tagg Magazine, Features Author and Contributor, 2013 – 2015
- 2000-2003: Bint el Nas; Ahbab Magazine, Chronogram: The Hudson Valley Arts Magazine
