CAT Program

CAMPUS ACTIVISM TRACK (CAT)

Thursday 11/24

Ballroom H

5:00-5:45 pm

Envisioning a Free Palestine:

Palestine is dear to our hearts, and while we’re consumed with our daily activism, it’s important that we imagine the free Palestine we’re working towards. Come and engage in this fruitful conversation and share your vision of what a free Palestine will look like!

Speaker: Malak Kanan

5:50-6:50 pm

The Roots of Palestine

One of the most foundational arguments of the Zionist movement is the claim that the Palestinians are an invented people–a people with no past, no distinct culture, and no connection to the land. But contrary to this claim, Palestine has a rich 4,000+ year history that predates the advent of Zionism. As student activists, it is our duty to know Palestinian roots, which have been established and continuous for millennia. Come learn all about the rich history characterizing Palestinian identity.

Speaker: Dr. Nida Ali
Moderator: Noor Hejja

Friday 11/25

Ballroom H

10:15-11:15 am

Cyberactivism

Social media sparked a global revolution during the Palestine uprisings of 2021, a revolution that was so powerful that big tech companies had to resort to mass censorship to suppress pro-Palestine solidarity. At our fingertips is the power to mass-mobilize and to make dense material widely accessible. This interactive workshop will provide practical tips on how to utilize social media to increase awareness. Learn how to maximize your social media influence to achieve political change.

Speakers: Zarefah Baroud, Aisha Asad, Hannah Abuzir, Noor Hejja

11:20 am-12:20 pm

Language Matters: The Anti-Zionist Glossary

Apartheid, ethnic cleansing, normalization, colonization, anti-semitism, and anti-zionism, etc… These words are consistently misunderstood, misused, and thus creates confusion. Using this language often prompts counterarguments that students may not always know how to refute. It’s thus essential that we employ these terms to create linguistic uniformity in our messaging, and more importantly, in our activism. Join us to learn how to properly justify and utilize the language of anti-zionism.

Speakers: Malak Shalabi and Tarek Khalil
Moderator: Sana Wazwaz

12:20-2:00 pm

Friday Prayer/Lunch

2:00-3:00 pm

Debate Session: Debunking Zionist Myths

Students are often confronted with Zionist talking points that either misrepresent or distort the true history. This session will highlight some of the key Zionist myths that pervade our political and media discourse, especially our college campuses. Join us for an interactive role-playing session and finally learn how to dismantle Zionist myths once and for all.

Speakers: Tarek Khalil and Sana Wazwaz

3:05-4:05 pm

Bringing Activism Into Professionalism

This panel features a variety of successful individuals who offer insight into how they integrated Palestinian activism in their craft. Through providing personal accounts of their experiences, this session will help guide students in their pursuit of activism in future careers or endeavors. Hear from a variety of professionals; lawyers, artists, professional athletes, doctors, engineers, and academia personnel. Learn a form of activism that extends beyond the scope of a college campus!

Speakers:
Engineer- Hatem Sahouri | UFC Fighter- Belal Muhammad | Medical Doctor- Yousef Khelfa
Author- Nora Lester Murad | Academia- Dr. Sawsan Jaber | Photographer- Hareth Yousef
Moderator: Ayah Ali

Book Signing of Nora’s book “Ida in the Middle”

4:10-4:40 pm

Strengthening Presence on Campus

Palestine groups on campus serve as a vital resource and voice for a narrative that is otherwise so often erased and distorted. How do we bolster that voice and make our presence on campus well-known? How do we make our orgs seen, sought out, and at the forefront of the student organizing scene? Come learn practical tips to truly establish your student org on campus. We will discuss strategies for coalition building, forming organizational relationships, and making your student org active and robust.

Speakers: Husam Marajda and Jinan Chehade
Moderator: Malak Kanan

Saturday 11/26

Ballroom H

10:00-10:30 am

Chai Chat: Let’s Network

Students all over America organize for the liberation of Palestine on their campuses. Solidarity between SJP chapters is essential when we are all working towards the same goal. Join to meet other student organizers, hear first hand experiences, tips, and tricks from other members of SJP and their chapters to take back to your own. Skip the Starbucks, your coffee is on us.

Speakers: Dana Fattouh, Ayah Ali, Mahmoud Awadallah, Aisha Asad, Khaleel Saadeh, Sana Wazwaz, Malak Kanan
Moderator: Haifa Sahouri

10:35-11:35 am

Find Your Niche

Navigating your skills when organizing on campus may be tricky. Learn from experienced student activists in different fields that will help you find your specific niche. Whether it’s public speaking, social media, or outreach, come learn how to use each one and connect it to your specific skill set.

Speakers: Ayah Ali, Mahmoud Awadallah, Aisha Asad, and Haifa Sahouri
Moderator: Dana Fattouh

11:40 am -12:40 pm

What is Apartheid?

Within Zionist discourse, South Africa is often seen as the precise and unique template or model by which to assess whether other regimes are practicing apartheid. Any assertion that Israel meets the Apartheid definition is met with an insistence that it must be identical to South Africa, or otherwise the claim is null. Let’s dispel that myth. Join us to learn the ins and outs of Israeli Apartheid and to demolish Zionist opposition to the Apartheid charge.

Speaker: Tarek Khalil
Moderator: Khaleel Saadeh

12:45-1:45 pm

Lunch Break

1:50-2:50 pm

Combating Zionist Campaigns:

How do you counteract Birthright campaigns, anti-divestment initiatives, normalization programs, and other Zionist campaigns on campus? It’s not enough to simply know the general rebuttals to Zionist myths. To combat these campaigns, one must utilize the proper rhetoric, messaging, and organizational strategy. Join us in this interactive workshop with experienced campus organizers who will give you effective tips on how to refute Zionist campaigns and mobilize against them.

Speakers: Rifqa Falaneh, Mahmoud Awadallah, Ameera Abu-khalil, Dunyah Abulaban
Moderator: Dana Fattouh

2:55-3:55 pm

Know Your Rights:

Students are at the forefront of the struggle for Palestinian rights. At times, students face backlash from zionist groups school administrations. Students’ constitutional rights are sometimes infringed upon, if not suppressed because of their advocacy for Palestinian rights. Come listen to student activists’ conflicts and ways to resolve them using advice from a legal professional.

Speakers: Christina Jump, Salaam Khater, Jannah Abu-khalil, Ameera Abu-khalil, and Malak Kanan
Moderator: Mahmoud Awadallah

4:00-5:00 pm

Turning Emotion Into Inspiration

It’s often difficult to overcome catastrophe and separate emotions from the primary message in activism. Listen to the personal accounts of Lina Abu Akleh–Shireen Abu Akleh’s niece– and Dr. Hani Khoury–author of “Giving Up Is Not an Option: Memoirs of a Palestinian American”. Through sharing how their emotional strife paved the way for their passion for activism, this session will leave you enlightened and inspired to bring forth a free Palestine.