Hibaq Osman

Hibaq Osman is a Somali writer born and based in West London. Her work centres largely around women, identity, and the healing process. She is a current member of both the Burn After Reading and Octavia collectives, with the aim to help foster writing communities that showcase talent, drive, and understanding. No stranger to the stage, Hibaq has participated in various slams, festivals, and poetry nights across the UK since 2012. Often taken from real life experiences, Hibaq’s writing focuses on the hidden aspects of our lives and how we can bring the unspoken to the forefront. As a member of Octavia–a group of women of colour poets–she works towards a future where funding and access to the arts for people of colour is considered the norm and not an exception. Outside of the poetry world, Hibaq is a recent Psychology and Counselling graduate with a desire to expand mental health service access to people who fall on various intersections of identity. In the future she aims to use poetry and prose writing as a way to help others examine trauma, come to terms with the past, and work on positively moving towards a healthier understanding of self. In her free time she runs dance classes, is failing at learning two languages, and tweets too much.