From Here
Written by Luma Mufleh
Published by Penguin Young Readers Group
With no word for “gay” in Arabic, Luma may not have known what to call the feelings she had growing up in Jordan during the 1980s, but she knew well enough to keep them secret. It was clear that not only would her family have trouble accepting her, but trapped in a conservative religious society, she could’ve also been killed if anyone discovered her sexuality. Luma spent her teenage years increasingly desperate to find a way out, and finally found one when she was accepted into college in the United States. Once there, Luma begins the agonizing process of applying for political asylum, which ensures her safety—but causes her family to break ties with her.
Becoming a refugee in America is a rude awakening, and Luma must rely on the grace of friends and strangers alike as she builds a new life and finally embraces her full self. Slowly, she’s able to forge a new path forward with both her biological and chosen families, eventually founding Fugees Family, a nonprofit dedicated to the education and support of refugee children in the United States.
As hopeful as it is heartrending, From Here is a coming-of-age memoir about one young woman’s search for belonging and the many meanings of home for those who must leave theirs.
Primary ISBN: 9780593354452
Publication Date: May 2023
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 12 or older
Community Represented: Jordanian/Jordanian American
Themes: Accolades & Awards: Starred Review, Cross-Group Dating, Cross-Group Friendship, Discrimination: Gender and Sexual, Discrimination: Religious, Family Relationship: Parents, Family Separation: Different Immigration Status, Format: Audiobook, Generational Differences, Generational Differences: Dating, Identity: Multilingual, Immigrant: Education, LGBTQIA+, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Religious Background: Muslim, Trauma & Healing
Setting: United States
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Immigrant
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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