Ayaan Abukar is a writer, freelance journalist, and cultural programs developer. With an academic background in political science and international security, Abukar gradually transitioned to journalism and cultural curation. Until April 2024, she was the head of three cultural houses in Amsterdam, bringing together diverse voices and perspectives. In her debut book, Hotel Mogadishu (Feb 2024), Abukar shares an intimate portrait of Somalia’s capital—her hometown—revealing the layered lives of both returning diaspora and those who never left, and their eternal search for home and belonging. Through her lens as an inside-outsider and keen observation, she reveals the resilience threading through everyday Somali existence, offering readers rare passage into a place often defined by a single story.