I’ve been away from this platform for so long navigating through several big changes in life and on the brink of burnout but with everything going on in Gaza, I am so called to build on what I’ve already publicly said because without a shadow of a doubt, Gaza and Palestine have changed me to my core - there is no going back to the ways things used to be and there is no option to stay silent.

I also can’t stay quiet as there is an urgency within me to talk about what’s happening and add a perspective that is deeply personal to me as a Muslim woman, an equity practitioner who centers justice in her work, who seeks to always center the most marginalized and someone who is called to use my platforms to denounce systems of oppression.

So, here is my impassioned, raw and personal call to ask you to come out of your apathy, your silence and to fight for a #FreePalestine.

I'm including here some information that has helped me understand the depth of what is in front of us with the centering of primarily Palestinian voices and stories:

Can Israelis and Palestinians See Eye to Eye? || Creators for Change | Middle Ground: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Jj8vne0ca0

What It’s Like to Grow Up in an Israeli Settlement | Op-Docs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eac1l1ozfLc

Palestinians Film War in Gaza: ‘So They Know We Existed’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P_L_088Diw

They Called Me a Lioness - A Palestinian Girl's Fight for Freedom by Ahed Tamimi
and Dena Takruri

Marc Lamont Hill Speaks On Israel-Hamas War, International Law, History + More https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPRua0u7hYY

People and references in the episode:

Ahlam Yassin, American-Muslim educator
Zohra M. Khorashi, American lawyer
Drawn2Intellect
Zara Choudhary
Ra'fat Al-Dajani

Aparna Rae LinkedIn post:

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7140362168260046848/

United Nations Global Compact Network Canada toolkit on advancing advocacy and solidarity:

https://unglobalcompact.ca/knowledge-hub/page.php?id=34

https://defenceforchildren.org/israels-detention-of-palestinian-children-is-an-outrage-to-humanity/

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/02/israels-apartheid-against-palestinians-a-cruel-system-of-domination-and-a-crime-against-humanity/

https://www.un.org/unispal/nakba75/

https://www.npr.org/2023/05/15/1176097958/un-nakba-day-explained-anniversary-palestine-israel

Licensed intro music from NoMo