GW Encampment

On Sunday, April 28th 2024, I left work, directly to Washington DC to pick up/drop off some forgotten things. For days on social media, I’ve heard of the Pro-Palestine encampments that began at Columbia University that were later started at George Washington University among others across the country. Thinking the idea was interesting and being already in the city I decided to check it out. On arrival, I was confronted with a very loud man that smelled awful! It was hard to decipher which side he was even on due to all the extremely outlandish things he was saying! It wasn’t until he started screaming about how someone took his “Beautiful Palestina Flag'' that I figured it out. After a bit, some people came and said not to engage with him because he was mentally unwell but if I’m being honest, he seemed to be in full control of his faculties. Through my observations, I concluded he was simply trying to get attention by saying bewildering things. Fortunately, this is the only off putting thing I’d see on my entire visit.
I went deeper into the camp and upon first glance there were tents bundled together in the middle of the road surrounded by chalk drawings/writings with makeshift signs hung in every place and direction you could possibly hang something. I soon realized there were actually two distinct tent areas. The aforementioned one on the road and one that was fenced off in a grassy area of the campus. I later learned that this was done by police to dissuade anyone else from coming to support the student protesters. It obviously didn’t work because later that night those barricades would eventually come down.
I made a couple rounds of the encampment and I noted some interesting things. The majority of the people present were having a good time! They were spending quality time together, chatting, studying among other things. There was a station where they were giving out food/drinks both packaged and prepared with different options to accommodate people with specific dietary needs. I later took advantage of this and I’m glad to say it was delicious! They also had a prayer area for muslims which, at that moment, had a crowd of people bowing up and down in unison while someone sang. It was uplifting to see, not only the sheer amount of people there but also how much of a supportive environment it was. I began to wonder if aspects of this could translate to everyday life.
A little before 9pm there was an announcement from an organizer that stated they were going to have a “cultural storytelling” event in which we were encouraged to share our stories and how it relates to the Palestinian struggle. With little hesitation, I decided I was going to say something. As someone who’s family is from a place that was ruined by western intervention I felt like it was fitting. The suspense of waiting for my turn quickly made me anxious. I was asked if I wanted to go a bit later but I refused, mostly out of my desire to get it over with and my own unrealistic expectations of myself. Once it was my turn I hastily went up and said my piece. It was barely coherent and fragmented but regardless I was encouraged to speak. They would cheer when I said something mildly relevant and when I stopped to collect myself I heard yells of “you got this” and “you’re doing great” which raised my spirits and made me feel less like an idiot. After finishing was given a round of applause and two Salvadoran protesters on the barricaded side gave me a hug and thanked me for sharing. I was proud of myself for at least trying and for having the courage to go through with it.
For the sake of my self worth I’ll write what I meant to say within those fragmented sentences uttered in front of the crowd:

“Growing up, I heard so much about war and the detrimental effects it had not only on my family, but also on the place they had called home for generations. Just like Palestine, the west felt threatened by their fight for self determination and the right to live in peace, enough to the point they’re willing to fiercely eradicate them for not following their ambitions. I greatly sympathize with the Palestinian people for our collective struggle against the western powers that seek to control our destinies and I’ve been so moved by what I’ve witnessed here today. It revitalized so much hope and motivation that I’ve lost for a long time. I commend you and the rest of the world for waking up and standing up for what’s right. There is so much we can do if we help and work together! We are creating a strong foundation for the development of a better world for all of us!”

After that whole debacle I had the pleasure of talking to the two people who came after me while the event was paused for another prayer time. One carried a “Starry Plough” flag which they shared was associated with Irish Republicanism, specifically citing the Sinn Féin party. They delivered a speech on that very thing in a humorous manner which made it engaging and I personally found it quite enlightening. The other carried a guitar and also presented something about Ireland, a song in Gaelic about a rebellious pirate queen that lived a long time ago. They were both very kind and I feel like we learned a bit from each other.
I ended up leaving the campus close to 10:30pm and went home feeling profound love and appreciation for human beings that I haven’t felt in a long time. I’d like people (including myself) to apply what they’ve learned and experienced in these encampments to everyday life because what’s the point of doing all this if you don’t use it! Keep up the momentum, even one act of kindness can do so much for someone!