Maya Abdallah: Hunger Strike, Mental Health & Palestinian Resistance | Sumud Podcast

Hello friends, Just a note before we get started that the guest of this episode, Maya Abdallah, was hospitalized just hours after this interview. We share this with her full consent and in deep solidarity.

⚠️ Disclaimer:

This episode contains a discussion of sensitive topics, including self-harm and mental health. Listener and viewer discretion is advised. If you or someone you know is struggling, please seek professional support. Dial 988 in the US for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

This week on the Sumud Podcast, we’re joined by Maya Abdallah, an artist and activist. Maya’s work unearths the depths of generational trauma, resilience, and identity, and her viral poetry has created a space for Palestinian voices in places that often silence them. She is also a writer and filmmaker, using storytelling across mediums to amplify her community’s truth.

In this powerful conversation, Maya shares her hunger strike journey as a student at @UCLA, where she launched her hunger strike demanding the university divest from genocide and support Palestinian liberation. From the physical and emotional toll to the unwavering clarity, it gave her about Palestinian resistance. She opens up about her mental health, confronting the stigma around mental health, especially in our communities.

This episode is raw, unfiltered, and deeply grounded in love with her people.

🔑 In this conversation, we explore:

➡ The personal and political cost of hunger striking

➡ How poetry becomes a tool of healing and resistance

➡ The impact of social media visibility on artists of conscience

➡ Arab womanhood, mental health, and inherited grief

➡ Holding joy and mourning in the fight for Palestinian liberation

This video is for educational purposes only. It provides historical and political analysis to inform and educate viewers.

📕Chapters:

00:00 – Content Warning & Introduction

02:53 –Physical & Emotional Toll of Not Eating

07:42 – UCLA’s Response and Zionist Harassment Tactics

11:47 – Hiding the Strike & Family Impact

15:53 – The Pain of Palestinian Mothers Under Siege

17:54 – Navigating Arab Identity in America

34:12 – Battling Depression and the Arab Mental Health Stigma

41:50 – Turning Grief into Resistance Through Art & Ayooni

50:11 – Clarifying Intentions: Activism, Courage, and Community Support

01:08:13- Final Message

🎥Watch the full episode: https://sumudpod.com

📲Follow Maya: @mayaayooni

📲Follow our host: @dredhasan

🌐Checkout Maya's line where art meets action: https://ayoonibymaya.com/

Learn more and register for the Gaza 5K at http://gaza5k.org/

#Palestine #PalestineSolidarity #SumudPod #EndTheGenocide #EndTheSiege #MentalHealth #HungerStrike #PalestinianYouth #DecolonizeNarratives #FreePalestine

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