CFD Team Spotlight: Ibrahim Fawzy, Graduate Fellow
The Newsletter Team sat down for an interview with one of our graduate fellows, Ibrahim Fawzy, for an interview about his work, passions, hobbies, and special CFD projects. The transcript of our interview is below.
CFD Team: Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m Ibrahim Fawzy, a native of the captivating Fayoum Oasis in Egypt—a city etched in the sand, where ancient echoes whispering alongside the vibrant energy of everyday life. I’m a literary an Arabic-English translator, and I’m particularly interested in bringing literary voices from Africa and the SWANA region to a wider audience. I’m currently pursuing my MFA in literary translation at Boston University. Translation, to me, is an art that breathes life into stories, showcasing the resilience and defiance inherent in literature. Also, my passion for the literary world finds expression in my podcast on the New Books Network. I recently received a 2024 Global Africa Translation Fellowship, and the 2024 Peter K. Jansen Memorial Travel Fellowship with the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA).
CFD Team: What is your role within the Center?
I’m a graduate fellow at the CFD. I’m working on translating narratives related to the themes of migration, and forced displacement.
CFD Team: What experiences most directly led you to your role with the Center?
At the outset of COVID-19, my path to literary translation began through a serendipitous encounter with ArabLit.org, igniting my passion for the art of translation. I then volunteered as a monitor at the American Literary Translators Association (ALTA) 44th annual conference, where I had the privilege of attending several panels that provided invaluable insights into the importance of decolonizing translation. The advice shared in these panels was like a balm to my anxieties about making rookie mistakes as an emerging translator, significantly impacting growth and career trajectory.
I’m a two-time graduate of the British Centre for Literary Translation (BCLT) Summer School, fully-funded by the Sheikh Zayed Book Award and the Culture Resource. In 2023, I finished a six-month mentorship with the British National Center for Writing (NCW) as part of their Emerging Literary Translators Program. In 2024, I attended the European School of Literary Translation (ESLT) Summer School; I warded one of their full-fee bursaries.
My translations have appeared in various literary outlets, including ArabLit Quarterly, Words Without Borders, PEN Transmissions, Consequence, Modern Poetry in Translation, Poetry Birmingham Literary Journal, Poetry Ireland Review, The Massachusetts Review, Exchanges, The Markaz Review, Babel, among others. Driven by a profound belief in the transformative power of words, I am dancing around translation—reviewing translated books and conducting interviews with authors and translators. I’m currently an editorial assistant at Rowayat, Asymptote, and Minor Literatures.
Over the 20th century, the Nubian people of southern Egypt endured four waves of displacement to accommodate dam construction on the Nile River. These displacements occurred in 1902, 1912, and 1933, culminating in the construction of the Aswan High Dam in 1964, which submerged their entire ancient homeland on both sides of the Egyptian-Sudanese border. As a translator, my mission is to bring the stories of displaced Nubians to English-speaking audiences, ensuring their voices are heard and understood.
CFD Team: What inspires you about this work?
During the era of British colonialism in Egypt, a dominant narrative about the Nile emerged, viewing the river primarily as a means to support the irrigation economy in the north and drive industrial development. This perspective largely ignored the views and needs of the local population. Meanwhile, Nubian perspectives on the Nile and its development have often been sidelined in official Egyptian discourse. My work with the CFD will allow me to bring attention back to the marginalized and displaced Nubians who attributes different meanings and values to the river and its resources. These are stories filled with loss, longing, and hope.
CFD Team: Tell us about some of your passions and hobbies outside of academia. What makes you, you?
My work keeps me indoors and online a lot of the time. When not pursuing my literary interests, I enjoy nature, reading, sailing, and caring for my pets. The first thing I did when I arrived in Boston was sailing in the Charles River. I also enjoyed Vermont on the indigenous people’s day, where I was enamored of color: the blue sky set against orange leaves.
CFD Team: Where do you see yourself in five years?
That’s a thought-provoking question! I’ve never really considered it before. I’m the type of person who appreciates the present moment and doesn’t dwell too much on the future. But if I were to dream of a future goal, it would be to translate books that contribute to bibliodversity and continue to engage in creative pursuits like writing and art.
CFD Team: What is your current passion project with the Center you would like to highlight? Why does this project resonate with you?
I consider the CFD to be a home away from home. I’m currently translating a memoir written by a Nubian author from Egypt. It chronicles a chapter in Nubia’s history that is deeply ingrained in the consciousness of the Nubian people.
CFD Team: Can you tell us a fun fact about yourself/can you tell us about something you’re proud of?
I have several interesting facts about myself, but I’ll highlight two key points: I have a fear of heights, which I acknowledge, and I take pride in learning something new every day as well as cultivating love for all people.