💔 Watching a genocide unfolding before our very eyes for the last 8 months has been utterly heartbreaking and unbelievably heavy. Close to 40,000 lives have been taken so far with approximately 40% of those being children. Children that look like mine, people who look like me. The targeted attack on Rafah last night was too much…

🫵🏽 There have been so many difficult, enlightening and necessary posts about this most recent war on Palestine. Some posters, in their hurt and frustration, have pointed fingers at those who remain silent on social media. This is a gentle reminder to everyone that there is life, and action, beyond social media and it is especially important to be kind at the moment when so many people are experiencing such pain, guilt and feelings of helplessness.

I confess that I am one of those who may have appeared to be silent. Truth is, there are many reasons why people are afraid to speak up on social media. But there is so much that you can do outside of these platforms like:

✊🏾 Attending protests and marches in person
✊🏾 Donating to charities, families and individuals in Palestine
✊🏾 Boycotting brands that are supporting these atrocities via apps like Belzemesh
✊🏾 Buying Palestinian brands such as Zaytoun
✊🏾 Educating others on the history and origins of this 76 year occupation or educating yourself if you don’t know
✊🏾 Providing emotional support to activists and youth
✊🏾 Challenging shops and retailers who are still stocking Israeli products
✊🏾 Encouraging your employer to issue statements and resources to support the mental health of colleagues who may be struggling
✊🏾 Reaching out to our Muslim, and Jewish, siblings to offer solace and solidarity
✊🏾 Writing to your politicians to demand a ceasefire

I am all too aware that it can be seen as selfish but I too was scared about the repercussions of being vocal on social media because I, like so many, have a family to support and I relied on my salary for that. But you better believe my family and I have been doing almost ALL of the above on our own time. And now that I am on a short career break, I had to break my silence on here too…

So please remember, not all action is visible on this little snippet of life we call social media 🙏🏽

If you are silent on here and aren’t doing any of the above, it’s not too late to start. Be on the right side of history. Never again means never again for EVERYONE.

Do what you can and please be kind…the world needs more of that right now 🖤🤍💚❤️

#FreePalestine 🇵🇸🍉✊🏾