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Spend an afternoon with poet and Afghan refugee Samman Akbarzada

Crystal Graham

Afghan refugee Samman Akbarzada New Dominion Bookshop will host a book reading and conversation with poet and Afghan refugee Samman Akbarzada on Saturday, May 13, at 4 p.m.

Akbarzada will be reading from her recent poetry collection, A Glimmer in the Dark, and will be in conversation with New Dominion Bookshop manager Julia Hoppe for the event.

This in-person event will be free to attend and open to the public.

Akbarzada interweaves a powerful tapestry of poetry and prose reflecting on her war-torn homeland of Afghanistan and the suffering and resilience of those living on the margins of yet another immense human tragedy.

A Glimmer in the Dark is ultimately about the perseverance and strength survivors find through deep familial bonds and the compassionate assistance of communities devoted to helping those displaced by war and suffering.

Akbarzada is an Afghan refugee in her early 20s and the author of two books. Her words capture the suffering, heartbreak, gratitude, and redemption that mark a life lived on the blade of conflict with love and empathy as her constant guiding light.

New Dominion Bookshop is located at 404 E Main St. on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville.

For more information, visit ndbookshop.com.

Crystal Graham

Crystal Graham

Crystal Abbe Graham is the regional editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1999 graduate of Virginia Tech, she has worked for nearly 25 years as a reporter and editor for several Virginia publications, written a book, and garnered more than a dozen Virginia Press Association awards for writing and graphic design. She was the co-host of "Viewpoints," a weekly TV news show, and co-host of Virginia Tonight, a nightly TV news show. Her work on "Virginia Tonight" earned her a national Telly award for excellence in television.