Malaka Gharib On “I Was Their American Dream”

Join Grand Central Library on Saturday, October 19, 2019, for a conversation with Malaka Gharib and Luke Healy, creators of two of the most talked-about graphic novels of 2019, I Was Their American Dream and Americana. Together, these writer-artists will share their own distinct life-changing journeys on the road to identity and self-discovery in America.

Gharib is the author and artist of I Was Their American Dream, her graphic memoir about being Filipino-Egyptian-American. Her first widely published book, it's already been named one of the best graphic novels in 2019 by the Washington Post and is currently being considered for the 2019 NYPL Best Books for Teens. Recently, Gharib graciously agreed to answer our questions about comics and culture.

RSVP: GREGORYSTALL@NYPL.ORG

What will you discuss at your upcoming NYPL Talk?

Gharib: Comix, memoir and the American dream! 

What was the first comic book you read?  

Gharib: Goofus and Gallant in Highlights magazine and the Archie comics when I was a kid, which my stepdad bought for himself in the supermarket checkout. I loved Jughead the best. When I was a little older, I read Ghost World, which blew my mind. It wasn't funny and I realized that comics didn't have to be. 

What inspired you to make this particular story a graphic memoir? What is it about this medium that allowed you to express your perspective in a way that would be different in another medium?

Gharib: It is the medium that allows me to fully express myself: what I am seeing and noticing, what I am thinking to myself, what I am feeling at the moment. I've been making comics and zines since I was a kid! Here's some of my earlier works, ha ha. 

Can you describe your daily creative routine?

Gharib: I try to go to the coffee shop one hour before work to write and draw in my journal (realistically, this happens about twice a week). I make it a point to produce one thing that I am happy with. Otherwise, I try to squeeze making something creative in the cracks of my day: waiting for the bus, transitioning between tasks at work, at lunch. My art ethos is: Do it now, do it quick, don't think too hard. Just make. 

I Was Their American Dream directly deals with identity and self-discovery. How would you describe the "American Dream" and how do you personally identify with its ethos?

Gharib: For me, the American dream was totally different from my parents', who thought of it in conventional terms: the house, the car, the education. Mine is being comfortable with yourself, and achieving the highest version of yourself. For me, it is being comfortable with my own cultural ethnicity and identity, but also being comfortable enough to call myself an artist and maker. 

Can you describe your first experience in a public library in the United States and how, perhaps, it contrasted with earlier experiences of public libraries in other countries?

Gharib: We had a fabulous library in our town, Cerritos Library. It was the first structure in the U.S. to have a titanium exterior, and featured a wall-size fish tank in the kids' section and a gorgeous wooden paneled interior, large windows and plush couches. For a kid who loved to read, like me, it was heaven. My grandfather brought me here on the weekends—he loved to read, too—and I actively went until I graduated from high school, driving myself to pick up and drop off books. 

There has been only one other library that has impressed me since—the Alexandria Library in Egypt, the birthplace of the modern library. It is a beautiful structure with windows galore. Book culture isn't as big in Egypt, which is a pity, but the library is a testament to the city's influence on the library sciences. 

The New York Public Library welcomes people with diverse cultural backgrounds and celebrates the rich, multicultural diversity that builds New York City. In your opinion, how can public libraries across the country continue leading the way in welcoming and encouraging all people?

Gharib: It would be nice to have curated reference libraries for people looking to learn more about their culture. Imagine if I could just walk up to a library and say, "Hi, I am Filipino American and would like to get caught up on the essential books that I should read on my culture. Can you point me to the must-reads?"

Ideally, what message would you like people to come away with from reading your book?

Gharib: You don't need to be anyone except for yourself—you are American, too. 

In general, what are some overlooked or underappreciated books, music, and films you would like to encourage our community to explore?

Gharib: I would encourage you to check out the New York Public Library's zine collection. Zines are short, DIY publications, and what I love is they can be on any topic and usually inspire people to try making their own zines. They archive my food zine, The Runcible Spoon, which I ran with my friends from 2009 to 2014. But they also have other AMAZING zines: Bitch, Put A Egg On It, Punk Planet, Salt, Girl Crush Zine.
 

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