My name is Cara Marianna, and for the past two years I’ve been traveling through the West Bank, meeting Palestinians whose lives have been defined by endurance, dignity, and loss—and whose stories rarely reach Western ears.
My project, Palestinian Voices, is an ongoing series of essays and field reports that document these encounters. Each piece seeks to restore humanity to a people systematically stripped of it, and to bridge the silence between Palestine and the outside world.
In 2026, I’ll return for my third, three-month stay—to continue listening, witnessing, and writing. This next journey will deepen the project and extend the circle of voices already shared through my Substack publications: Winter Wheat, West Bank Alerts, and The Floutist, the last of which I co-edit.
After my first trip, in 2024, I created West Bank Alerts to provide real-time updates on the worsening situation. The work has grown into something larger—a record of human experience under impossible conditions.
My approach remains simple: to sit with people where they live, to listen more than I speak, and to write with the care their stories deserve. I can’t change the course of history, but I can refuse to let these voices vanish.
This work exists only through the generosity and solidarity of others. It is both journalism and witness—and your support makes it possible.
I’m seeking to raise $17,000 to cover airfare, ground travel, interpreters, lodging, and basic sustenance. If the goal isn’t met, I will still go—but for a shorter stay. Every contribution, large or small, extends the reach of this project.
All my work remains freely available on Winter Wheat and West Bank Alerts, because visibility is part of the struggle.
By contributing, you're not merely funding a trip—you’re amplifying Palestinian voices. You're standing with Palestinians in solidarity, honoring their humanity, and bearing witness to their struggle.
Thank you for helping keep these stories alive.

