Post by : Bianca Suleiman
Shaakira Ally, acclaimed educator and spoken-word poet, has been honored with the Outstanding Author Excellence Award at UAE's Next Mastermind Awards 2025 for her debut novel, I Swear by Azania. Set in post-apartheid South Africa, the novel follows a young girl with Pseudoachondroplasia as she navigates life with an Aboriginal Australian father and a white South African mother. Through loss, displacement, and adversity, the story addresses racism, trauma, and systemic injustice—ultimately highlighting resilience and the enduring impact of apartheid. Shaakira Ally’s honest and compassionate storytelling has moved readers worldwide, earning critical acclaim for its powerful exploration of identity and healing. Her work stands as a testament to the power of literature in raising awareness and inspiring change. For more stories of literary excellence, identity, and healing from the DXB News Network and beyond, subscribe to the Middle East Bulletin.
#ShaakiraAlly #ISwearByAzania #Masterminds2025 #AuthorExcellence #SouthAfricanStories #HealingThroughWords #DebutNovel
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