Samina Ali


Samina Ali is an American author and activist. Samina serves as the curator of Muslima: Muslim Women’s Art and Voices, a global, virtual exhibition for the International Museum of Women, now part of Global Fund for Women. She is the co-founder of American Muslim feminist organization Daughters of Hajar. Her debut novel, Madras on Rainy Days, was awarded the Prix du Premier Roman Etranger award from France and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award. She is a blogger for The Huffington Post and Daily Beast.

Awards and recognition

In 2004, Samina received the Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award in fiction. One year later, Madras on Rainy Days was awarded the Prix du Premier Roman Etranger award in 2005, and was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award in fiction.
In July 2004, Madras on Rainy Days was chosen as a best debut novel of the year by Poets & Writers magazine. The magazine featured Samina on the cover in July/August 2004 issue.