The theme of this year’s convention was “On the Road to Free Palestine.” We are fully aware of all forms of suffering and persecution that the Palestinian people endure. We know that Israeli aggression is ongoing and does not stop. We continue to mourn the Palestinians killed in the latest Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip in May. The brutal and inhumane blockade on Gaza has entered its 15th year and the fight against the colonial expansion emptying our homes and filling them with colonizers in East Jerusalem and all of Palestine is far from over. To top it off, American complicity and bias continue to persist and not much has changed under the Biden administration. However, Palestinian resilience and determination have never wavered. In fact, they are stronger than ever. The Covid-19 Pandemic didn’t stop the Israeli occupation but it also did not succeed in weakening Palestinian resolve. We are inspired by this steadfastness and resoluteness. Therefore, we celebrate all of the Palestinian rights' victories that have occurred since our last virtual gathering in 2020. Today, more people than ever in the United States are becoming aware of Israeli atrocities – and the movement for Palestinian rights is gaining more momentum day by day. Capitalizing on this moment is essential, that’s why we continue to educate, organize, and energize ourselves and those around us. We transform our emotions, feelings of sadness and anger into action and achievements on the ground to serve the Palestinian cause. The work we do is paying off, our convention this year is a testament to that! With three different programs catered to all ages, everyone had a session, workshop, and activity to take part in. Our main program, tailored to all audiences, featured key figures in our movement. Our CAT (Campus Activism Track) program catered more to students, emphasized the history of Palestine, the Zionist project, and how to utilize social media as a tool in the movement to better uplift Palestinians. We also had a program centered on our high school youth in order to get them more engaged and knowledgeable on the issue with a focus on subjects such as political prisoners, the history of Palestinian villages, and life under occupation. |
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