Yumna Al-Arashi is an award-winning photographer, filmmaker, and visual artist from Washington D.C. She is best known for her work exploring the female experience in the Middle East and North Africa.
Al-Arashi was born in Washington D.C., but spent much of her childhood in Yemen, where she developed a deep appreciation for the culture and people of the region. After returning to the United States, she studied photography at George Mason University and went on to earn a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.
Al-Arashi’s work has been featured in publications such as The New York Times Magazine, National Geographic, TIME Magazine, The Guardian, and The Wall Street Journal. Her photographs have also been exhibited at galleries around the world including the Brooklyn Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African Art.
In addition to her photography work, Al-Arashi has directed several short films that have been screened at festivals such as SXSW and Hot Docs. She has also written articles for outlets such as The Atlantic and The New Yorker. In 2020, she was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2020 for her work advocating for women’s rights in the Middle East and North Africa region.
Al-Arashi currently lives in Washington D.C., where she continues to create powerful images that challenge stereotypes about women in her home region.