Who are you? Such a simple question, and yet it’s the one I find the hardest to answer. But while I'm lost in the endless possible answers, there’s a light that stands out–something that describes me better than anything else. Palestinian. I am Palestinian. To be able to rise again and again from the rubble is resilience. To be proud of our identities even when we are wrongly shamed is defiance. To wear our keffiyehs even though we may stand out is boldness. To stand with our brothers and sisters while they are attacked is fierceness. To welcome anyone, even those who may oppose us, is hospitality. These attributes–though not exclusively–I believe resonate with Palestinians. Being able to see other Palestinians display these skills not only makes these feel like an obligation but also inspires me to make these skills my own. I’ve always been a timid person and always felt like I didn’t belong, but witnessing the unwavering strength and unity displayed among Palestinians around the world, especially amidst everything that has happened in Gaza, has changed me. My journey to truly build my identity began only recently, sparked by the immense scrutiny and condemnation Palestine faced. I wore a Palestine necklace, and yet whenever I heard Palestine being mentioned, I felt myself shrink, but this feeling of diminishment ignited a realization within me. My will to change that nature where I couldn’t even feel proud of who I am started small but quickly grew, gaining momentum with each horrifying video I saw. I shed myself of my ignorance and informed myself of all that was happening because how could I represent something without the knowledge to defend it? Soon, I set up a Palestinian stand at school, proudly showcasing my culture. Though it was part of a cultural festival and other cultures were being displayed near it, I was still proud to have been able to take this step to represent my country. Later, I added different Palestinian icons to my backpack and even brought it up in a recent assignment. This pride for Palestine isn’t the only thing my Palestinian heritage has brought out of me; it also exposed the pride for anything I believe in. Palestinians showed me that my voice matters and gave me the courage to be able to voice my opinions. I was also humbled; while I was able to raise my head higher, my ego was brought lower as an improvement. This humbleness went hand-in-hand with gratitude. I am now forever thankful for my life and want to take advantage of all my opportunities. I was also given resilience, no longer am I hurt by foolish comments, if anything, they make me stand taller to prove I am more than just their words. The actions done after Gaza’s genocide are not the only things that grew my character, my heritage also played a part, maybe even the biggest part, the beginning. My Palestinian heritage is derived from both of my parents. While my mom has lived in America her whole life, her parents, or my grandparents, hadn’t. They had a journey from Puerto Rico to get to America so they could raise their children in this “land of opportunity.” My father, on the other hand, was born and raised in Palestine. He was able to come to America by marrying my mother. Though they each had different lives, they still had impactful stories to tell. They’ve each passed these stories down to me, they’ve shown me about my heritage and what it truly means. My father’s story about his jail experience gave me fortitude. My mother’s story about when she had to take care of her cousins in Palestine, with what few items they had, gave me compassion and efficiency. My parents suffered to provide me with opportunities, and I don’t want to waste those. My educational goals are to get a Master’s in computer engineering and a computer technician certificate. With these, I plan to become a computer hardware engineer and use that certificate to get a computer technician job on the side or if I have trouble finding a computer hardware engineering job since computer technicians have more demand. Empowered by the resilience and pride of my Palestinian heritage, my strengthened voice, and the opportunities made available to me, I am more determined than ever to pursue my farthest goals.