Angela Caravan

I've known Refaat Alareer (@itranslate123) since I was 17. He taught me my first English writing course. More than a teacher, he was a mentor, a friend, and he truly cared about his students beyond the classroom. His passion was the English language, but he didn't teach it as a means of disassociating from society, as is common among many English-speaking upper and middle classes in the third world. For Refaat, English was a tool of liberation, a way to break free from Gaza's prolonged siege, a teleportation device that defied Israel's fences and the intellectual, academic, and cultural blockade of Gaza. When Refaat taught English to me and my friends, he ensured we read Malcolm X, or el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz, as he often reminded us to call him. He emphasized that learning a language requires understanding its culture and being critical and mindful that language is not free from questions of power and representation. Refaat's journey in learning and teaching was filled with struggles. His life was challenging, marked by significant family losses. Yet, he persevered, fought back, and wrote back. One day, many of us, as Refaat's students, will share parts of his story. However, today, let's remember that Refaat has a family in Gaza mourning a loving father and husband. If we owe Refaat anything, it is to continue our fight until a ceasefire is achieved, until the destruction in Gaza ceases. So, #CeasefireNOW! (In the picture, Refaat, @YousefAljamal, and I on the Staten Island Ferry, a moment from Refaat's @GazaWritesBack book tour in the United States in 2014.)