PAYCE Stories
Episodes
Try it: You will find yourself. In this episode, PAYCE Fellow Aya Anwr explores what started development worker Youssef Qahwaji on his path. When he was thirteen, he had the chance to participate in a Jordanian UNICEF workshop that expanded his horizons. Seeing things from a different perspective, this was a change point towards his career. Aya describes how she can identify with Youssef’s story and the insight she draws from h...
PAYCE Fellow Hannah Curran brings us more of the story of artist Lina Abojaradeh. Reaching thousands through online posts of her art, Lina overcame self-doubt and fear to become an artist’s voice in exile. She defines success as a willingness to become unconventional. Lina wants to move people to change their awareness and do something for the Palestinian cause.
Song credit to bensound.com, “Memories.”
The feminist media project created by PAYCE Fellow Zeina Melhem was featured in season two episode “One minute of norms.” Here, she shares the story of how Ruba Ahmad advocates as a hijabi woman to effect change. Ruba describes her ability to break down the public/private dichotomy as a way to “crack the walls.” Her work with refugee women is discussed as helping others “use their power” as Ruba admires their capacity to face ch...
Lama Amr takes what she calls “weird paths” to find a way forward for a better world. Working with colleagues, she is a social entrepreneur who has founded organizations BirHakaya and Build Palestine. Her innovations include reorienting her thinking about Israeli checkpoints and choosing an unexpected college major. PAYCE Fellow Darrien Alexander Fordham explores a series of choices that have lead Amr to educate and create chang...
PAYCE Fellow Genesis Guzman begins her podcast episode with a dramatization of negative messages girls receive before turning to Ala’ Hamamreh’s story. Ala’ is one of the founders of Shaghaf Foundation. Experiencing the limitations placed on girls as a child, Ala’ noticed these limits and challenged them. The Shaghaf Foundation holds panels and activities to inspire women for change. Ala’ notes that women in both Palestine and ...
Youth is sometimes seen as a problem that society has to “deal with.” PAYCE Fellow Abdullah Hamdan created this episode to refute this mistaken framework. He explores the story of Jordanian young adult advocate Youssef Qahwaji. They discuss the summer 2018 peaceful protests in Amman and the personal story of Youssef overcoming failure. Failure brings positive growth and enables you to value success in life. The podcast ends wi...
PAYCE Fellow Hanan Zahran talks to Omar Husseini about his perspective on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and how he moved from the U.S. to Palestine. Hanan describes Omar’s work in “unconventional politics” through his job as a liaison to international visitors and his workplace. He describes why he chooses his form of advocacy given the context for Jerusalemites. Omar expresses his hope for Palestine and his hope for the futu...
Youssef Qahwaji’s parents wanted him to be a doctor or engineer. They were disappointed at first when he began to pursue a career in development and planning on projects related to youth empowerment. As PAYCE Fellow Olivia Graham notes, it’s up to the individual to decide when they will follow someone else’s request, and when they will follow their own intuition. Music credit by Bensound.com, “cute” and “when in the West.”
PAYCE Fellow Maddie Bjork explores the issue of women’s empowerment through the story of Ruba Ahmad. Ruba uses her anger and passion to create change and bring into sharp focus what she sees as imperatives for women and refugees. Ruba and Maddie discuss Ruba's work as a policy assistant at the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, wearing the hijab, and the need to elevate the voices of women refugees
Ala’ Hamamreh is one of the founders of Shaghaf Foundation, a Palestinian NGO dedicated to projects in digital media and social entrepreneurship that create empowerment for young women. In this episode, PAYCE Fellow Fadi Abushanab profiles Ala’s work. ‘Shaghaf’ means passion in Arabic. Ala’ explains the work the organization has done and the changes it has brought her personally. Ala’ and Fadi challenge the conventional definiti...
PAYCE Fellow Renad Manasra profiles 20 year old Jordanian-based artist Lina Abojaradeh. Moving to Jordan from the United States was a significant change, but she found her voice through art. A Palestinian born in the United States, Lina has never visited Palestine. She can’t. However, she uses her talent to represent her “homeland political issue.” Lina found inspiration from other Palestinian artists and began to see art as a to...
Raneem's profile of social entrepreneur Lama Amr reveals a common frustration the two share. PAYCE Fellow Raneem Garhreeb begins her podcast with the sound of an Israeli checkpoint, then pivots to humor through the voice of an American PAYCE colleague. She does this to show a common experience of Palestinians abroad: Meeting people who confuse their home with Pakistan or who know nothing about the Palestinian situation. In th...
Omar Husseini bought a one-way ticket to Jerusalem, Palestine. He never went back. Instead of returning to California, he stayed in his father’s birthplace. He advocates for Palestine through his work as a public relations representative in a university. In response to the limited opportunities faced by Palestinians, Omar, age 28, explains to PAYCE Fellow Bri Dressel that he educates foreigners who come to visit so they can see...
Mini bonus episode! PAYCE Logistics Coordinator Omar Husseini. Summer 2018 Amman participants will know Omar’s logistical brilliance. His story of civic engagement will appear in two of the episodes in season 3. In this pre-season mini-episode, hear why Omar is proud to play a crucial role in the PAYCE program. Music by bensound.com, "cute".
Can't wait for the stories from Amman? Neither can we - they're coming soon! Here's a shoutout from producer Darcie Vandegrift.
Salina from Al Quds-Bard interviews the founder of a campus club, Unheard Palestinian Stories. She and her classmates describe how often it is difficult to tell one’s story. Founder Baha’ Ebdeir created organization to create beauty out of pain through giving space to tell stories. However, he and the club ran into a challenge. There were plenty participants who wanted to speak, but fewer attendees wanted to listen. Why don’t ...
Myqueal Lewis (Florida A&M U) presents this moving radio essay about his aspirations to become a teacher. He thought of many pros and cons of pursuing this profession. But recent gun violence has raised new questions. This thought-provoking podcast combines personal reflection and interview with a high school gun control activist. High schoolers are standing up to demand change to protect their lives. Having adults who sup...
Huda and Lara from Al-Quds Bard interview storytelling activist Yasmeen Mjalli. A Palestinian raised in the United States, Yasmeen moved to Ramallah after college. To challenge the harmful effects of gender harassment, she performed an art project called Not Your Habibti to draw attention to the problem of how women are seen as possessions rather than subjects in control of their bodies and stories. Yasmeen challenges the idea t...
Is social media an alternative to political apathy? PAYCE Fellow Taylor Zitkus worked with a University of Hartford class to explore student apathy and also new forms of political expression on social media. Taylor argues that social media counts as political engagement because it is a way to become educated, connect with others, and express important views.
In this audio essay, PAYCE Fellow Noura (An-Najah National University) talks about many issues related to economic struggle and poverty. The Israeli Occupation overshadows all conversations about poverty and can never be ignored. She outlines the economic challenges faced by college students and their families as students search for a career. Islamic charity reduces public manifestations of poverty.