This week I’ve been doing my best to participate in the global strike for Gaza. Limiting my shopping, my travel, and my time on social media other than to elevate Palestinian voices and draw attention to the absolute catastrophe that is currently being inflicted on the entire population there, by the Israeli government, paid for and supported with zero strings attached by my own government. It’s been a heartbreaking 112 days since October 7th. I’ve been compelled to do a lot of learning, questioning, growing… because trying to make some kind of sense of the deep rooted problem helps me hold onto the hope that it’s possible to think our way out, and that in the bigger scheme, humans as a whole are not doomed to self destruction (at least not yet). Another way I’ve managed to find solace has been participating in whatever small way I can in disrupting the current genocidal campaign, and raising funds to support organizations who do work and provide services for Palestinians (when it’s even possible to do so). Protests, rallies, difficult conversations, even organizing a fundraiser event here in LA. It helps, I encourage you to try it out if you haven’t. Certainly better than binging more news or doom scrolling. All this is to say, today I am sharing a soundtrack of purely Arabic music, some of it from Palestinian artists, some of it recorded from my own vinyl, some ripped from CD’s I bought in the streets of Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, some not available on Spotify. I hope these songs help you through these trying times, dancing and finding joy despite the very worst that our world continues to throw our way. After all, it’s the pursuit of joy, and the promise of eventual peace that we do all this for.

Photo above comes from 2011 when 13,000 children of Gaza helped break the Guiness world record for largest number of people flying kites simultaneously.

Peace, C