Hi! I’m Isra Khan, a senior living in the Chicagoland area and the founder of Adbi Aloom (“Literary World” in Urdu). My love for reading started in second grade when I picked up Percy Jackson and got lost in its world of myths and quests. Since then, books have been my constant companions, whether it’s the winding streets of Orhan Pamuk’s Istanbul, the magical realism of Isabel Allende, or the layered storytelling of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Reading world literature has shown me how stories carry pieces of culture, history, and memory, and how they can make distant experiences feel familiar.

Wanting to share that love of literature with others, I started a club at my high school where students gather to talk about books, write together, and build community through stories. I also launched Adbi Aloom to reach beyond my school, creating a space to highlight diverse voices in translation and share the joy of discovering books from every corner of the world. Through it, I’ve been able to connect with readers who, like me, believe literature can collapse the distance between people.

But my passion for literature doesn’t just live online or in classrooms. At ICNA Relief, I created a summer literacy program for young refugee girls, where reading became a tool for both language learning and self-expression. It was here that I was reminded why I care so deeply about this work: because literature isn’t just about escaping into another world, it’s about finding the courage to tell your own story.

For me, books have always been a way to feel less alone and more connected. Whether it’s through blogging, running a club, or building community programs, I hope to keep creating spaces where others can discover that same sense of belonging through literature.