An inspiring group of autonomous writers, artists, and educators have begun organizing online workshops as a way to raise money for Palestinians in Gaza and “divest knowledge and skills from the universities that have been complicit in genocide.”
Inspired by the National Students for Justice in Palestine’s Popular University for Gaza (a coordinated pressure campaign against university administrations and trustees to immediately divest from the Israeli state), Workshops for Gaza has, at the time of writing, scheduled 12 donation-based workshops across a variety of topics, enrolled over 100 students, and raised almost $13,000 for vital Gaza fundraisers.
“Pipeline Colonialism,” taught by Joshua Clover; “What is Caste?,” taught by Shaista Patel; “Undisciplined: A Transpacific History of Soldier Rebellion,” taught by Simeon Man; and “Miyazaki Mode,” taught by Nina Li Coomes are just some of the (extremely cool-sounding) workshops you can sign up for now.
You can register for a workshop by uploading a screenshot of your donation to one of the three main fundraisers spotlighted by Workshops for Gaza or the specific fundraiser chosen by the workshop instructor. All workshops are free for Palestinians.
For those interested in teaching a workshop, the organizers have stated that they are open to any and all topics, as long as they can be taught over zoom, and added that “It would be great to see people teaching workshops on cartoons / drawing / political art, music, or really anything. If it’s relevant to Palestine or anti colonial struggle or resistance in some way, even better.”
Workshops for Gaza have also launched a partnership with Seattle bookstore Open Books Poetry, curating a list of books by Palestinian writers and other revolutionary poets and thinkers. All proceeds from books purchased through the Open Books site go directly to active Gaza fundraisers.
You can find out more and get updates at @Workshops4Gaza on Twitter and Instagram.
