MANILA, Philippines – Students in the United States have taken to the streets, and their campuses, to show their solidarity for the people of Palestine over the war in Gaza. As Israel continues its assault on Gaza and is being investigated internationally for war crimes, the students refuse to be silent.
One of the students who spoke out is Eliana Atienza, a Filipino sophomore in the University of Pennsylvania. She supported a weeks-long encampment which ended on May 10, when riot police dismantled it and arrested at least a few dozen students.
She was away from the encampment when the raid occurred. Still, she was evicted from her dorm, and denied access to campus facilities. After a disciplinary hearing, the school decided to sanction her with probation for a year.
In this episode of At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos, Rappler reporter Michelle Abad speaks to Atienza about her journey into activism and why she thinks Filipinos should care about what’s happening in Palestine.
Atienza is the daughter of television personality Kim Atienza, and granddaughter of former Manila mayor and Buhay party-list representative Lito Atienza.
Watch the video on Rappler on Monday, May 27 at 7 pm, Manila time. – Rappler.com
At Home sa Abroad: Stories of Overseas Filipinos is Rappler’s one-stop video podcast for all things Filipino diaspora.
Watch other At Home sa Abroad episodes:
- How this leadership program helped Fil-Ams connect with their roots
- Inside a migration reporter’s notebook
- The Filipino diaspora through a migrant’s eyes
- Is exporting Filipino workers a good thing?
- Tales of Martial Law, People Power from migrant Filipinos
- The plight of overseas Filipino women
- Navigating the int’l film industry as a Filipino woman
- Why do so many Filipinos go abroad to work?
- Filipino mom and daughter champion diversity in US
- Realities of Filipina marriage migration
- The road ahead for Rechie Valdez, first Filipina in Canada’s Cabinet
- How this seafarer turned lawyer fights for OFWs at sea
- OFWs’ personal finance 101
- Making space as Filipina lawyers in the United States
- TOYM awardee Hyku Desesto on making her mark overseas
– Rappler.com