In the background of a conversation I was technically part of—but not really—two people were talking about 9/11 and how emotional it is for them, even though they aren’t New Yorkers and probably don’t know anyone from New York (besides me, though they didn’t even realize it).
While I’m sure it was a tragic and emotional day for many Americans— those who lost loved ones, those from New York, Pennsylvania, and D.C., or anyone who was simply horrified. I couldn’t help but reflect on how that tragedy, as immense as it was, happened in just one day. Nearly 3,000 people died. It’s horrific and traumatizing, and I understand why my colleagues feel the way they do.
On the day the towers fell, I was more shocked than anything. How could I have just flown over the towers on September 10th, landed in Palestine on September 11th, and while still jet lagged, watched them burning on TV? It had to be a movie—No! It wasn’t! I remember watching as each floor exploded, as if pipe bombs were planted on every level. As a New Yorker, I was taught that those buildings were made of steel and were built to withstand earthquakes and even planes crashing in them. I thought of my family and friends still living there, those who worked in nearby buildings. I thought of my beloved NYC skyline and how it would never be the same.
But going back to that conversation I overheard—while at the same time reading, We Are Not Numbers, I couldn’t stop thinking: their 9/11 is our 24/7.
They experienced one day of national trauma.It’s not a holiday, but it’s etched into the memories of most Americans who were alive that day. Today marks 700 days of the most recent genocide in Gaza and 77 years of occupation since 1948. Is the trauma Palestinians experienced not only etched in our memories, but perhaps now our DNA?
How does one cope with one traumatic experience versus someone like me, or the Palestinians in Gaza whose trauma is ongoing? There is no ‘Post’ in traumatic stress disorder for Palestinians—it’s ongoing.
And yet, in that moment, my mind was somewhere else. I thought about the relentless genocide in Gaza—how hundreds are being killed every day and how hundreds of thousands of Palestinians have been killed for simply being Palestinian—how millions of Palestinians are living in refugee camps and diaspora. Just today, a bus full of women and children was targeted and killed by Israel. Mushatha Tower, one of the biggest buildings in Gaza City and a place where hundreds of Palestinians had taken refuge, was bombed and many were killed, injured, and now homeless. Not to mention, that Gaza has been under siege by israel by land, sea and air for 18 years! And after the attack, the Minister of Defense Israel Katz boasted and threatened to bomb another. Who mocked 9/11 when that tragedy happened?
As I kept reading, I was pulled deeper into the stories—stories I can relate to. I was alive during the Second Intifada. I lived in Palestine. I experienced those same checkpoints, those same raids, curfews, electricity and water outages—those same nights of uncertainty. So many of the martyrs mentioned—I remember the days they were killed and how they were killed. I remember their names.
I said nothing. I was split in two—remembering, reading, listening, feeling, all at once.
How am I even capable of that? And how do I put these feelings into words?
I understood their sadness. I really did. But I also felt numb.
How do I explain that their 9/11 is Palestine’s 24/7?
Please—do something for Palestinians! From the river to the sea, my people are suffering. There is an active genocide happening. An ethnic cleansing!
How do I undo the social engineering that’s made them believe my people are anything but ordinary human beings—people who just want to live like everyone else? My people are beautiful, bright, sophisticated, intelligent, funny, and extraordinary. Truly extraordinary.
How do I tell them that perhaps they have misjudged who the ‘chosen people’ are…and perhaps we are the ‘chosen people’? Not to rule or dominate, but because God wanted us to be an example to the world—so that we may endure and one day be rewarded with an eternity of abundance of food, fresh water, beautiful gardens and peace.
https://w.soundcloud.com/player/?visual=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com%2Ftracks%2F1893716664&show_artwork=true&maxheight=1000&maxwidth=700This week on Full Circle we check in on some upcoming local events planned to help educate and bring awareness on the situation and history of Palestine. On tonight’s show, we’ll speak with renowned international speaker and author, Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac. Rev. Munther is a Palestinian faith leader and the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church of Bethlehem. Rev. Munther gained global notoriety when his sermon, Christ Under The Rubble, went viral. He is on a speaking tour and will be in the Bay Area this weekend. We’ll kick off the show with Rev. Munther’s, Easter Vigil For Gaza. To close out the show, we’ll check in with our friend, Layla Darwish. She is a Palestinian activist out of Fresno and she has Just set up her second Palestinian History display in the Fresno Public Library.
Here are the dates and times for Rev. Munther’s Bay Area appearances;
Saturday, Aug 10th at 7 pm, Lakeshore Baptist Church, 3534 Lakeshore Ave, Oakland
Sunday Aug 11th, 10 am service, The Way Christian Center, 1305 University Ave, Berkeley
Sunday Aug 1th, 6 pm reception, 7 pm event, Mt Diablo Peace and Justice Center Lutheran Church Lafayette, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette.
Tell VP Harris, Immediate Ceasefire and Arms Embargo now!” “Let Gaza live!” Harris will be at a swanky fundraising event (tickets are $3000-$500,000) at the Fairmont. We’ll be outside in pink; look for our pink hearts and flags. Sunday August 11th in San Francisco, 11am, Where: Fairmont Hotel, California St. @ Taylor . https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2024/08/09/18868584.php
First Voice Apprenticeship is an apprenticeship program at KPFA 94.1 FM in Berkeley and is designed to provide comprehensive broadcast, technical, and administrative skills training in radio. First Voice also aims to build and strengthen community and empower our participants to find their voice and tell their stories. The First Voice program is based on community building, a collaborative work environment and passing on our skills and stories. We focus on bringing women and people of color into media and work in partnership with Pacifica community radio station KPFA and other community media outlets, both locally and nationally. First Voice Apprenticeship Mission To fulfill the missions established by the Pacifica Foundation in 1949 by fostering & promoting media access, opportunity and equity to women, people of color and underserved communities. These can be summarized as community building and working to build peace. First Voice has 2 options for Group 45 participants, a 12 month basic curriculum and an advanced curriculum of 18 months [which incorporates full participation in Full Circle, the apprenticeship’s weekly broadcast program.] Basic Curriculum: GROUP AGREEMENTS/GROUP DYNAMICS – 6-8 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS: – TO BUILD INTER GROUP BONDS AND COHESIVENESS SOUND FORGE BASICS – 8-10 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS: – TO LEARN HOW TO USE THE SOUND FORGE APPLICATION TO PROPERLY RECORD, SAVE, EDIT AND PLAYBACK SOUND FILES. PRODUCTION CONSOLE BASICS – 2 SESSIONS OBJECTIVE/GOALS – TO LEARN THE BASIC OPERATION & USE OF THE AUDIOTRONICS 210 PRODUCTION CONSOLE TO PLAYBACK, RECORD & SAVE STANDARD AUDIO SIGNALS COMMENTARIES – 4 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS – TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE & OBJECTIVE OF COMMENTARIES – TO WRITE & RECORD A PERSONAL COMMENTARY ADOBE AUDITION BASICS – 8 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS – TO LEARN HOW TO USE ADOBE AUDITION FOR MULTI TRACK SOUND MIXING – TO CREATE AN ADOBE AUDITION PROJECT USING NARRATION, SOUND EFFECTS AND MUSIC PSA PRODUCTION – 4 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS – UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT & SIGNIFICANCE OF A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT – LEARN THE KPFA PSA GUIDELINES – WRITE AND PRODUCE A PSA WITH A MUSIC BED WRITING BASICS – 4 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS: – TO LEARN THE BASICS OF RADIO WRITING, INCLUDING AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES [SCRIPT, COMMENTARY, FEATURES, NEWS] – TO UNDERSTAND AND STRENGTHEN YOUR PERSONAL VOICE -TO COMPLETE A SCRIPTING ASSIGNMENT VOX POP PRODUCTION – 4 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS – TO LEARN THE NATURE OF A VOX POP – TO PRODUCE AN AIRABLE VOX POP, INCLUDING GATHERING & ASSEMBLING AUDIO FILES FULL CIRCLE TECH ASSISTANCE – 24-26 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS – TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE FULL CIRCLE SHOW BY HELPING TO BURN CD’S FOR ON AIR PLAYBACK, CUEING CD’S AS NEEDED DURING THE SHOW, ENTERING INFORMATION IN THE CONFESSOR REPORTING SYSTEM, POSTING DATA TO KPFAAPPRENTICE.ORG WEBSITE INTERVIEWS – BASIC – 4-6 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS – TO LEARN THE COMPONENTS TO PRODUCE AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW, INCLUDING INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES, AUDIO QUALITY, AND EDITING. – TO PRODUCE AN INTERVIEW [15-20 MINUTES] THAT IS SUITABLE FOR BROADCAST AND PLAYBACK ON FULL CIRCLE. NEWS PRODUCTION BASICS OBJECTIVES/GOALS – TO LEARN THE COMPONENTS NEEDED FOR COMPREHENSIVE BROADCAST NEWS STORIES. – TO LEARN THE TECHNIQUES FOR RECORDING NEWS STORY COMPONENTS OUTSIDE OF A STUDIO SETTING – TO PRODUCE AN AIRABLE NEWS STORY. FIELD/REMOTE PRODUCTION – 2 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS – TO PARTICIPANT IN & LEARN THE BASICS OF A FIELD/REMOTE LOCATION PRODUCTION FULL CIRCLE SHADOWING – 14 SESSIONS OBJECTIVE/GOALS – TO GAIN A BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF HOW A WEEKLY BROADCAST PROGRAM IS PRODUCED BY ATTENDING & OBSERVING EDITORIAL MEETINGS. USING SOCIAL MEDIA – 2 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS: – TO GAIN FAMILIARITY WITH THE CURRENT POPULAR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS, HOW TO ACCESS THEM AND HOW TO POST TO THOSE SITES. – FORMULATE A GROUP PLAN FOR ONGOING POSTING DURING THE GROUP’S FIRST VOICE PARTICIPATION. Advanced Curriculum: FULL CIRCLE PRODUCTION – 24-26 SESSIONS OBJECTIVES/GOALS -TO PRODUCE, HOST, AND ENGINEER A WEEKLY LIVE RADIO BROADCAST FIELD/REMOTE PRODUCTION – Additional Opportunities as they occur The First Voice Apprenticeship Program has a 12 months basic skills option and an 18 month graduate level option during which participants produce, engineer & host Full Circle. Everyone is required to spend one business day each week working at KPFA, as well as two class nights. The dayshift is a three hour shift and apprentices do administrative and production tasks. The dayshift runs on an intergenerational group learning model, with each phase teaching the next, and integrates service to the station, skills acquired in classes, motivation and leadership.View all posts by First Voice Apprenticeship
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Layla Darwish 