For almost 8 months, we have borne witness to genocide, extreme and senseless violence via our phones. Simultaneously, the continuous and growing organizing of the student encampments and the cross-movement solidarity happening within, between and beyond universities reminds us of the collective power we have when organized as well our individual power to step up as organizers. This moment is ripe with opportunity as the movement for decolonization grows. Amidst the dire and horrendous violence by a growing number of fascist regimes, awareness and framing of our collective liberation is growing in the global North as we learn from the strength and resilience of resistance movements in the global South.

We look to the students around the world who are demanding their universities “divest from death.” No longer are the youth allowing the environmental justice or climate justice movements to deem themselves as separate from settler colonialism, Palestine, and struggles for liberation.The youth REFUSE to be Hoodwinked! and refuse to accept this non-profit, old-school siloing of social, environmental, or economic issues. The youth will tell you that the root causes of the climate crisis and the root causes of Israel’s U.S.-backed genocide of Palestinians are one in the same–settler colonialism, imperialism, racial capitalism, the military industrial complex and the extractive industries that fuel and profit from war. 

We look to Palestinians, their strength, perseverance, and love for Palestine. We look to the journalists, the doctors, the nurses, the teachers, the parents–those who are still here and those who have been martyred. It is our responsibility to stop this nakba. Keep protesting. Stop the funding. Hold our institutions, workplaces, governments, universities, families and friends accountable. Stay loud until Palestine is free.