Dear John

As a Palestinian American mother, my heart is heavy with the pain of my homeland. Though I arrived in the U.S. when I was only 2 months old, the ties to my family and roots in Palestine remain strong. The distance between us has never dulled the ache of witnessing their suffering. Every day, I see the news, and I can't help but feel the agony of the families torn apart, the children robbed of their innocence, and the mothers left to mourn their precious ones.

As Mother’s Day approaches, I find myself grappling with a profound question: How can we celebrate the joy of motherhood while our sisters in Gaza are enduring unspeakable grief? How can we revel in the love of our children when thousands of miles away, mothers are burying theirs? This Mother’s day, join us in Washington, D.C. in a shared plea to end the genocide in Gaza.

As of today, 43 of my family members in Gaza have been murdered, and the rest are in Rafah, homeless or starving. Now imagine for a moment the weight on my heart, knowing that my own government compels me to bear the guilt of financing the annihilation of my people with every tax dollar I contribute. It's a heavy burden, one that pierces me to the core each day.

Just recently, I went to Congress with my 16-month-old son, Hamza. As I sat in the House Appropriations Committee hearing on the Pentagon budget with Secretary of “Defense” Lloyd Austin, I couldn’t hold back my anguish. I yelled out, "MY CHILD IS HUMAN! STOP KILLING PALESTINIAN CHILDREN!”

Israel has killed at least 13,800 children in Gaza since October 7th. These are not just numbers; they are innocent lives cut short, dreams shattered, and families torn apart.

This Mother's Day, I invite you to join me in a collective cry for peace as we gather in Washington, D.C., to make our voices heard. We will be joined by the Raging Grannies and countless others who refuse to remain silent in the face of injustice. 

We chose this time as a reminder that long before Hallmark, Mother’s Day was created as a call for peace. In 1872, Julia Ward Howe declared the first "Mother's Day for Peace '' when she sounded the call to DISARM, DISARM! This year, we will heed Julia’s call and bring together our grandmothers, mothers, daughters, aunts, children and all who want to work for an end to militarism, violence, war, occupation, genocide and other forms of hate. 

Join me and 1000 Grandmothers and their loved ones in DC as we demand a future where no mother has to bury her child under the rubble of genocide.

In solidarity for Peace,

Naseebah, Medea, Julia, Jodie, Michelle, Paki and the ENTIRE CODEPINK team

And there's plenty more to do:

• Join us for our Mother's Day actions in DC!
• Check out our Mother's Day webpage for more resources!
• Read Danaka’s post: My mother’s death taught me life: reflections on grief and Gaza 
• Support families in Gaza!
• Join us on 5/6 for a Know Your Rights training!
• And Join us in the halls of Congress everday!

And don't forget to pick our new CODEPINK Feminists Stand for Peace T-shirt!