Today is the UN designated International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. We would like to share a few works of beauty and power created by Palestinians in Gaza and abroad.
Reminder: Tonight at Queen's University there is a vigil for Palestine, spearheaded by the local group Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights (IG: @sphrqueens). You will need to sign up to discover the location, and the event starts at 7pm.
POETRY
Naomi Shihab Nye is a poet of Palestinian decent. For additional context, note that Leslie Feinberg included this poem in her speech to ASWAT Palestinian Gay Women at a 2007 conference in Haifa, Palestine. “Aswat” is Arabic for “voices”, which is a reference to the voices of lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersexual Palestinians.
MUSIC
We begin with a track was written and recorded amid the crossfires and under the bombardment of Gaza, Palestine.
— from ecologies fm (@ecologiesfm) November 17, 2023
Sol Band - performed by HAMADAH حمادة - lyrics by Akram Alsourani - filmed by Sami Alsultan
Who says the soul does not cry? #CeasefireNow #FreePalestine pic.twitter.com/Q7PEMTsWSA
In addition to this track, we have a playlist created for a recent event at Queen's, created by a graduate student in our department for an evening of community sharing and connection in support for the people of Palestine.
LITERATURE
Thank you to the curators @queerafictionado for compiling a list of several works of fiction by queer Palestinian writers.
Please follow @queerafictionado for excellent queer anthologies
You Exist Too Much, by Zaina Arafat
A Map of Home, by Randa Jarrar
The Skin and Its Girl, by Sarah Cypher
The Ordeal of Being Known, by Malia Rose
Guapa, by Saleem Haddad
The Philistine, by Leila Marshy
Belladonna, by Anbara Salam
Please consider ordering these from a local, independent bookstore.
VISUAL ART
The featured image for this page is a cropped view of a painting by Palestinian artist Malak Mattar, whose work can be followed (and prints purchased) via Instagram at @malakmattarart
