Expressions of Nakba

Under: Uncategorized, Palestine, Art & Culture, Around The World, What I Love, Memories @ 2:26 pm on Thursday, 05.15.08

Expressions of Nakba is an international competition and exhibition to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Nakba: the expulsion and dispossession of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes and land in 1948.

The competition strives to present the extraordinary narrative of a dispossessed people through a diverse range of expressions that interpret the collective identity, historic struggle, and emotional experience of the Nakba for Palestinians.

Sponsored by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, this online gallery showcases the wining entries from the competition in addition to a wonderful range of selections in the form of visual arts, poetry, essays, music, video and digital media.

Check it out!

And check out the following, too:

Memorial to 418

Under: Palestine, Art & Culture, Around The World, What I Love, Memories @ 11:07 pm on Saturday, 05.3.08

“Everything in this world can be stolen, except the love that emanates from a human being towards a solid commitment to a just cause.” - Ghassan Kanafani

This Week In Palestine, May 2008

Some of this month’s In the Limelight:

“Memorial to 418 Palestinian Villages which Were Destroyed, Depopulated and Occupied by Israel in 1948″

Refugee tent and embroidery thread, 8’ X 10’ X 12’, 2001

This piece is a document (or the remains) of a three-month community-based project. More than 140 people came through [Emily Jacir’s] studio to sew, memorialize each village and socialize; oftentimes there was live Arabic music. The people who made this Memorial were bankers, lawyers, filmmakers, dentists, consultants, playwrights, artists, activists, teachers, etc.
(via Picturesque Palestine and Emily Jacir)

(Read more)

Blackboard

Under: Uncategorized, Art & Culture, What I Love, Memories @ 6:33 pm on Saturday, 05.3.08


(via willflickr’s)

What would you have written on this blackboard?

Secret Pages

Under: Uncategorized, Random Thoughts, Memories @ 11:49 pm on Sunday, 04.20.08

Oh, how it feels to be able to - without any reservations what so ever - express your thoughts, your feelings, your dreams, your desires, your needs, every single thought that goes on inside your mind. In writing.

P.S. I’m contemplating burning them…

My current mood…

Under: Uncategorized, What I Love, Memories @ 3:27 pm on Wednesday, 01.9.08

:-)

:-)

:-)

Thanks, Hani!

;-)

? = Palestine

Under: Uncategorized, Palestine, What I Love, Memories @ 11:44 pm on Friday, 12.28.07

May 2008 be a year of unity, love, peace and transformation in and for Palestine. Wishing Palestine and its people a prosperous, happy, peaceful 2008…

Photos via Turmusaya.com

What do you call this?

Under: Uncategorized, Memories, OMG! @ 10:43 pm on Tuesday, 11.27.07

I was on my cell phone talking to Lilian…yet at the same time freaking out and feeling very very very furious because I was looking for my phone….Lilian hearing the frustration and UGHS in my voice asked: What’s wrong?

Me: I cannot find my phone!! where the hell is it?

Lilian: What phone?

Me: My Cell phooonnnee! I don’t know where it is … can’t find it…ugh!

Lilian: o k

That’s when I realized I’m holding it against my ear!

And no, I’m not on crack nor do I smoke pot!

Hardcore. Insane!

Under: Uncategorized, Random Thoughts, How Outrageous, Memories @ 12:22 am on Tuesday, 11.27.07

I wasn’t the type of student who dropped classes easily while in school. I was always passionate about the courses I chose and enjoyed them (with the exception of Geography and Logic, for I had very lousy instructors) to the fullest…

Women Studies was an elective I took my second year in Undergrad… It was an introductory course that was aimed at selected theories, ideas and debates that help us to understand how gender is a social institution that plays a profound role in shaping our lives. Also touching on topics that include theories of gender and sexuality, histories of feminism and contemporary feminist movements, women’s health, reproduction, body image, sexuality, etc. Reading the class syllabus, I felt empowered :D

A few weeks into the semester, I could not stand it … the instructor was a hardcore feminist who felt that there should absolutely be no difference what-so-ever between men and women…she called for equality in all form and measure. Something I find unrealistic. I strongly believe that there are certain things that are just meant for women and certain things that are meant for men. She spoke so highly of how she treats her young boy - who was in first grade at the time - and how she dresses him. Imagine a boy in the first grade showing up to school in a hot pink jogging suit. Really. There is nothing wrong with pink, and some of the latest trends carry this color…but hot pink for a first grader boy? That’s stretching a bit… The kid is going to grow up scarred. No matter how open-minded our society is, it really is cruel at times…and to have a young kid go through ridicule just because his hardcore feminist of a mother wants to defy the norm is just too selfish.

One of the assignments called for all the females in the class to visit a female strip club and act as men would, whereas all males in class will show up to a nightclub carrying women purses. We were to record the observations! Yeah. Ok! While it sounded so tempting and an experience worthwhile at 20, I thought she was completely out of her mind! I dropped the class after a minor clash of views with her over her outrageous assignment and what I classified as cruelty towards her little boy and gave up women studies for good!

Now… I classify myself as a feminist who believes in the betterment of women globally and supporting equal opportunities for them in the political, social and workforce spectrum…but I’m not a hardcore psycho

Fasten your seatbelt!

Under: Uncategorized, Random Thoughts, Palestine, Around The World, Memories @ 9:44 am on Friday, 11.23.07

Many of us who travel to Palestine know - first hand - how that feels… and it doesn’t stop at the airport…”Why are you here? and “What are you doing here?” are just ice-breakers…the interrogation is a process you go through every time you pass a checkpoint. Tedious and so very frustrating…but guess what? I’m gonna keep coming back;)
If you’ve been there, gone through it please share…I would love to hear your stories…

Sketch by Kati Miranda

Nothing compares to you…

Under: Palestine, What I Love, Memories @ 11:38 pm on Saturday, 11.10.07

Photos from Steve Sabella

How do I say this…

Under: Uncategorized, Random Thoughts, Memories @ 11:08 pm on Saturday, 11.10.07

Looking back at things and more importantly people who once mattered so much to me but are no longer a part of my life makes me firmly believe that I am so much better off without them … I don’t regret their presence that once was, but now my days are a lot more peaceful… I’m more content … and I’m very thankful …

Oh, the challenge…

Under: Uncategorized, Memories @ 11:42 pm on Monday, 11.5.07

Hani, my 5 year old nephew, came up to me and asked if I could read him “this story.”

I said “Of course 7ayati” (equivalent to honey)…not realizing that it’s in Arabic…

I started reading out loud to him - at times stuttering…

As I was about to flip to the next page, he pulled the book away from my hand, looked me straight in the eye and asked:

“Khalto, do you even know how to read this?!”

“Yes… here, let’s finish…” I said as I looked at his mom…who was too busy stuffing her face with cheesecake, not realizing the challenge her son was putting me through…

“Are you sure? I don’t think you can, khalto…” he said with a smirk.

Ranya, next time take it easy on your kids…and don’t check out college level novels! Thanks to you, now Hani thinks I’m illiterate!

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