Issue #35
Hi Page Turners,
Grassroots! What does grassroots mean to you and what does it achieve? Recently I had a conversation with someone and they said what is the point of the protests for Palestine when the situation remains the same and it's gradually getting more hostile. I then pointed out that protesting is essential. If we look at protests such as the Black Lives Matter or Climate change they matter because by protesting it is highlighting the importance of it. It is bringing awareness to people who may not know about it or are ignorant towards it.
Protests matter because leaders/government and democracy are not taking importance/action to the matter. That is why grassroots are important. It is important to stand with Palestine by condemning Israel's violence towards Palestine which violates international laws and human rights! It is important world leaders take this stand and this week with Keir Starmer saying Israel has a right to cut Gaza's water of amongst other things and his rhetoric in general just makes me think of the people we are giving power to and allowing to govern our country.
We must protest for injustice and encourage and pressure world leaders to call for ceasefire. We must flood our elected officials with calls and emails to ask them to support this resolution!
Humanitarian aid is still needed so please donate as much as you can with the link below.
Donate as much as you can here-
Books 📚
This week I read The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis. It was about a child prodigy and the cost of genius. Such a thought provoking, character rooting book which I devoured. You can find my full review here- https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5927736543?book_show_action=false
Opinion piece 📰
In a New York Times article Hala Alyan writes about the double standard that Palestinians have been facing and how they have to continue to prove their innocence to continue to condemn Hamas against their own crisis. Read here- https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/25/opinion/palestine-war-empathy.html?smid=url-share
With all the misinformation and different stories and versions being told watch this YouTube Short: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/7iLkV9xqozo
Read this heart-breaking and moving poem written by Ru Freeman- https://lithub.com/life-line-to-gaza-a-poem-by-ru-freeman/
Further reading 📑
A simplistic and watered down version of the history of Palestine: https://m.youtube.com/shorts/sJ1pfMoXbK8
As Microsoft Word turns 40 this article discusses how Microsoft Word has changed the way we use language. It was an interesting read. https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231025-the-surprisingly-subtle-ways-microsoft-word-has-changed-the-way-we-use-language
Palestinian writer Adania Shibli’s book Minor Detail is another that is on my must read list and here is why you should read it too: https://theconversation.com/minor-detail-book-how-the-language-of-the-past-can-help-us-read-the-present-situation-in-palestine-216201
💭 My 3 am thoughts 🕒
What is humanity in the face of crises?
Quote of the week ✏
“Just understanding that these things are normal, these things are life. It is a roller coaster. You’re going to feel these high highs and low lows, and the higher the highs, the lower the lows at the same time — it’s just riding through those moments and knowing: this is the human experience.”- taken from Daily Stoic email.
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Link to socials-
With Love and Dua's
Fiz @
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