Mohammed El-Kurd is a Palestinian writer and poet, born on May 15, 1998, from Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem. He has gained prominence for his vivid descriptions of Palestinians' lives under occupation in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, often referring to the evictions as a form of ethnic cleansing and accusing Israel of imposing apartheid-style laws on Palestinians in the occupied territories.
Mohammed El-Kurd is an internationally touring and award-winning poet, writer, journalist, and organizer. In 2021, he was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME Magazine. He is best known for co-founding the #SaveSheikhJarrah movement. His work has been featured in numerous international outlets, and he has appeared on major TV networks as a commentator.
Currently, El-Kurd serves as the first-ever Palestine Correspondent for The Nation. His debut collection of poetry, RIFQA, was published by Haymarket Books in October 2021 and was later released in Italian by Fandango Libre. RIFQA was acclaimed as a "masterpiece" by The New Arab and a "remarkable debut" by the Los Angeles Review of Books. It was one of Middle East Eye's "Best Books of 2021" and was shortlisted for the 2022 Forward Prize for Best First Collection.
El-Kurd holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Brooklyn College (CUNY) and a BFA in Writing from Savannah College of Art & Design (SCAD). He has been honored with numerous awards, including the Arab American Civil Council's "Truth in Media" Award (2022) and the Cultural Freedom Fellowship from the Lannan Foundation (2023). He is currently a Civic Media Fellow at the Annenberg Innovation Lab at the University of Southern California.
He has lectured and performed globally, including as the keynote speaker for the 18th Annual Edward Said Memorial Lecture at Princeton University and at literary festivals in Ferrara, Italy, and Adelaide, Australia.