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Hana Assafiri is a much-loved and revered social activist and radical entrepreneur. Through the medium of food and dining in her renowned Moroccan Soup Bar, she has worked tirelessly for women’s empowerment. In her memoir HANA: The audacity to be free, she turns her gaze on herself to write a brutally honest account of her own personal story. Hana writes of her childhood between war-torn Lebanon and Australia, her attempts to leave a marriage she had no say in and reinventing herself and her life at the tender age of twenty.
In 1998, on a whim, she opened the Moroccan Soup Bar, which would quickly become an iconic Melbourne institution. Founded on the radical notion that marginalised women, together in the kitchen, can effect social change, the Soup Bar has changed thousands of women’s lives. Every evening in the restaurant, Hana would ‘tap on a glass’ and initiate conversation with the customers on topics ranging from truth-telling and nurturing community, to violence against women and Islamophobia (she writes in the book that ‘the food is free—you pay for the conversation’!)
Hana’s reputation has flourished as an entrepreneur, feminist, and social activist. HANA: The audacity to be free is a searingly personal memoir, a call to arms to break free from the chains of conformity, and an invitation to readers to join her mission of empowerment, inspiration, and progress.
Join me in a conversation with Hana!
Hana’s memoir is released on 4 May 2024.
Pre-order a limited edition signed hardcover copy $44.95 plus shipping: click here
Pre-order a soft cover copy $34.95 plus shipping: click here
Hana Assafiri is a Melbourne-based social activist, feminist, and owner of the popular Moroccan Soup Bar restaurant. Through the Moroccan Soup Bar, Hana provides employment for marginalised women in her community and hosts important initiatives like Speed Date a Muslim and Conversation Salons. She has been recognised on many occasions for her entrepreneurial ingenuity, innovation and voracious spirit for social justice.
In 2015, Hana received TimeOut’s Legend Award, and in the same year, renowned artist Ai Weiwei included her in his collection of local social activists in the NGV. She was inducted to the Victorian Honour Roll of Women in 2017 for being a leading agent of social change and women’s empowerment, and in 2019 was awarded an Order of Australia Medal OAM.
Hana’s activism forefronts women’s issues, racism, and the need for pluralism and intersectionality for society to progress. She is a mentor and role model for women everywhere, particularly those from marginalised backgrounds.
Photo Credit: Mat Bray
– Ben Okri
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