About Beste Filiz

(Bes-teh Fee-liz) My name is a spondee

I was born in Istanbul, Turkey. When I was 3 years old, my parents and I became refugees and had to flee Turkey and seek asylum in London, England. The different parts of my identity come out in my writing for children. I want to write diverse books for children and young adults with LGBTQ and BIPOC characters that reflect their identities, struggles, and lives.

I write about refugees as humans rather than the stereotypical portrayal of them in much of mainstream media. I want to give refugees their dignity back in story, especially during this time when there is so much anti-refugee and anti-immigrant rhetoric. I want to show that political asylum seekers stand up against injustices in their home countries, that they are persecuted for their bravery.

I write about Turkish culture for young people. Istanbul is a city where two continents meet, literally, across the Bosphorus. It is steeped in centuries of mystery and story. I would like to celebrate the diversity of my people and their stories. I think it is time.

I graduated from the Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program at Hamline University on a merit scholarship. I was the recipient of several awards and a 2024 Fellow from the Center for Arts and Social Justice at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.

I received a fantastic one-year mentorship from We Need Diverse Books in 2025. I was a Tin House Scholar at the Tin House Autumn Online Workshop.