On the day Hamas bombed Israel, killing 1,400 people and kidnapping hundreds of others, I spoke about the power of art in front of The Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project. At that point I had only heard that something horrific had happened. In my short talk, I spoke about the power of art to create change, about how it opens hearts, breaks down barriers, and allows people to see, if only for a moment, something they had never seen before. I spoke of the power of story. Of how the mural includes artwork from over 200 artists and organizations from around the world, and how each piece has its own story, its own way of sharing that individual or organization’s story. I talked about how I not only believe, but know that we are creating a better world with our art, our hearts, and our stories.

When I learned of the attack on Israel, and then Israel’s response, I felt immobilized. I questioned my words, my beliefs. How could I believe we were creating a better world when such atrocities are happening? And how was I supposed to respond to what was happening?

Political activism does not come easily or naturally to me. I didn’t grow up talking about politics. I grew up hearing that politics was beyond me and outside of my control. I never saw political conversations modeled in my family or my community. And so it all just seemed way too big for me.

In college, I shied away from anything political. I studied biology and ecology, with a bit of art sprinkled in here and there. I love the natural world—the forests and the prairies, the mountains and the oceans, the plants and animals. I loved these natural elements so much that I wanted to protect them. Preserving habitats, the survival of species, even reducing carbon emissions was something that I could fight for. It was people that were hard.

In 2006, several years after a young community member, Rachel Corrie, was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer in Palestine, while protecting the home of a Palestinian family, I got involved in what eventually became The Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project. This was a collaboration between The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, Art Forces, and the Olympia Community. Ironically, I went from avoiding all things political to being involved in one of the most politically controversial conflicts of our time. During my time with that project, I heard a lot of stories and met a lot of people who were working to end the Israeli occupation and bring peace and justice to that region of the world. It opened me up to an entire world of political organizing.

I became the Mural Coordinator for the first phase of the mural, responsible for the design and organizing volunteers to paint the Phase 1 design on the walls of the Labor Temple, in downtown Olympia, WA. The design depicted an ancient, bare-leaf olive tree. Olive trees have deep significance for Palestinian people. Many depend on olive trees for their livelihoods and are seen as symbols of rootedness in an age of displacement, self-sufficiency in times of hardship, and peace in periods of war. I was primarily involved in the first phase of that project, and even worked for the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice for a short time. Even so, I rarely talked about the Israel Palestine conflict outside of my work with that organization. I had no confidence in my ability to do it justice. Literally. The reality is, I was afraid.

It did, however, encourage me to begin researching and understanding social justice on a larger scale. I began learning that so much of what I was taught, and how I moved through the world was based on colonization. I began to see my own privilege and responsibility as a person with privilege. My work edged from environmental education into environmental justice. I began to understand that we can’t save habitats or species without considering people, that hunger and racism and human health were inextricably linked to the environment, that making sure people’s basic needs are met is essential for creating a better world.

I started making art around these ideas. Climate justice became a core tenet of my work. I no longer believe that environmental protection can be done well without the work of social justice.

Even so, it’s taken me days to understand what to say around the current crisis in Palestine and Israel. I have been researching and learning and educating myself on this conflict. There is so much backstory and history that I will never truly understand at all, so I listen to people on the ground.

I listen to the voices of Palestinian people. They are saying End the siege NOW.

People have been referring to Gaza as an ‘Open air prison’. But that is not even accurate. Even before the latest conflict erupted and Israel cut electricity and fresh water supplies to Gaza, 90 percent of the water was undrinkable, according to the Palestinian Water Authority. Now, it is so much worse.

The Palestinian people have been under a complete siege for more than 16 years. They are essentially trapped in a cage. Many had not been getting their basic needs met for a long time. Under that kind of pressure, something was going to explode. Does that justify Hamas’ attack on Israel? No, of course not. That attack and the kidnapping were horrendous. The grief of the Jewish people is real and likely incomprehensible to me. I add my grief for the Israeli lives lost and taken, and for their loved ones left behind. Returning the hostages needs to be a priority.

I think of the 9/11 bombings and the shock and grief that came up for me. I couldn’t believe what had happened. Then I heard our then President George W. Bush declare we were going to war. And I was even more shocked, afraid, and outraged.

Violence does not beget violence. Until we can offer a solution that is based on something other than violence, the cycle of violence will continue.

Israel has exponentially more power than Palestine. It controls their water, food, and fuel and is backed by the United States. We give Israel around $2 billion dollars every single year. That makes us complicit in this war. We need a cease-fire right now, before more lives are lost. And the United States needs to stop supporting this military invasion that is killing the Palestinian people.

I grieve for the Israeli lives that were taken and I grieve for the Palestinian lives that were taken and are continuing to be taken at an astonishing rate. There are 2.2 million Palestinians in Gaza and they are dying—dying from bombs, from a medical system that is collapsing, from lack of water, food, and shelter.

Nearly half of Palestinians in Gaza are under the age of 18. This war is killing children. And the only difference between their children and my children is where they happened to be born. That is the only difference.

What I really want to say is this: Remember and see the humanity of the Palestinian people. And please, lean into your own humanity.

I do not know the solution to this ongoing crisis, but I do know that we need a cease-fire and adequate humanitarian aid immediately. I still believe in our humanity. I believe that we can find a solution—a solution that comes from a different place than from violence. That comes from understanding and healing and ultimately from love.

Those of us who are working to create a better world must hold our lights high. Shine as brightly as you can so that others can join you.

Thank you Nomy Lamm for sharing the words I couldn’t find for myself: “Remember and see the Humanity of the Palestinian people.” We cannot forget them. They need us to see them. To see the horrors they are experiencing, to see their struggle, to see their resistance, their resilience, their joy—to see their humanity.

Listen to their stories. Do not turn away.

And take action.

Here are 5 ways you can take action today to support the Palestinian people and end this war:

1. Educate yourself on the Israeli-Palestine conflict.

There is a multitude of free resources that you can find online, but it’s important that you seek out reputable resources and stray away from propaganda and/or misinformation. Always check the source, the author, the date, and the supporting / linked sources. Here’s a helpful article to assist you while you further examine the pieces of information you come across.

2. Listen to and lift up Palestinian voices.

While also seeking out general educational resources, it’s most important to center the voices of Palestinian individuals – those who have personal experiences or ties to family who are directly impacted. Read news articles from these voices, and if you are on social media, seek out these content creators and share their calls to action. The information is very much out there – it’s on us to do our due diligence.

3. Call your representatives and demand they support an immediate cease-fire.

Find contact numbers for your members of Congress. Your House Representatives can be identified by searching on this website, and you can discover your Senators here. It’s as simple as calling them up and saying that you demand a ceasefire – don't worry about writing or scripting something over the top, it’s really a numbers game at the end of the day and they need to hear from citizens. Phone calls are exponentially more powerful than emails.

4. Demand that adequate humanitarian aid be delivered.

Similarly, you can demand that adequate humanitarian aid be delivered to Palestine. Your representatives will appreciate hearing any feedback here.

5. Make a donation.

There is a wide variety of organizations doing good, hard work right now. This list from Global Citizen is a great place to start. I donated to Meca for Peace. If you are able to share some financial assistance, even small donations can have a major impact. Avoid getting caught up in fundraising scams - The Federal Trade Commission recommends searching charities' names alongside "complaint," "review," "rating" and "scam" to see what pops up before you make your donation.