Naseem Rakha
Writer, Public Speaker, and Photographer in Oregon
I am a writer, storyteller, public speaker, journalist, photographer, hiker, gardener and mom. I love to explore places I've never been, walk paths I've never taken, raft rivers, climb mountains, meet people, make new friends. My academic background is in geology and conservation. I've worked on ranches and farms and a big old boat in the Caribbean. I've been a donut maker and a martial arts instructor, a factory worker and a environmental educator. I've also been a journalist, largely covering politics and environmental issues for public radio, the Guardian, Washington Post, as well as several literary journals. My novel, The Crying Tree, has received international acclaim and is available in eleven languages. The Crying Tree takes on the topic of the death penalty and forgiveness. I have been the Artist in Resident at the Grand Canyon, the Fetzer Institute, the Brush Creek Ranch in Wyoming, and Oak Springs Garden Foundation producing work that explores human's relationship with each other and the environment. I am the recipient of the Waterston's Desert Writing Prize. Currently, I am an independent journalist working out of the Oregon State Capitol looking for and telling the stories that need to be told.