Surrounded by this death
surrounded by this death
I learned a lot
I learned to love hard
To forgive fast
To live a full life
To forget the bad and cherish the good
Most importantly how to laugh
I grew to be kind
be strong
be joyful
be fearless
be grateful
Most importantly how to trust in god
No fight is worth the fight except the fight for a free Palestine
No voice is worth hearing except the one screaming “Free Palestine”
Being surrounded by death you learn
Nothing is greater than the greater good
surrounded by all this death
you will be taught to belong
to defuse internal conflict
to survive survival guilt
to cry through laughter
to speak up for whats right
About the Author
Rand is a 26-year-old Palestinian. She is the youngest of four children; she finished her undergraduate studies at Bir Zeit University, Ramallah, Palestine. During her university years, Rand grew more interested in the humanitarian structure and the Palestinian cause from a humanitarian point of view. Through volunteering and networking, Rand received many pieces of training in crisis management, and emergency navigation, as well as, humanitarian structure, signature, and localization allowing her to employ her knowledge in her career and as a volunteer with many local and international humanitarian organizations. Moreover, Rand is a very expressive artistic person who attempts to share her human experience through pen and brush. She is captivated by sunsets and Palestinian beauty.
All photos in the series are by Rand.