Shifaa Alsairafi began writing the following graphic novel as a children’s book dedicated to telling the story of Yazidi refugees, as she felt there was a dearth of information on the group. Little is known about the Yazidi population and the international community has largely ceased to mention them in the news. She spoke with members of the Yazidi community in DC and in Berlin, Germany in order to form a better basis for this book. She was inspired by their journeys and their courage and hopes that this book conveys at least an inkling of their stories. Layla herself is a fictional character, whose story is drawn from a multitude of stories heard during the research phase of this project. The book is meant to inspire others to learn more about this great community, their history, and their futures, not just their suffering.
