Teens Find a Way to Connect

By Anniyah Rizvi
The Forward
September 30, 2024

This is one in a series of essays written by high school students in response to the events of Oct. 7 and its aftermath...

"I go to a welcoming school that embraces religious and ethnic diversity. But rather than opening channels for meaningful dialogue about Gaza after Oct. 7th, our coping mechanism was avoidance… 

"The lack of discussion spaces at school prompted me to seek alternatives. Luckily, I didn't have to look far. It turned out that I wasn't the only inquisitive teen who wanted to talk about the Israel-Palestine conflict...

"Connecting Across Cultures (CAC), is a workshop for Jewish and Muslim teens to 'write and share the burdens they are carrying, their fears and questions, and their hope and love for the places and people that are in their hearts...'

"More spaces like CAC need to be created for teenagers. Not only do we want to be included in difficult conversations, we need to be. We are inheriting a deeply polarized America and a divided world. Avoidance is never the answer..."

Anniyah Rizvi is a high school senior based in northern Virginia. She is the editor-in-chief of Words With Weight, a literary magazine that explores themes of social justice, politics, and introspection.

About Heart of a Nation

Empowering the next generation of American, Israeli, and Palestinian change-makers to embrace better, together.

אנחנו מכנסים הוגים מובילים, פעילים חברתיים, ומחוללי שינוי לעתיד, אמריקאים, ישראלים ופלסטינאים, המחויבים לשיפור החברות שלהם.

نحن أمريكيون وإسرائيليون وفلسطينيون نبني ونكوّن روابط من أجل التعلم والتفكير والمشاركة معًا حتى نشجع الحلول التقدمية بشأن القضايا التي تهمنا جميعًا.