Throughout the 18th to 20th centuries in Palestine, forums like The Literary Forum, Al Nadi al Arabi, and Khalil Sakakini’s Vagabond Café served as vital intellectual spaces for discussion and cultural exchange. Our Chicago community urgently needs a similar initiative, as our youth lack opportunities to study Palestine or engage in artistic expression. Systems of oppression have stifled the creative potential of oppressed youth globally, including Palestinians in the homeland and exile.

To resist fragmentation and rebuild connections, Palestinians must revive ancestral practices that foster unity and creativity. Each village and clan in Palestine carries unique traditions—farming, urban protection, artisanal crafts, and cultural expressions like tatreez, singing, cooking, and storytelling. Reconnecting with these traditions not only enhances creativity but also strengthens our collective resilience and adaptability.

For collective liberation, it is crucial to empower Palestinian youth in exile (ghurba) through grassroots initiatives like *nadis* (clubs) and *muntadas* (forums). Historically, these spaces were intellectual hubs in urban Palestine, dismantled by British forces to advance the colonial Zionist project under the Balfour Declaration of 1917. By creating such spaces in exile, we can nurture critical thinking, creativity, and a sense of return—both to one another and, ultimately, to the homeland.