Leaving Home, Building Home: What Immigration Really Costs
A personal and thought-provoking conversation about immigration, displacement, belonging, and rebuilding a life in Canada after leaving Iran.
Conversations about leaving home, finding belonging, and building a life after displacement.
Maryam Rafiee is available for author talks, literary conversations, keynote-style talks, panels, and community events.
Her talks combine personal storytelling with broader questions about migration, identity, freedom, and what it means to make a home after leaving one behind.
Speaking Topics
Topics for conversation
The Things We Carry: Memory, Migration & Belonging
A literary conversation about memory, family, identity, and the objects, stories, and traditions we carry with us when we leave home.
Freedom, Displacement & the Price of Speaking Up
Drawing on her experience as a human rights advocate, Maryam explores political repression, advocacy, freedom, and the human stories behind human rights work.
Available For
Events, institutions & communities
- Author talks and book events
- Libraries and literary organizations
- Universities and colleges
- Community and cultural organizations
- Book clubs and reading groups
- Conferences and panels
- Human rights and advocacy organizations
- Immigration and newcomer organizations
- Women’s organizations and professional associations
What to Expect
A conversation shaped around your audience.
Talks can include a reading, conversation, audience Q&A, and book signing.
Reading
Conversation
Audience Q&A
Book signing
Interested in inviting Maryam to speak?
Contact MaryamUpcoming events
Nothing on the calendar right now
We are preparing new experiences and can't wait to share them with you.
Past appearances
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Jul 26, 2026
Another Story Bookshop
— Toronto, ON
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Jun 21, 2023
The Humber Literary Review
— Toronto, ON
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Mar 8, 2022
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Vancouver, BC, University of British Columbia
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Feb 18, 2021
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Allentown, PA, Muhlenberg College
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Jul 30, 2020
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Lethbridge, AB, University of Lethbridge
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Apr 30, 2020
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Padua, Italy, University of Padua
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Feb 10, 2020
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Dundee, Scotland, University of Dundee
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Oct 23, 2019
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Chattanooga, TN, University of Tennessee
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Oct 23, 2019
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Chattanooga, TN,University of Tennessee
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Oct 15, 2019
Niagara Falls University Women's Club
— Niagara Falls, ON
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Jun 22, 2019
Central Library
— Kingston, ON
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Jun 20, 2019
Public Library (EX Idea Exchange)
— Cambridge, ON
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Jun 15, 2019
Reference Library
— Toronto, ON
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Jun 4, 2019
Scholar at Risk Canada @ Congress 2019
— Vancouver, BC
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Jun 1, 2019
South Hill Library
— Vancouver, BC
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Apr 30, 2019
Central Library
— St. Catharines, ON
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Apr 20, 2019
Victoria Avenue Library
— Niagara Falls, ON
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Apr 5, 2019
L'Octogone Library Books Over Coffee Book Club
— Montreal, QC
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Jan 30, 2019
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Vancouver, BC, University of British Columbia
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Nov 8, 2017
Scholar at Risk Student Advocacy Seminar
— Chattanooga, TN,University of Tennessee
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Jun 9, 2016
Scholar at Risk Global Congress
— Montreal, QC, Courage to Think Dialogues