Tunisian poet Samia Ouederni at Nuyorican Poets Cafe

My Small Story features a video interview and reading with the New York-based Tunisian poet Samia Ouederni. Ouederni's response to the Tunisian revolution in the form of a poem posted on Facebook drew the attention of organizers at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe who invited her to read for founder Miguel Algarin. With most Tunisian poetry is published in Arabic or French, at 24 Ouderni became the first Tunisian woman to publish poetry in English.

I filmed my taxi conversation with Samia enroute to the venue about Tunisia, NYC, language and poetry. Ra, a seasoned Nuyorican organizer, explains how he discovered Samia and why he “wanted her to read for Migual”. She read 4 poems. I shared the one titled “Will To Live”. A poem that yesterday and today is recited, chanted by Tunisians against the government.