The Inconvenience of the Arab American Identity with Najla Said - Part 1

Najla is an author, actress, playwright, and activist. Her identity cannot be reduced to a checkbox: she is Arab, American, Palestinian, Lebanese, and Christian. She is the daughter of Edward Said, the late Palestinian professor, author, and activist. Today, September 25, 2024, is the 21st anniversary of Professor Said's death, and I am so humbled to share my conversation with Najla. May it be in remembrance of Najla’s father as well as a prayer for both Palestine and Lebanon.In this first part of our conversation, Najla shares personal stories around her complicated — and inconvenient — identity, from childhood, as her father’s daughter, and more recently over the last 11+ months. Despite differences in religion or ideology, Najla believes that every single human being deserves equal rights. We talk about secular humanism, being tokenized and bullied, and unexpressed pain eventually finding its way out, such as through an eating disorder, as it did for Najla.  I am so grateful for Najla’s heart and artistry. And make sure to come back for the second part of our conversation later this week.Najla’s IG Leah’s IG