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Abstract:
This Electronic Intifada livestream segment features hosts Ali Abunimah and Nora Barrows-Friedman interviewing Ahmed Alnaouq, co-founder of the "We Are Not Numbers" project, about the UK launch of the book "We Are Not Numbers: The Voices of Gaza's Youth." The book compiles ten years of personal stories, poems, and reflections from young, unaffiliated writers in Gaza, aiming to humanize Palestinians beyond media statistics and portrayals shaped by conflict. Ahmed shares the project's origin story, rooted in his personal loss after the 2014 war and the therapeutic power of writing, facilitated by international mentors who help bridge language barriers and break the mental siege of the blockade. The discussion includes video readings by contributors Annis Muhammad Jen and Yara Judah, highlighting the contrast between past aspirations and the current devastating reality of the ongoing genocide, which has claimed the lives of mentors like Refaat Alareer and several writers featured in the book. The segment emphasizes the importance of reading these unfiltered, personal accounts to understand the lived experiences and humanity of Palestinians in Gaza before and during the current atrocities, urging viewers to buy the book and support the project.
We Are Not Numbers: Amplifying the Voices of Gaza's Youth
0:00:01 Introduction: Ali Abunimah introduces the topic: Palestinian stories often tinged with sorrow but united by a longing for freedom and home, as reflected in the new book "We Are Not Numbers: The Voices of Gaza's Youth."
0:00:39 Book Details: The book, published by Penguin in the UK (coming soon to the US), collects work from dozens of young Gaza writers (reportage, reflections, poems, memoirs). Edited by Ahmed Alnaouq and Pam Bailey.
0:01:12 Dedication: The anthology is dedicated to mentor Refaat Alareer (killed Dec 6, 2023) and honors four featured writers killed in the current genocide: Yousef Dawas, Mahmoud Alnaouq, Huda Al Sousi, and Muhammad Hamo.
0:02:24 Guest Introduction: Ahmed Alnaouq, co-founder of the "We Are Not Numbers" project, joins the livestream.
0:03:05 Project Gratitude: Ahmed thanks the Electronic Intifada for their long-standing support, noting WANN contributors have published over 170 pieces on the platform.
0:03:48 Video Reading 1: A clip features Annis Muhammad Jen reading his piece "I Want the World to Know," filmed years prior, showcasing everyday life and love in Gaza.
0:06:36 Update on Annis: Ahmed expresses pain watching the video, as Gaza shown no longer exists. Annis left Gaza before the genocide but lost his father and brother (injured) in it. Ahmed also lost family. The video conveys the message of Gaza's humanity but is now painful.
0:08:08 Project Origin: Ahmed shares the story of "We Are Not Numbers," inspired after the 2014 war where he lost his brother. Encouraged by co-editor Pam Bailey, writing his story was therapeutic and connected him with readers, leading to the idea of creating a platform for Gazan youth.
0:11:00 Mentorship Model: The project pairs young writers in Gaza with international mentors to help them write personal stories in English, overcoming language barriers and isolation.
0:11:22 Project Scope: Over 10 years, the project published over 2,000 stories (personal narratives, poems, features) from hundreds of young, unaffiliated writers in Gaza.
0:13:07 Power of Unfiltered Stories: Ahmed emphasizes the stories are powerful because they are unfiltered lived experiences, showing the humanity, dreams, and emotions of Palestinians beyond political framing or statistics. He urges reading them for true understanding.
0:15:41 Book Structure & Context: The book intentionally includes stories from the past 10 years (2015-2024) to provide context before October 7th, 2023, showing life under blockade and previous wars, crucial for understanding the current genocide.
0:17:12 Role of Mentors: Mentors (over 150 recruited) assist with English, train writers in storytelling, and often form close friendships, helping with CVs, scholarships, and emotional support, mentally breaking the siege.
0:21:57 Video Reading 2: A clip features Yara Judah reading her piece "I Am a Girl," written when she was 16, reflecting on lost youth and fear under occupation.
0:24:24 Update on Yara: Ahmed notes Yara wrote the piece at 16 ("forced to be an old woman"). She is now married, recently became a mother, lives in Saudi Arabia, but her family remains in Gaza.
0:27:00 Hopes for the Book: Ahmed wants everyone to read the book, seeing it not as political but as human stories. He highlights the sacrifice of the writers (four killed, all displaced/lost loved ones) and the difficulty of writing/sending stories during the genocide.
0:29:17 Availability & Call to Action: The book is available in the UK/Europe (Penguin) and Asia, coming to the US/North America in September (Interlink). An Italian translation is out, with Arabic, French, and Spanish planned. Ahmed urges people to buy copies, request them from libraries, and make Palestinian voices heard.
0:30:51 Supporting the Project: Viewers are encouraged to visit WeAreNotNumbers.org to learn more, get involved (potentially as mentors), or support the essential work.
0:31:47 Closing Reflections: Nora and Ali reflect on the intimacy and power of the writing, the inclusion of humor alongside pain, how the book shatters Israeli-imposed isolation, and the enduring legacy of Refaat Alareer.