to find a home in South Africa after Hurricane Katrina swept 90% of New Orleans in 2005 and, left him homeless, even after rebuilding the house didn’t feel like a home anymore. He lost all his child hood memories, including photos toys and any other item that represented his home and where he grew up. In his new book ‘Find Home Again’ he speaks about life post hurricane Katrina, changes that took place in New Orleans, loss of loved ones, police brutality racial attacks and crime and how he has found a home again in South Africa.
Asad el Malik, Ph.D., is an interculturalist, researcher, and author from the United States. He grew up in the culturally rich and tradition-steeped city of New Orleans. However, in 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the city, flooding 80% of New Orleans with the murky waters of the Mississippi River. The catastrophe left Asad and thousands of Black New Orleanians displaced, while many others succumbed to death due to the failure of government support at every level.
In his forthcoming book, Find Home Again: My Journey from the United States to South Africa, Asad el Malik chronicles his life, reflecting on the pervasive anti-Blackness in the United States, his experiences with Hurricane Katrina, and police violence, ultimately culminating in his decision to move to Johannesburg, South Africa. Asad’s memoir is a story of profound loss, resilience, and renewal. It weaves together his personal history with broader societal issues, exploring the universal human desire for belonging while confronting the harsh realities of being Black in America. Find Home Again captures the pain of losing a home and the beauty of rediscovering it in another country.
Through deeply reflective and personal storytelling, Asad delves into the ever-changing concept of “home,” which he describes as “a dancer, a body in motion,” constantly evolving with time, place, and circumstance. The book explores how South Africa, despite its complex history of apartheid and racial division, became a place of refuge and renewal for him. For the first time, Asad found himself in spaces where Blackness was not marginal but central, fostering a deep connection with Johannesburg.
Find Home Again will be available for purchase on November 1, 2024, with the official book launch scheduled for November 27, 2024, at Wits University. Further details about the event will be shared soon.
The book will be available for purchase on the 01st of November 2024 and the book launch will take place on the 27th of November 2024 at Wits. More details to be shared soon