we are not numbers

emerging writers from Palestine tell their stories and advocate for their human rights

Malak Hijazi

Writing or talking about myself was the hardest thing to do when I was young. "Who am I?" I asked myself. Should I talk about the things I didn't choose, like my name, age and nationality? Or about the personality I want to have? 

I am so grateful for my journey of 19 years; it has taught me a lot! It taught me that every human is a museum full of art. If she wants to know her identity, she should explore. This life isn't a collection of years. It is a group of experiences. This is how I now choose to describe who I am: 

I am a girl with passions and dreams, a girl who bases her opinions on strong beliefs and breaks the rules when necessary. Not all rules are good or should be obeyed. I am a girl who has loved putting pen to paper since she was six, makes books her best friends, believes she will be the person she wants to be if she listens to her heart.
Finally, I say: I love God but I make mistakes in my life. I love rain but carry an umbrella. I love the sun but l seek the shade of a tree when I feel hot. I am a normal human believes in love.

my work

War is never really over.
How I learned that I belonged in a "category."
One moment still reverberates with pain 19 years later.
Images like this one are seared into my brain.
I have realized we can create something good and useful from tragedy.
Mohammed sang to himself in class and discovered his passion.
This Gazan turns Israeli bullets into art that celebrates life.