Asha Salim, born in Naples to East African parents, is a multidisciplinary writer, scholar, and poet based in Philadelphia. A Fulbright and Zegna Founder’s Scholarship recipient, she is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing at Temple University with a focus on Cultural Studies. With a background in Comparative Languages Literatures and Cultures and experience in the fashion industry with brands like Off-White and Vogue Italia, she founded The Creal Club, a platform dedicated to creative wellness for Black women and women of color. In this lecture, she will explore how literature gives voice to unspoken emotions, focusing on Sula by Toni Morrison and My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante. Through these novels, she will examine how literature provides insight into human nature, societal rejection, and the importance of representation. The talk will also consider how literature shapes our understanding of desire and identity, emphasizing the crucial role of accessibility in this process.