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Contributor

Poupeh Missaghi

Portrait of Poupeh Missaghi
Photo: Sara Dolatabadi
Contributor

Poupeh Missaghi

Poupeh Missaghi is a writer, a translator both into and out of Persian, Asymptote’s Iran editor-at-large, and an educator. Her debut novel, trans(re)lating house one, was published by Coffee House Press in February 2020. She holds a PhD in English and creative writing from the University of Denver, an MA in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University, and an MA in translation studies. Her nonfiction, fiction, and translations have appeared in numerous journals, and she has several books of translation published in Iran. She is currently a visiting assistant professor at the Department of Writing at the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn.

Articles by Poupeh Missaghi

A handwritten sign with Woman, Life, Freedom (Jin, Jiyan, Azadi) written on it in English and Kurdish
Pirehelokan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
#WomanLifeFreedom: A Year Since “Jina’s Calendar” Began
By Poupeh Missaghi
As the anniversary of Mahsa-Jina Amini's killing approaches, Poupeh Missaghi brings WWB's #WomanLifeFreedom series to a close with a reflection on how the ongoing protests have changed Iran and how much more work remains to be done.
People holding hands circling a fire on a street
Photo via the author
Reflecting on One Hundred Days of Woman Life Freedom
By Razieh Mehdizadeh
You came up the stairs of the Haghani subway station, and with you the life of the whole nation of Iran came up its throat, leaving its body.
Translated from Persian by Poupeh Missaghi
A black silhouette with a soccer ball over the chest over red flames and a yellow background with...
Image by Omar Momani
Men without Women
By Moeen Farrokhi
There was not one single woman present in any of the stadiums I had attended during any of my teams’ matches.
Translated from Persian by Poupeh Missaghi
A crop of the Stop Executions Poster depicting two hanging outlines over the words No more executions...
Poster designed by Iman Nabavi
Mornings of Hell in Iran
By Anonymous
Every night I wake up several times. I have nightmares of executions.
Translated from Persian by Poupeh Missaghi
Four girls with their backs turned to the camera holding up their headscarves with their hair down
Photo via social media
I Am a Witness
By Anonymous
For a while now, I’ve stopped pulling up my scarf to cover my hair when I pass by the guards.
Translated from Persian by Poupeh Missaghi
Woman Life Freedom, #mashaamini, and #iranrevolution written in chalk on pavement
Farshid
By Somayeh Noroozi
You might not believe this, but in that little autumn prison courtyard, the dogs and humans are grieving together, wishing for freedom together.
Translated from Persian by Poupeh Missaghi
A family photo on sidewalk of Tehran near a parked motorcycle
Friday Evening Story
By Aida Ahadiany
The boy lay down in the middle of the street. All alone.
Translated from Persian by Poupeh Missaghi
A cluster of pigeons on a sidewalk
Photo by Sahar Sakhaei on Instagram
Conversations
By Sahar Sakhaei
I thought about the eyes of the girl standing tall with her cut hair. Suddenly, the sun rose.
Translated from Persian by Poupeh Missaghi
Black Persian text on a white background
Photo by Zia Nabavi on Instagram
In Conversation with the Prison
By Zia Nabavi
He needed a phone more than anyone in our prison ward.
Translated from Persian by Poupeh Missaghi
A Persian New Year Beginning with COVID-19
By Poupeh Missaghi
With the news coming out of Iran, I was already beginning to feel the weight of the ongoing disaster in my body.