POLITICS
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By Lauren Abunassar
Today, the advocacy landscape is less about idealism and more about triage, grit and the endurance of caring under pressure.
By Elissa Odeh
“It’s one thing to go to protests and give presentations, but to be able to help my people through henna — and for this business to be recognized as advocacy, as power for the people — that’s something truly meaningful.”
Within the context of organizing, the problem with ceasefires is that they feel like victory. If the problem is defined as "too much killing," then less killing appears to be progress. But the "quiet" periods between military assaults are also a form of violence.
By Lauren Abunassar
If this is an era of destruction, it’s also an age of adaptation as organizations like HIAS PA and PIC shift their approaches to embrace collaboration and local advocacy.
By Ben Bennett
Every Tuesday at 6:30 a.m., members of Philly Palestine Coalition gather for a protest outside the munitions manufacturer’s corporate offices.
By Ragad Ahmad
When universities can redefine academic freedom to exclude certain perspectives, when they can retroactively criminalize respected ideas and abandon institutional principles in the face of external pressures, then no field of knowledge remains safe.
By Kenza Bousseloub
International students in Philadelphia face growing risks for supporting Palestine. One organizer shares why they continue to speak out.
By Lauren Abunassar
According to Sanaz Yaghmai, many of the Iranian-Americans she works with now also feel disillusioned and hesitant to speak out. She wonders whether Iranian suffering can ever be given the space to exist on its own, separate from a broader context.
By Ben Bennett
On June 28, Philadelphia organizers and demonstrators held a “Not Another War” protest.
By Haifa Ali
As a child, Shilbae did not have to consider the ethics of celebrating Eid in the midst of widespread violence, loss and destruction.
Ragad Ahmad
While many Philadelphians are planning to celebrate the local chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) at its annual fundraising banquet tomorrow, this year marks a significant turning point in the banquet's history.
by Lauren Abunassar
Jude Husein finds it difficult to stay still. Then again, for most of her life she’s been moving quickly.
by Lauren Abunassar
With Donald Trump just days away from retaking office—and potentially implementing substantial foreign policy changes, Al-Bustan News wanted to know what questions we should be asking and whether or not we can consider this era of chaos, devastation, and transformation symptomatic of a watershed moment in our understanding of the MENA region or simply a continuation of patterns of turmoil.
by Lauren Abunassar
In Philadelphia, educators at both the primary school and collegiate levels have been speaking out against Palestine-related censorship, which they say pervades the city’s academic systems. A subset of this diverse and intersectional community are anti-Zionist Jewish educators who have stepped forward to denounce the way that pro-Israel advocacy groups are weaponizing Judaism in an effort to suppress Palestinian advocacy.
“It’s so difficult to watch a place and a people to whom you are so connected suffer so much violence at the hands of international actors who have no regard for the wellbeing or livelihoods of people in the Middle East,” said 23-year-old Lebanese American and Penn alum Laila Shadid in an interview with Al-Bustan News.
When Medford, New Jersey-based documentary filmmaker Zainab Sultan was considering what new film projects to pursue, Delaware State Representative Madinah Wilson-Anton emerged as an immediate source of fascination. The first female Muslim legislator in Delaware, Wilson-Anton is young, candid, a steadfast community advocate, and a stand-up comedian.
As Election Day draws near, morality is at the top of mind for many young Arab and Muslim Philadelphians who are eligible to vote for the first time this election. Candidates’ proposed policies on Palestine and Israel — including their commitment to continued U.S. military aid to Israel in the midst of an ongoing genocide — are being used as a litmus test.
Over 30 demonstrators interrupted the Philadelphia School District’s monthly board meeting at district headquarters this past Thursday, October 24th, calling on the district to reinstate suspended Northeast High School teacher Keziah Ridgeway.
“I believe that most of us in the [Palestinian] diaspora kept our heads down for a long time and tried to fly under the radar,” Hazou said when she sat down for an exclusive interview with Al-Bustan News.
With back-to-school season in full swing in the U.S., many Palestinian liberation activists are using this time to raise awareness of the ongoing ‘scholasticide’ in Gaza.
She’s vowed to lower drug costs, forgive student loans, and restore women’s right to reproductive healthcare. But, as Harris has yet to call for an arms embargo, or make any public commitments significantly distinct from Biden’s approach to the Israeli genocide, many “Uncommitted” and Arab-American voters in Philadelphia remain hesitant to place their hope in Harris.
As violence between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalates, Philadelphia’s Sudanese diaspora is speaking out in support of Sudan’s liberation, increased humanitarian aid, and increased attention to the crisis. Last month, hundreds gathered for a rally and march that started at Dilworth Park, sharing stories emerging from Sudan, where famine and displacement is worsening.
Three teachers at Philadelphia’s Baldi Middle School have just filed a federal complaint with the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR) after facing severe disciplinary action for their support of Palestinian students. As part of their complaint, the three teachers – Caroline Yang, Emily Antrilli, and Jordan Kardasz – are underscoring community members’ allegations that the Philadelphia School district is failing to take accusations of discrimination against Palestinian students and pro-Palestine staff seriously.