Zina Hemady, circa 1990
Zina Hemady is a writer and editor, with experience in various forms of writing. She started her professional life as a correspondent for Reuters News Agency and The Associated Press in the Middle East in the late 1980s. While working as a journalist, Hemady covered civil strife in Lebanon, anti-government militancy in Egypt, the Arab-Israeli conflict and regional events during the first Gulf War. Although a large portion of her work consisted of political reporting, Hemady’s true passion was feature writing where she delved into the lives of ordinary people exploring their struggles, aspirations, and accomplishments. She also worked as an editor at the stock photo agency Focusmideast, and wrote the text for 28 Days that Changed Lebanon, a book published by the agency.
After journalism, Hemady moved to educational writing. She became Program Manager of English at SABIS ® Educational Systems in North America, leading a team of writers who create curriculum materials for this international school network. While working in education, Hemady has continued to pursue her interest in storytelling. She is the editor for www.photorientalist.org, a website showcasing 19th and 20th century images of the Middle East. She also writes stories that contextualize the images to engage audiences and build awareness about the history of the region. In addition to writing and editing, Hemady is working on a digital oral history project focused on stories of the Lebanese Civil War.
You can contact Zina Hemady at: zhemady@photorientalist.org.
