John,

Recently, a right-wing operative targeted me at a town hall I hosted in my district about the massive power outages our communities have experienced. He shouted at me to “Go back to Palestine.”

Our town hall brought together communities across our district who are eager to work together for reliable and affordable utilities for their families and neighbors. But we were interrupted by an attempt to sow hate and division.

This attack was hurtful, reminding me of Trump’s calls for me and my Squad sisters to “go back” to where we came from -- even though I was born and raised in Detroit. I’m from here, I belong here, and I’m here to stay.

I will never back down. I am going to outwork the hate and keep pushing forward against those that promote racism and division.

Will you chip in $5 or more today to have my back in the face of xenophobic, anti-Palestinian attacks?

I am the proud daughter of Palestinian immigrants and the granddaughter of a loving grandmother who’s still living in occupied Palestine.

During my first term in Congress, I tried to visit my grandmother and meet with human rights groups in Palestine. But the Israeli government barred me from entering. After international outcry, the government made my ability to visit my family contingent upon my signing a letter that I would only see my family, and in return, not shed light on the injustices happening in Israel. But I will not be silenced.

Visiting my grandmother under such oppressive conditions meant to humiliate me would break my grandmother's heart, so I decided not to go. I was devastated. And unfortunately, many Palestinians, Arabs, and Muslims are regularly blocked from going to (or “back to”) Palestine.

Israel’s apartheid government also blocks Palestinians from traveling. I have been through checkpoints with my grandmother in the occupied West Bank as the Israeli military interrogates her, simply for trying to seek services such as healthcare.

This is personal for me. As the only Palestinian-American in Congress, I regularly face attacks for my defense of Palestinian human rights -- including from my fellow members of Congress.

Palestinians deserve human dignity, as do we all. I will keep fighting for human rights in my district, in Palestine, and around the world.

Please chip in what you can afford today to show that we will not let hate divide us. Instead, we will keep joining together in the movement for human rights for all people.

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Thank you for being by my side.

In solidarity,

Rashida