She Keeps Building
Yumna’s first company ran on sunlight. She co-founded KarmSolar in Egypt, turning renewable energy into working businesses, before her path bent toward the table. She worked at Zooba, then came to New York and started again.
She introduces herself like this:
“I’m a proud Arab woman who believes in community, cares about the planet, and genuinely loves public transportation, which probably explains why I love living in New York, no matter how much I complain about it.”
Lammeh
With chef Rala Ziadeh, she co-founded Lammeh, Arabic for “gathering.” They cook Syrian food for catered events, host pop-up dinners, and fill rooms with art and conversation.
On our own terms
Somewhere along the way, the work gave her something she hadn’t known she was missing.
“This path has reconnected me to something I didn’t know I was craving: the power for Arabs and Arab women to tell our own stories, about our food, our heritage, our culture, and our roots, on our own terms.”
Thriving, not just surviving
Starting over is still hard, even the second time. Some weeks the momentum is there and some weeks it isn’t. What holds steady is the partnership with Rala.
“Open, honest communication is everything. Especially in a partnership, it’s the foundation that keeps things thriving, not just surviving.”
