The City of West Hollywood’s HUMAN RIGHTS SPEAKERS SERIES presents

Elias Jahshan: This Queer Arab Family – US Book Launch and Keynote Address

Wednesday, April 15, 2026, 7:00 – 8:30pm

Free Admission. RSVP Required: www.weho.org/hrss

The City of West Hollywood is proud to host Elias Jahshan for the US book launch event of his new book, This Queer Arab Family (Saqi Books). This Queer Arab Family is a bold and celebratory anthology that explores how queer Arabs reimagine family beyond traditional expectations. Edited and compiled by Elias Jahshan, This Queer Arab Family features ten queer writers from across the Arab world and diaspora, with stories that honor chosen kinship, everyday acts of care, and the creativity and resilience that sustain queer Arab communities.

Elias Jahshan will kick off the night with a keynote address that will provide a snapshot of queer Arab life and human rights, and contextualize the work he does as a journalist, writer and editor, followed by a discussion with Rasheed Newson, Co-Chair of One Institute, and Q&A with the audience. At the conclusion of the event, there will be book signing opportunities. Copies of the book will also be available to purchase.

Special Guest Panelists:
Elias Jahshan, Journalist and Writer
Moderator, Rasheed Newson, One Institute

West Hollywood City Council Chambers
625 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069

Validated parking will be available at the adjacent 5-story West Hollywood Park structure, limited to availability. Street parking may be available. Rideshare suggested.

More Information: www.weho.org/hrss

Elias Jahshan Bio:
Elias Jahshan (he/him) is a Lebanese-Palestinian journalist and writer, and the editor of groundbreaking anthologies THIS ARAB IS QUEER (2022) and THIS QUEER ARAB FAMILY (2025), both published by Saqi Books. This Arab Is Queer was a 2023 Lambda Literary Awards finalist in the USA and shortlisted for the 2023 Bread & Roses Award in the UK, and has been translated into Italian and soon in French. Elias is also a former editor-in-chief of Star Observer, Australia’s longest-running LGBTQ+ media outlet, and has been published in The Guardian, The New Arab, Gay Times, Attitude, Raseef22, Shado Mag, My Kali, and more. Born and raised in Sydney, Australia, Elias now lives in London, UK.

Founded in 1952, One Institute is the oldest active LGBTQ+ organization in the United States. One Institute elevates queer, trans, and HIV/AIDS histories and embraces emerging stories through collaborative education, arts, and cultural programs. Through K-12 teacher trainings, lesson plans, and youth mentorship programs, One Institute empowers teachers and students to bring queer and trans history into classrooms and communities. As the independent community partner of ONE Archives at the USC Libraries, we promote the largest collection of LGBTQ+ materials in the world. In 2025, One Institute became stewards of STORIES: The AIDS Monument, in partnership with the City of West Hollywood.