January 18, 2024 – January 25, 2024

In keeping with our ongoing mission of uplifting racial and cultural connections, Busboys and Poets is hosting Palestine Week (January 18 through January 25, 2024). This week-long series of events will offer a diverse range of programming featuring Palestinian food, music, dance, poetry, discussions, and other enriching events. We hope that such events will lead to better understanding and help to create a more peaceful and tolerant world.
all events are free and open to all, unless otherwise noted

Read Why We Are Doing Palestine WeekAndy Shallal

Thursday, January 18th, 2024

6 PM @ Busboys and Poets – Takoma

Palestine Culture Night hosted by the Jackson-Reed High School Arab Student Union

featuring Malikat al Dabke, Crystal Silmi , and Fuad Foty


6 PM @ Busboys and Poets – Columbia
Food & Folklore: The Gaza Kitchen w/ Laila El-Haddad | 4-Course Dinner & Storytelling

Laila El-Haddad, the award-winning author of The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey, has worked with the Busboys and Poets culinary team to present a 4-course dinner that beautifully highlights the diverse cultural tapestry of Palestine.

Enjoy each course while our featured speaker provides fascinating insights into the history and ingredients utilized in each dish.

$40 per person. Tickets include the 4-course dinner and program.


Saturday, January 20, 2024

4 PM @ Busboys and Poets – Takoma
Social Justice Art Poster-Making Workshop

6 PM @ Busboys and Poets – 450K

Conversation with Josh Paul

Join us to gain further insight into this significant decision and hear Josh Paul’s personal account of “Why I resigned from the State Department.”

Sunday, January 21, 2024

5 PM @ Busboys and Poets – Brookland
Poems for Palestine 

An open mic hosted by Zeina Azzam (Palestinian American Poet, Poet Laureate of the City of Alexandria VA) with other special guests!


Monday, January 22, 2024

6 PM @ Busboys and Poets Shirlington
An Evening with Linda Sarsour

Palestinian Muslim American, Community Organizer and Mother of Three, Linda Sarsour will discuss the current state of affairs in Palestine


6 PM @ Busboys and Poets 14th & V

Busboys and Poets Books welcomes Yaffa As to discuss “Blood Orange”

Tuesday, January 23, 2024

3:30 PM @ 14th & V

Lunch & Learn with Nadim Nashif & Andy Shallal 

Co-founder and owner of Wusol Digital Academy, the Executive Director and co-founder of 7Amleh – The Arab Center for the Advancement of Social Media 

This program will be recorded for broadcast on “Next up to the mic with Andy Shallal”, WPFW 89.3 FM Radio


5 PM @ 14th & V

In Conversation with Miko Peled & Gina Dent


6 PM @ 14th & V

An Evening with Angela Davis

Busboys and Poets presents an evening with world-renowned activist and scholar, Angela Davis


Wednesday, January 24, 2024

6 PM @ 14th & V

Gaza Monologues: Voices of Young Palestinians

This inspiring play presents 31 monologues written by teenagers from different parts of Gaza, many of whom had no prior experience in theater. 


Thursday, January 25, 2024

6 PM @ Takoma

Busboys and Poets welcomes Dr. Jill Stein presidential candidate Green Party 

PHOTO 2024 02 01 07 10 14

For Langston Hughes on His 123 Birthday

Speech given on February 1, 2024 in Havana, Cuba In 1927 Langston Hughes walked into a Cuba amid an emerging community of artists, intellectuals, and radicals.  He saw a “sunrise in a new land [– a day – in his words]sic – full of brownskin surprises, and hitherto unknown contacts in a world of color.”  … Continued

PALESTINE WEEK 1920 x 1080 px 2

Palestine Week 2024

January 18, 2024 – January 25, 2024 In keeping with our ongoing mission of uplifting racial and cultural connections, Busboys and Poets is hosting Palestine Week (January 18 through January 25, 2024). This week-long series of events will offer a diverse range of programming featuring Palestinian food, music, dance, poetry, discussions, and other enriching events. … Continued

Why We Are Doing Palestine Week

Why We Are Doing Palestine Week

– by Andy Shallal, CEO & Founder Busboys and Poets The past few months have been traumatizing for anyone with a cell phone and access to social media. For people living in Gaza it has been unimaginably horrific seeing entire families wiped out and most of Gaza’s inhabitants displaced, starved and without shelter. 1 in … Continued

Thoughts After A Race Conference

Thoughts After A Race Conference

1. Challenge racism. Family and close friends is a good place to start. Try “calling them in” before “calling them out”. Use the “I” language. Engage, don’t retreat.

ExpCub BANNER

Experience Cuba! Trip to the 31st International Book Fair in Cuba

Join the Busboys and Poets Travel Tribe on a 6-day, 5-night trip to the 31st International Book Fair in Cuba! The program will be filled with cultural encounters, meetings, colloquiums, tributes, panels, conferences, readings, awards, and book presentations. from $852 per person (plus air) About the 31st International Book Fair in Cuba  The 31st “International … Continued