“An evocative masterpiece of self-discovery and empowerment.”

Dealing with the “routine” overwhelm of social and cultural pressures, one woman realizes the strength of the human spirit and the power of self-forgiveness as she embarks on a path of emotional alchemy, refusing to give up on herself. WAKE! is a synthesis of emotions, experiences, and chronicles of micro-deaths accumulated over decades of intersectional oppression. Mother. Doctor. Daughter. Wife. Once clouded with expectations and prescribed labels, her introspective journey through the confines of limiting beliefs has her fighting for an identity all her own. How much will it take just to wake?

Enamored by the strength and resilience of the human spirit, Naglaa Rizk, MD, has been practicing “gyne-chiatry”—her own brand of women’s health and empowerment for decades. She shares the hope that rebirth is possible with the self-love and inner confidence that can only come after a total destruction and evacuation of all the disillusionment deposited by external sources. Collaborative multimedia artist, educator, and community organizer Salma HQ navigates the journey of the surveilled body using photography, installation, and writing. She spends her time running a production house and community resource focused on liberation through art and mutual aid, hoping to assist in rebirths across local communities.