City of West Hollywood’s Human Rights Speakers Series Presents Elias Jahshan ‘This Queer Arab Family’ US Book Launch and Keynote Address

The City of West Hollywood's Human Rights Speakers Series will host: Elias Jahshan 'This Queer Arab Family' United States Book Launch and Keynote Address on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at the City of West Hollywood's Council Chambers/Public Meeting Room, located at 625 N. San Vicente Boulevard. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. and opening remarks will take place at 7 p.m. followed by keynote address and conversation. The event is free, but seating is limited. RSVP is requested via Eventbrite. This event is co-presented with One Institute.

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, One Institute board member, 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.

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, the book 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 (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.

Rasheed Newson is a television drama writer, producer, showrunner, and the author of My Government Means to Kill Me, named one of the "100 Notable Books of 2022" by the New York Times. Rasheed is a board member for the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice and One Institute. 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. In 2025, One Institute became stewards of STORIES: The AIDS Monument, in partnership with the City of West Hollywood.

The City of West Hollywood's Human Rights Speakers Series brings together diverse communities to learn about and discuss global, national, and local human rights issues in a supportive environment. The series reflects the City's commitment to human rights and core value of Respect and Support for People. For additional information about the Human Rights Speakers Series, please visit https://www.weho.org/hrss.

For more information, please contact the City of West Hollywood's Arts Division, at (323) 848-6400 or via email at [email protected]. For people who are Deaf or hard of hearing, please call TTY (323) 848-6496.

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For reporters and members of the media seeking additional information about the City of West Hollywood, please contact the City of West Hollywood's Public Information Officer, Sheri A. Lunn, at (323) 848-6391 or [email protected].