art by Sliman Mansour

The installation represents Palestinian voices and the number of Palestinian children who have been killed in Gaza since October 7, 2023. 

More than 14,000 children have been bombed in their homes, churches, mosques, schools, hospitals, or refugee camps.

Those who've survived bombings are now currently dying from forced starvation as aid trucks have been prevented from entering. Experts predict that man-made famine will inevitably fall upon Palestinian people by May of this year if we do not do something to intervene and send aid now. 

We invite you to see these symbolic representations of life as a counter-narrative to western media, which continues to manufacture stories that dehumanize Palestinian lives and diminish the atrocity of such a loss of life, especially that of children. When we only listen to a single-story, we fail to see the humanity of people, and when we lose that value for others' humanity, we create a world where such violence and death is normalized and excused as merely a "casualty of war." Violence is not the only way- art asks us to remember that we can create new ways- a better world is possible.

As you reflect on the loss of life and all the ways that these articles of clothing represent actual children, with their own lives, dreams, and families, consider, too, the uncomfortable truth that these deaths have been made possible by our tax dollars. It is your hard-earned money that is providing weapons to Israel, including 2000 ton bombs, to kill and obliterate entire cities in Gaza. 

Contemplate what it means to have our Congress and President ignore the majority of voters in this country who demand an end to this violence as they continue to fund Israel without question or accountability and approve billions of dollars for more weapons of mass destruction. The time to speak up is now!

Download the 5calls app to find the phone numbers of your elected representatives. Call them and let them know you want a PERMANENT ceasefire! Email your local representatives, both in your city and on this campus to support a resolution for ceasefire and demand that we put our humanity first.

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