Mizna: 25 Years

As Mizna is marking its twenty-fifth anniversary year, our small team is reflecting on our history of presenting, connecting, and sustaining Arab and SWANA creatives. For a quarter of a century, Mizna has provided a nurturing and unburdened space for artists, filmmakers, and writers to create and share their critical work with our communities. From the start, our work has been politically engaged, and we have always galvanized artists in proposing liberatory ideas. 

In 2024, we are approaching our programming in relation to both the past and future. Our film series centers on the theme of archiving and restoring films by SWANA women, while an upcoming issue of our journal explores notions of SWANA futurity. Our recently launched digital publishing platform Mizna Online hosts newly commissioned works as well as select works from the Mizna print journal archive.

In thinking about the convergence of past and future, we also turn to our name. In Arabic, the word mizna means a rain-bearing cloud. Clouds carry an inherent dichotomy, signifying both what is seen and what is obscured from view. Stretching across the horizon, they show us the present and what lies beyond it. Clouds shelter us from the sun’s heat and hold the anticipation of renewal that comes with rain. A rain-bearing cloud, ultimately, promises us relief. As the same tiny droplets of moisture travel through the water cycle since the inception of the earth, we are reminded that clouds themselves are ever-changing archives. 

Embodying this transformative energy as we celebrate our 25th anniversary year, Mizna aims to curate programming that adapts and actionably responds not only to our community’s needs but also to the state of the world. We strive to create space for collective gathering, communal relief, and resilience. Join us on this mission, this year and beyond.