by Danny Alexander (from "Take Em As They Come" blog)

The singing over the opening bass and synth carried a quaver that sounded a little like American Indian song, but this was clearly hip hop even before Arabic rhymes started cascading one after another. And all of that musical color served as a perfect complement to the slide show Sara Jawhari showed of her trip to the Gaza strip. Yes, these pictures featured a few shots of forbidding walls and wire and rubble, but the spirit of the music emphasize the dominant images, one beautiful child’s smile shining after another.

Event at JCCC on February 22 highlights devastation of Israeli attacks on Gaza from one year ago

“The trip was more of a struggle, thus more meaningful.”

A Johnson County Community College (JCCC) student and local Kansas Citians will share their eyewitness stories after a life-altering humanitar

Eyewitness Report to Gaza Destruction

When four Kansas City area residents traveled to Gaza to deliver medical aid to Palestinians in January, they planned to lift the spirits of Gazans in the besieged land.  In turn they were consoled by Palestinians after hearing traumatic stories, like the one where a girl was telling a story of her father being shot in the forehead after surrendering to Israeli military forces. Or the story of the Samouni family, who lost 29 members – a family of farmers with no political ties, mostly women and children.

Viva Palestina Convoy Arrives in Gaza After Attack in El-Arish

Kansas City's own Mohamed El-Housiny was unfortunately among approximately 50 Viva Palestina convoy participants injured in attacks by Egyptian police during a standoff at El-Arish port on January 5. [Listen to his comments during a video report about the attack on Viva Palestina convoy participants.

Actions mark first anniversary of Israeli attacks

December 27 marks the one-year anniversary of the Israeli military attacks on Gaza, an area of land approximately the same size as the Kansas City metropolitan area. The attacks carried out over 22 days led to the deaths of 1400 Palestinians, most civilians, including over 400 children and thousands injured. Palestinian attacks during the same time period resulted in 13 Israeli deaths, including 3 civilians.

Report Back from Viva Palestina was a "persuasive argument" for more support

July 2 fundraiser event in Overland Park features Galloway and Mahdi Bray

Citizens for Justice in the Middle East and Muslim American Society Freedom invite you to attend the George Galloway lecture in Kansas City on July 2nd. Come support the Viva Palestina campaign.

 Largest event of its type in Kansas or Missouri -- ever

FUNDRAISER WAS HUGELY SUCCESSFUL! Participants at the July 2 "Viva Palestina" fundraising event pledged $103,000 for medical relief for Palestinians in Gaza. This generous sum is the largest grassroots fundraising effort for Palestinians in Kansas or Missouri - ever.

Mr. George Galloway, British member of parliament, gave a much-anticipated speech to a capacity crowd of 300 at the Overland Park Marriott. Credit for the large amount raised goes to Galloway for his convincing appeal for direct relief to Palestinians in Gaza. Members of Kansas City's Muslim and Arab-American community, as well as many other residents responded generously.

The amount raised will ensure that six trucks representing Kansas and Missouri, will be purchased in Egypt and driven to Gaza, joining with hundreds of other relief vehicles donated by generous Americans from all across the United States. Three Kansas City audience members will journey to Egypt to drive the vehicles in a convoy flying US flags and state and organizational banners to begin a two-week stay in Gaza. Galloway mentioned that his three-month tour of US cities raised $2 million.