What’s on offer Festival · Tours · Retreats Interlink Foundation

What’s on offer

Events

Retreats, author tours, a speaker series and our signature festival — the public face of the four programs. Our facility in Western Massachusetts serves as a regional hub for cultural programming.

The program

5 strands
A writer reading into a microphone at Read and Resist Fest
[Date TBC] · Western Massachusetts

Read & Resist Festival

Read and Resist

Our signature annual event, returning for its second year. Two days of readings, panels and workshops, drawing audiences nationally and locally to our Western Massachusetts facility.

Two speakers in conversation under a marquee
Annual · Twelve colleges, universities & bookstores

Author & Translator Tour

Arabic Literature-in-Translation

In collaboration with the International Prize for Arabic Fiction, we bring an award-winning Arab author and their translator to twelve institutions each year. Past tours: Iman Humaydan with Michelle Hartman (2026), Yassin Adnan with Alexander Elinson (2025), and Shahla Ujayli with Michelle Hartman (2024).

[Photography to come]
[Date TBC] · [Location]

Arab Writers Retreat

Storyteller Collaborative

A retreat offering vital space for creative growth and cultural exchange for writers, illustrators and literary professionals from underrepresented communities.

[Photography to come]
Ongoing · Mentor group

Palestinians in KidLit

Storyteller Collaborative

A mentor group for Palestinian writers of children’s literature, supported by a growing network of partnerships.

Writers reading to a seated audience outdoors
Throughout the year · Regional & national

Speaker Series

Read and Resist

Author tours, community events and literary gatherings that promote storytelling and cross-cultural dialogue.

Host a stop on the next tour.

Bookstores, libraries and universities are welcome to join the annual author and translator tour.

Past events

Author & translator tours
Poster: Songs for Darkness, a book talk with Iman Humaydan and Michelle Hartman
2026

Songs for Darkness

A book talk with author Iman Humaydan and translator Michelle Hartman.

  • Thursday 23 April 2026, 5:30pm
  • The Fares Center for Eastern Mediterranean Studies
  • Chair: Kamran Rastegar
Poster: Hot Maroc, a bilingual reading with Yassin Adnan and Alexander Elinson
2025

Hot Maroc

A bilingual reading with Moroccan author Yassin Adnan and translator Alexander Elinson. Longlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction.

  • Tuesday 7 October 2025, 6:00pm
  • CUNY Graduate Center, Room C198
  • Center for the Humanities & MEMEAC
Poster: An Evening of Arabic Literature and Music with Shahla Ujayli
2024

An Evening of Arabic Literature & Music

Award-winning Syrian novelist Shahla Ujayli with acclaimed translator Michelle Hartman, and live music from the Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble.

  • Thursday 3 October 2024, 6:30pm
  • Amherst College, Converse Hall 108
  • Free and open to the public

On film

Rep. Rashida Tlaib on Resisting Occupation & GenocideUMass Amherst · 22 November 2024
Peter Beinart on Protest, Zionism & GazaUMass Amherst · 19 November 2024
Interlink Foundation — festival filmRead & Resist Fest