100 words bio
Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author and a Canada Scholar. His memoir Crooked Teeth is critically aclaimed, and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award, the BC and Yukon Book Prize, and the City of Vancouver Book Award. He is also the author of the novels The Foghorn Echoes and The Clothesline Swing, along with the award-winning Salma children’s series. His books have won the Lambda Literary Award, the Publishing Triangle Award, and the Independent Publisher Book Award, and they’ve been translated into multiple languages. Since arriving in Canada, Danny has raised over $300,000 to support queer and trans refugees. When not writing, he can be found playing video games.
Press Photos
200 words bio
Danny Ramadan is a Syrian-Canadian author, public speaker, and a Canada Scholar. His memoir Crooked Teeth (2024) received raving reviews and was nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction, the BC and Yukon Book Prize, and the City of Vancouver Book Award.
Ramadan’s latest novel, The Foghorn Echoes, won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and was nominated for the BC & Yukon Book Prizes and the City of Vancouver Book Award. His debut novel, The Clothesline Swing, won the Independent Publisher Book Award for LGBT Fiction, was longlisted for Canada Reads, and has been translated into multiple languages, bringing Levantine voices to readers around the globe.
Alongside his adult fiction and memoir, Ramadan is the author of the celebrated Salma children’s series, which has earned the Nautilus Book Award, the Publishing Triangle Award, the Middle East Book Award, and several other international accolades. The series has cemented his place as a versatile storyteller who writes with equal grace for children and adults.
Beyond his books, Ramadan is deeply committed to community work. Since arriving in Canada as a refugee himself, he has raised over $300,000 to support LGBTQ+ refugees, helping secure safe passage for more than two dozen queer and trans individuals. His contributions have been recognized with numerous awards, and he holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia as well as an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from Adler University.
He lives in Vancouver with his husband and their two beloved dogs. When he isn’t writing, he can usually be found playing video games with questionable skill.
Full Bio
Danny Ramadan (he/him) is a Syrian-Canadian author, public speaker, and advocate for LGBTQ+ refugees. His work bridges the personal and the political, the historical and the fantastical, exploring themes of identity, displacement, belonging, queerness, and the enduring power of storytelling. He writes across genres and for all ages, using narrative as a form of healing, resistance, and joyful reclamation.
As an author:
Ramadan’s latest book, Crooked Teeth: A Queer Syrian Refugee Memoir (Penguin Random House, 2024), was released to raving reviews and is nominated for the Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction, the BC and Yukon Book Prize, and the City of Vancouver Book Award. The Vancouver Sun calls it “an elegantly told, candid, and often intriguing personal history… never failing to edify.” The memoir examines the complexities of migration, queerness, and memory through an honest and intimate lens.
His novel The Foghorn Echoes (Penguin Random House, 2022) was praised by The Guardian, Vanity Fair, and literary outlets across North America and the UK. It won the Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction and was shortlisted for the BC & Yukon Book Prizes and the City of Vancouver Book Award.
His debut novel, The Clothesline Swing (Nightwood Editions, 2017), was longlisted for Canada Reads, shortlisted for the Lambda Literary Award, and named a Best Book of the Year by The Globe and Mail and Toronto Star. The novel has been translated into multiple languages and is widely taught in university classrooms across Canada.
Ramadan is also an acclaimed short story writer. He won the 2018 Fiddlehead Short Fiction Contest for My Name is Bridge and was a finalist for the Bridge Prize for The Miraculous Return of Khaled from the Dead. His writing often blends elements of magical realism and mythology with grounded emotional narratives, and he is known for his rich, layered character work: especially his portrayal of queer, immigrant, and Middle Eastern identities.
His celebrated children’s book Salma the Syrian Chef (Annick Press, 2020) won the Nautilus Book Award and the Middle East Book Award and was named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews and School Library Journal. It was nominated for the Blue Spruce Award, the Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize, and the City of Vancouver Book Award.
The Salma early chapter book series includes Salma Makes a Home (2023), Salma Writes a Book (2023), Salma Joins the Team (2024), and Salma Speaks Up (2025). The next installment, Salma Keeps Her Word, is set for release in 2026.
Ramadan is currently working on The Saltwater Requiem (working title), a historical fiction novel that follows a Syrian family aboard the Titanic. The book blends folklore, communal memory, and intergenerational trauma in a sweeping narrative that connects early 20th-century Levantine history with global tragedy. He is also developing a non-fiction project titled QMUNITIES: An Exploration of Joy in Queer Communities, which explores how queer identity can thrive beyond survival: in joy, care, and collective imagination.
As an educator and public speaker:
Ramadan has served as Writer-in-Residence at the Saskatoon Public Library (2020–2021), the Haig-Brown House in Campbell River (2021–2022), and the University of Toronto – Scarborough (2022–2023). He is currently serving his term as the Distinguished Writer in Residence at the University of Calgary (2024–2025).
He is a sought-after speaker for his ability to connect writing craft to identity, politics, and lived experience. His topics include intersectionality in literature and activism, queer storytelling, writing across genres, and the challenges of publishing while navigating multiple marginalizations. Known for his humour, warmth, and candor, he has presented at festivals, conferences, schools, and community organizations across the world.
His TED Talk, The Refugee Tree, was filmed in Vancouver in 2016. He was personally invited by the First Lady of Iceland to lecture at the Iceland Writers Retreat. He has since taught creative writing at institutions across Canada, from UBC to Ryerson to grassroots community programs, mentoring emerging writers through a lens of empathy and craft.
In his advocacy work:
Since 2015, Ramadan has organized An Evening in Damascus, an annual community fundraiser supporting LGBTQ+ refugees from the MENA region. The event, which combines storytelling, art, and community building, has raised over $300,000 for Rainbow Refugee Society and supported the safe arrival of 25 queer and trans individuals to Canada.
He served on the board of the Vancouver Pride Society (2016–2020), and from 2021–2023 represented BC/Yukon for The Writers’ Union of Canada. In 2023, he was elected Chair of the Union — becoming the first queer man of colour to hold the position in its history. During his term, Ramadan focused on increasing diversity within the writing community and advocating for fair pay for authors.
For his activism, Ramadan was named one of the Top Immigrants to Canada in 2017 and received the Mark S. Bonham Centre Award for Sexual Diversity Studies. He was sainted by the Vancouver Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence with the title Saint Guiding Light to Sanctuary, New Home, and Safety.
Personal life:
Ramadan holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia, an honorary doctorate in Humane Letters from Adler University, and the designation of Canada Scholar. He lives in Vancouver with his husband, Matthew, and their two dogs, Freddie and Dolly. When he’s not writing or speaking, you’ll probably find him playing video games — with fierce commitment and questionable skill.