A Palestinian you should know: Jinan Shbat
National Organizer, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
Palestine in America (PiA): What balad(s) is your family from?
Jinan Shbat (JS): Dad- El-Bireh, mom- Kufr 3ana
PiA: Was there a moment(s) that drove you to begin your career?
JS: I wouldn’t say there was a specific moment- being Palestinian means you are born into the resistence, whether at home or in the diaspora. My parents always reminded us of who we were from a young age, and so we were taught songs and stories and visited Palestine every summer.
PiA: What is your earliest memory of participating in political work?
JS: I’m not sure what you mean by political, but I remember once when I was 8 or 9 years old, we attended an El-Bireh convention in California. My dad had arranged for me and my siblings to sing one of the songs we were taught on stage- in front of hundreds of people. People were chanting along, fists raised….I think that’s when I realized the power of my voice to move people.
PiA: How does Palestine play a role in your work?
JS: I think this question has evolved for me over the years. When I was younger, my work on Palestine focused mostly on rallies in my small hometown. There was no real political movement in the US. Over the years, we have seen a shift in the national landscape on Palestine, which has allowed a more accepting climate. Being able to unite the Arab American community on Palestine without fear of pushback has allowed us advocate and lobby for certain measures to be considered such as conditioning aid to Israel, or the detention of Palestinian children.
PiA: What’s a Palestinian adverb, quote, person, poem or song that you often reflect on in this work?
JS: There is a video of Ghassan Kanafani where he is being asked by a reporter to “just talk” with Israel. And his answer is always the same, no matter how many times he is asked. “Talk about what?” he says. And it is so powerful, because yes- exactly: talk about what? They are our oppressors. What is there to talk about with the ones who murdered your neighbors and family, stole your land, occupied your home?
PiA: What do you hope to achieve in your line of work?
JS: I want our community to be unapologetically loud about Palestine. Without fear of being fired from their jobs, doxxed online, shamed or silenced by their families. Arab Americans have such a rich history in the US. The earliest migrants were Syrian-Lebanese- they were forced to assimilate for fear of persecution. This led to a loss of culture over the years. In the last few decades, we have seen an emergence of migrants from that same area of the world. I want to beagle to support and uplift each community with our programs and resources.
PiA: Many times, Palestinians endure marginalization on all sides of the aisle -- what obstacles do you face/have you faced, and how have you overcome it?
JS: One of the most shocking incidents happened 2 years ago, after the wins of Reps Tlaib and Omar. My work at the time was with a Muslim civil rights organization. After a specific event where we rallied behind the two Congresswomen, who were being attacked on the hill, I saw information about me online. The videos and photos criminalized me for standing up against anti-Palestinian sentiment. Old tweets of mine were pulled up and misconstrued. I was attacked for weeks. Then, every few months, after I would attend a Palestinian event, the same thing would happen again. It was a vicious cycle that lasted well over a year.
PiA: What’s your advice to folks looking to deepen their political journeys?
JS: I would say to them- be brave. It seems so simple to go into this work. But there is still a deep resentment to anyone advocating for Palestinians. There will be attacks, so you need to anticipate that. Find your allies- that’s a huge thing. Make sure you know who can do what in times of crisis. I have a large network of both national and local grassroots orgs that I have worked with over the years. Everyone has their place in the movement.
PiA: How do you see the Palestinian diaspora intersect with issue based work amongst other communities?
JS: The issue of Palestine has always held deep roots in both the Indigenous and Black movements. Colonial settlerism is a common thread with all of our communities. My journey for justice was rooted in the theme of justice for all- not just Palestinians. And we cannot erase the histories of all our communities- we have suffered the same injustices, and we are fighting the same fight. We have found strength in our collective suffering.
PiA:How would you define solidarity?
JS: This is always a tricky question. We cannot just have solidarity- there needs to be intersectional solidarity for it to be truly effective. Our communities are not so black and white. Many times you can see that our struggles and identities overlap. Once that is established, the work around solidarity with our communities comes in the form of fighting for equity and complete justice. Looking at each group, it is important to assess what justice means to them specifically. Only then can you claim solidarity with a group.
PiA: What do you want people to know about you/your experience as a Palestinian in this work?
JS: Never once have I ever doubted my need to be an advocate and voice for Palestine. I think the foundation that my parents set for me made a huge difference in how I saw my identity as a source of pride, and not a burden. It has fueled my passion for justice for other communities. It has made me empathetic and given me a place of understanding for all marginalized communities.
PiA: What does a free world mean to you?
JN: A world where anyone- regardless of race, religion, status- can live without judgement, fear of persecution, and with complete autonomy. Racial, financial, and climate equity would be the foundation for each society. We would invest more in education and mental health, and less on military and policing.
PiA: Was there a moment that made you consider leaving political work?
JS: What was it and what kept you working in politics? I will not lie- this work is EXHAUSTING. I will sometimes cry from frustration. I will see my own friends and coworkers attacked for speaking out. I will see other Arab countries normalize with Israel and want to scream. I will feel like so much is hopeless; that the work we are doing is not effective. We all get that way in any type of justice work.
But then, every night, before I go to bed, I have that thought in my mind: If I were to die, what would be my legacy? What would I have contributed to this world? To this work? Would I be happy with what I have left behind in my name? And the answer, every night, is always YES. I feel truly blessed to have this responsibility. I do this for my grandparents who experienced exile at a young age. For my cousins and family members imprisoned or murdered by Israel. For my parents who came to the US to give their children a better future. To be honest, if I wasn’t doing this work, I don’t know who I would be.
