Get Rawan&Fathi to YDSA Convention
Donation protected
One of my happiest and proudest moments as an organizer was watching those red voting cards go up at the national convention that expressed DSA support for total BDS by a landslide. My name is Rawan, I am a Palestinian Student on the NCC for YDSA, the youth branch of Young Democratic Socialists of America; I am also the the co leader for both the YDSA chapter and the Students for Justice in Palestine chapter at the University of Southern California. My partner Fathi grew up in Palestine where he participated in various protests and student movements; he is currently on the BDS committee at Birzeit University in Ramallah. He is hoping to help lead a panel on organizing for socialism internationally, and on the particular challenges of union organizing on Palestinian campuses under occupation, all of which he is well acquainted with.
Now, he and I are trying to travel in from Palestine where we are both currently studying in order to help lead a workshop on putting BDS into action , particularly on our college campuses that can make a huge impact, just as boycotting South Africa did.
As Palestinians, we are not allowed to use Ben Gurion airport or to rebuild an airport of our own, so we have the additional burden of needing to cross the border into Jordan and then board our international flight from there. Fathi will also have to book a hotel room due to needing to cross the border in from Palestine the night before and not having a family to stay with like I do. We are seeking additional sources of funding other than this gofundme, but just in case, this is how much it would cost for us to take the taxis, cross the borders and book the flight we need to book. Any extra funding will go to YDSA delegates who need help beyond their travel scholarships and to our chapter funds itself. If you’ve donated and would not like extra funding to go to other YDSA delegates, we will post an update and you can ask for a refund.
We look forward to seeing you all and learning from one another. And of course, solidarity forever.
Now, he and I are trying to travel in from Palestine where we are both currently studying in order to help lead a workshop on putting BDS into action , particularly on our college campuses that can make a huge impact, just as boycotting South Africa did.
As Palestinians, we are not allowed to use Ben Gurion airport or to rebuild an airport of our own, so we have the additional burden of needing to cross the border into Jordan and then board our international flight from there. Fathi will also have to book a hotel room due to needing to cross the border in from Palestine the night before and not having a family to stay with like I do. We are seeking additional sources of funding other than this gofundme, but just in case, this is how much it would cost for us to take the taxis, cross the borders and book the flight we need to book. Any extra funding will go to YDSA delegates who need help beyond their travel scholarships and to our chapter funds itself. If you’ve donated and would not like extra funding to go to other YDSA delegates, we will post an update and you can ask for a refund.
We look forward to seeing you all and learning from one another. And of course, solidarity forever.
Organizer
Rawan Tayoon
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
