Ruwan is a Lebanese-Ethiopian copywriter, writer and photographer who splits her time between Beirut and New York City. In her writing, she delves into themes of conflicted identity, loss, and the complexities of her ever-evolving relationship with Lebanon, weaving these elements into human-interest stories that explore the intimate and universal aspects of personal and collective experiences.

Much of her work is rooted in memory—those she fights to keep, and those passed down to her. She draws inspiration from her grandmother, whose life unfolds in quiet grace, and whose story is one of endurance and love. Through her photography, Ruwan honors these remnants of the past, weaving them into the present with a deep sense of nostalgia and reverence.

With a keen eye for the unnoticed, her analogue and digital photography practice focuses on slowing down the pace of her home city, Beirut, archiving fleeting, intimate moments between its people and their environment that might otherwise be lost.

Published in Observer, Raseef22, Palestine Studies, Al-Rawiya, the Public Source, the New York Times, L’Orient Today, and The Daily Star.