Hussam Jefee (founder) is a Syrian poet, and psychiatrist. He was born in Lattakia, Syria, in 1983, and currently an assistant professor at the University of Massachusetts. He published his first poetry collection in Arabic in 2008: فتّاحة الأمل المعلّب (The Opener of Canned Hope). His second collection is currently in press: طيور تدخن الماريوانا (Birds Smoking Marijuana) at Al-Moutawasset publishing; Milano, Italy. He had also published translations of American poetry in Arabic literary magazines and journals. In his capacity as a musician and oud player, he has initiated various projects in the U.S.