Content area
Full Text
What's in a name? Everything. For the writer formerly known as RaMa, revealing her identity carries a certain risk - for her family, for the people she knows back in Sudan, and for her future. But, with the support of Pittsburgh-based City of Asylum, RaMa finally feels comfortable unveiling who she is: Rania Mamoun.
Part of her comfort comes from living in the Steel City. Ms. Mamoun has been in Pittsburgh for three years since leaving her native Sudan in the aftermath of genocidal dictator Omar al-Bashir's expulsion from government. She's been here long enough to find peace in her surroundings.
"Oh, I love Pittsburgh. I love the hills - I love the people and the climate too - but mostly, I love the hills, because where I came from is flat. I also love the trees. There is so much life here."
Life back home was more complicated. Protesting al-Bashir landed Ms. Mamoun in a Sudanese jail, but after her trial, which felt like a pre-determined farce to her, Ms. Mamoun - a celebrated journalist and writer in her native Sudan - decided to apply for safety abroad.
She reached out to International Cities of Refuge Network back in 2019, and ICORN connected Ms. Mamoun with City of Asylum, who eventually provided her with the resources she needed to thrive. Getting her out of Sudan proved to be...