• The Hub

    News, Notes, Talk

    Mahershala Ali is raising money for a Palestinian poet’s family.

    Dan Sheehan

    January 12, 2024, 2:02pm

    Two-time Oscar winner Mahershala Ali is one of the few major Hollywood actors to publicly and repeatedly call for a ceasefire in Gaza. The star of Moonlight, True Detective, and Leave the World Behind signed the Artists 4 Ceasefire letter back in October, and has made multiple pleas for an end to the slaughter on his public Instagram page.

    This week, Ali is continuing that support by raising money for Mohammed al-Qudwa, a young Palestinian poet who is trying to get his family out of Gaza.

    In collaboration with the Palestinian Festival of Literature, Ali has recorded a video of himself reciting al-Qudwa’s poem “Looking for Haifa,” and asking his followers to donate to al-Qudwa’s fundraiser so that the poet’s family have a chance of making it out of the besieged enclave.

    At the time of writing, al-Qudwa needs less than $2,000 to reach his goal, so please consider donating whatever you can.

  • We Need Your Help:

    Become a Lit Hub Supporting Member

    Lit Hub has always brought you the best of the book world for free—no paywall. But our future relies on you. In return for your contribution, you'll get an ad-free site experience, editors' picks, and our Joan Didion tote bag. Most importantly, you'll keep independent book coverage alive and thriving.