Walla explains her 'why': running for refugees
Walla Oriqat is a Palestinian-American and UNRWA USA supporter. She is a contributing guest writer to the Voices of UNRWA blog, where she shared why she chose to support Palestine refugees through the Gaza 5K.
Don’t run from ‘survivor’s guilt’, run towards it.
I was recently explaining to a friend about how it feels to be Palestinian living in the diaspora.
Thanks to a couple of refugees who wanted to give their family a better life, I was fortunate enough to grow up in the Bay Area as a first generation Arab-American. While I was given the gift of freedom, I could not forget the hardships that my parents faced and that millions of Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza are still enduring every day.
She knowingly nodded and concluded what I was experiencing was “survivor’s guilt.”
Walla stands alongside the separation wall that borders Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem.
According to Psychology Today, survivor’s guilt is a mental condition that occurs when a person believes they have done something wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did not, often feeling self-guilt.
As a child, I visited my family in Palestine for the first time and had a small sample of what it feels like to live under occupation, and unsurprisingly, what I witnessed was disturbing. But unlike those I met and saw during my trip, I was able to go home back to my privileged life. So, this feeling of guilt was overwhelming.
But what could I do? Surprisingly, a lot. I was able channel this feeling and repurpose into a strong sense of responsibility.
Over the years, I’ve discovered so many credible organizations that make a huge difference for Palestinians. These NGOs give us in the diaspora the chance to give back in any way we can, big or small. For example, I enjoy running (well, as much as anyone can!) so one of my favorite events over the years has been the Gaza 5K hosted by UNRWA USA.
It seems so fitting as we approach the now virtual event this weekend benefiting Palestinian refugee kids in Gaza to receive better access to mental health services. Even during a pandemic, we can still find a way to do our part.