About Us
Location: From Bethlehem to Ramallah Photo: zehra imam
Since 2012, Illuminated Cities has worked with communities impacted by systemic violence to offer:
Creative healing tools for expression through mediums such as poetry, visual arts, citizen journalism,
An understanding of shared struggle through political education curriculum and experiential learning programming, and
Discovery of pathways towards health and healing grounded in spiritual, indigenous, and ancestral practices.
Our Team
We are a team of experienced educators, psychologists, creative artists, and community organizers who believe in the power of expression as a pathway to reclaiming health, equity, and sovereignty.
Photo: Artwork honoring Egyptian singer Umm Khultum at a Palestinian restaurant in Yaffa
“The victim who is able to articulate the situation of the victim has ceased to be a victim: he or she has become a threat.” James Baldwin
Why do we work with communities impacted by systemic violence?
Violence is a life-altering adversity and witnessing or experiencing it can change us on a cellular level. If we examine all the adversities mentioned in the Adverse Childhood Experiences index - with full recognition of its limitations as a tool - violence stands out from other adversities such as poverty or neglect.
The part of our brain that is impacted when we experience trauma is the Broca’s Area, which is our speech and language center and has to do with the imagination. This is the reason we focus on health and healing through creative expression.
Photo: Mural commemorating Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh who was shot in the head by Israeli forces while on assignment in Jenin Location: Bethlehem, Palestine
“As you return home, to your home, think of others (do not forget the people of the camps).” Mahmoud Darwish
Where We Work
We collaborate with local partners across the globe to ensure that our programs are sensitive and responsive to the needs of each community.
Our programming has existed in: India, Kuwait, Palestine, Rohingya refugee camps; college campuses such as Harvard, MIT, and St. Joseph’s University; communities such as Chicago’s south side, the South Bronx, Brooklyn, metro-Detroit; and online.
Photo: Illuminated Cities student Duha Hasan shares an image from her home in Gaza after the ceasefire. Location: Gaza, Palestine
“And when we speak, we are afraid our words won’t be heard nor welcomed. But when we are silent, we are still afraid, so it is better to speak remembering we were never meant to survive.” Audre Lorde
Our Logo and Our Name
Our logo was inspired by a poem titled The Conference of the Birds written by Fariduddin Attar in the 1100’s. Legends say that the hudhud (hoopoe) is an enlightened bird that has powers of healing. Healing is central to Illuminated Cities.
The hudhud is a bird mentioned in the Quran as part of King Sulayman’s army known to travel to different kingdoms and bring back new knowledge to share. Being part of Illuminated Cities means undertaking transformative journeys of awakening that can lead to healing ourselves, our communities, and our environments.
The name of our organization comes from a poem titled The Cities Inside Us by Mexican-American poet Alberto Rios in which he writes about each person being a city unto themselves. Illuminated Cities is meant to be, both, a reference to each person who works with us as well as each community.
Photo: Logo designed by Jordanian artist Tasneem Toghoj
