“Songs of the Sunbirds” cover art by Tamara Al-Barq
Editor’s Note
With the New Orleans Review, The Palestinian Advocacy Campaign has been successful in creating an archive of Palestinian literature and art. This has been a very rewarding initiative, and as the editor of our ongoing column Songs of the Sunbirds, I am honored to work alongside Editor-in-Chief Lindsay Sproul, who so warmly welcomed my community and me onto her platform. Even before our collaboration, she has been amplifying the voices of the Palestinian people and making the New Orleans Review an accessible resource for all.
This column highlights the narratives of Palestinian people from around the world with the intention of defying the zionist media and its hypocritical audience. We hope to give creators a platform to express themselves and connect with a welcoming community that surpasses borders and stands in solidarity with the people’s shared struggle for liberation.
The unbreakable spirit of my people should serve as a source of inspiration for all who come across their messages. It should inspire the audience’s steadfast resistance against the illegal occupation and other oppressive forces around the world. As Ghassan Kanafani said, “The Palestinian cause is not a cause for Palestinians only, but a cause for every revolutionary, wherever he is, as a cause of the exploited and oppressed masses in our era.”
During these times of widespread deceit and corruption, telling the truth and standing for justice have become revolutionary feats. The apartheid state that calls itself ‘israel’ and its allies invest billions into their propaganda machine, working to run all major media outlets to ensure that they own the narrative. Despite this, the people armed with priceless truth will prevail. The voices of Palestine will be heard from the east to the west.
Until Liberation,
Dalliya Rabei
Recipes
“Auntie Arwa’s Palestinian Mini Cookbook” by Arwa Ghannam
“Teta’s Mane’eesh Recipe” by Noor V. Aerbay
Art/Video
“To the Cousin from Yaffa” by Yara Ghabayen
“Settler Colonialism in the Heart of Hebron City” by Sabreen Renawi
“The wall is the first thing you see” by Nagham Ayyad
“Palestinian Breakfast” by Noor V. Aerbay
“Israel is Cancer” by Nagham Ayaad
Poetry
“Where Doves Fly” by Maye Al-Selwady
“Palestinian Men like Thorns” by Hadeel Salameh
“We are of the Land” by Noor Mo’alla
“Consolation” & “Refuge(e)” by Hanaa Ibrahim
“Daughter of Lightning” by Tamara Al-Barq
Nonfiction/Essays
“When the Birds Joined In” by Hasheemah Afaneh
The opinions of our contributors do not represent Loyola University New Orleans as a whole.