The individual that I chose to interview was my cousin Anais Amer. She has always been one of those people I looked up to from a young age. She always did as she pleased, moved where she wanted, and never failed to speak her mind. Anais taught me what it means to be an activist. She is one of the most outspoken individuals I know, always speaking for and demanding justice. Anais has worked hard to connect with her Palestinian heritage and share her experiences with the world. She attended high school in Jordan, college in the United States, and soon after returned to teach at the very high school she attended.

I have witnessed Anais’s activism through the years. When she was just first learning to find her voice, when it was its loudest, and where it is today. Today, is where our interview mainly focussed. I wanted to see what it was like to be a high school teacher and where her activism fit into her life now. I was curious to see how she continued to practice and preach what she cared about most, the liberation of Palestine, while balancing her job. I wondered if this was possible? Could these two sides of her co-exist? Would she have to give one or the other up?

We checked in on one another. As Palestinians, these past few months have been hard to live with. Continuing our every day lives while a genocide unfolds is not an easy task. Especially when not enough of the world is listening. “There have been moments of fear, sadness, and also strength and resilience” Anais says as she described the emotional roller coaster she has been one; one that many can relate to. Anais has come to learn over the years that you do not have to be not he front lines to be doing good work. All activism is important. Even as a teacher, teaching history and English, Anais has not pushed an agenda on students but she has rather taught them the truth. And more importantly, she has given them the tools to find the truth themselves. Anais acknowledged that she feels her role as an outward activist has lessened over the years and she really tries to make an impact through her teaching; she is an activist through her teaching. The beautiful thing is that her ways of teaching and truth telling are encouraged by her administration. She is not silenced by anyone. Most of her students are Arab, Palestinian, Jordanian, etc. This is all their history and their roots. Anais works hard to make sure her students know they have a voice that deserves and needs to be heard. Below is a poster that Anais has hung in her classroom. 

We lastly discussed her more personal feelings towards her own activism and not so much in the classroom. Sadly, Anais has had to censor herself over the years as she has faced backlash for much of what she has shared on social media. Her accounts are not private and her activism account BintFalisteen is only shared with her inner circle. She also shared with me that while she often tries to organize rallies in Jordan, it is difficult with her not being a Jordanian citizen. That however has not stopped her from conversation with those different from her and even changing the minds of “devout zionists”.

I walked away from this interview learning many things about my cousin and myself. But what most stuck with me was that activism can take shape in any form. It does not just mean protesting and marching with signs. And nice importantly what also stated out to me from this interview is that we must teach the generations below us to demand action. Every generation below will be the ones to carry on the movements that we care so deeply for now. What Anais does, by teaching her student to find the truth and demand justice, is what this world needs. She is raising the next generation of activists. Many times we see people care about a movement for a moment of time and once it leaves the news, everyone forgets. Anais’s approach is one that makes a struggling peoples problem, our problem. I think those are two of the most important things when it comes to peace, justice, and protest.

Anais continues to do the important work, and that is of teaching and guiding the generation below her to create a more well rounded and educated group of individuals and encourage them to make the change they want to see in the world. Anais has grown so much as an individual and hopes to continue to do so. She is a proud Palestinian, as am I, and even more proud to call her my cousin.