Public Story
Rasha Abousalem
Rasha Abousalem
Muslim, Palestinian, American, Humanitarian, Advocate, Columbia, MO (originally from New Jersey.) Portrait taken on 4/12/2024
Muslim, Palestinian, American, Humanitarian, Advocate, Columbia, MO (originally from New Jersey.) Portrait taken on 4/12/2024
My father dreamed of seeing a freed Palestine.
He dreamed of one day going back home - that his feet can once again walk on the soil he walked as a child.
I am the child of Palestinian refugees from the 1948 Nakba. My parents raised me to not only be aware of the struggles of our people, but more importantly to be proud of our incredibly rich heritage and history. Growing up, I never felt like I had to choose between being an American or being an Arab. Rather, I saw it as a privilege to grow up with two cultures. It was never an internal battle for me to choose one or the other. The good from each is what resonates in me.
But how do I reconcile for the reality that while America gave my family the opportunities to elevate themselves out of the struggles of being Palestinian refugees in the Middle East, it's the same America that is sending money and weapons to oppress Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank?
People like me. People like my siblings. People like my mom and dad.
My father passed away in May 2023. He will never be able to see the beaches of Haifa, to touch the olive trees of Nablus, or to pray in al Aqsa in Jerusalem. But my sadness for him and Palestinians only drives the humanitarian aid worker in me. I don't see it as a choice. I see it as an obligation. God has put me in a position of privilege.
What will I do with it?
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