Challenging the Narrative: Ismail Khalidi on Storytelling and the Palestinian Perspective

The Teacher's Forum

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In this episode of The Teacher’s Forum, David reconnects with his former student, award-winning playwright and screenwriter Ismail Khalidi, to explore identity, art, and Palestine. From growing up Palestinian in America (05:45) to the influence of family and education (11:53) and his journey to playwriting (17:42), Ismail or Sim as he is known, shares how storytelling becomes both art and resistance. The conversation touches on navigating the white gaze (35:30), the responsibility of educators in discussing Palestine (41:22), and the myths and realities too often erased in mainstream narratives (48:01), before looking to the future of Palestine and the role of art (56:21).

To contact Ismail Khalidi you can visit his website at https://www.ismailkhalidi.com/

To learn more about the history of Palestine checkout the following:

The 100 Years War on Palestine by Rashid Khalidi

Until I Return: The Selected Plays of Ismail Khalidi

Returning to Haifa by Ismail Khalidi and Naomi Wallace

One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad

"Dead Are My People" by Khalil Gibran

Pulitzer-prize Winning Poet, Mosab Abu Toha on the war in Gaza

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