Growing up in Gaza with Najla Khass
In this episode, I sit down with Najla Khass, a Palestinian-American activist and refugee resettlement manager. Born in Gaza, Najla fled with her family at eight years old during the First Intifada, part of a long history of displacement that traces back to the 1948 Nakba.
In this episode, we talk about:
- Growing up in Gaza with fear and restriction but also so much love and the ways her parents tried to protect shield her living under occupation.
- Soldiers as a childhood boogeyman and the constant presence of unknown
- Arriving in the U.S. as a traumatized child and experiencing so many levels of culture shock
- She shares stories of her grandmothers whose humor, courage, and resistance shaped her understanding of strength and resilience.
- How Najla uses her lived experience to support refugees with deep empathy and awareness
- Building community and advocacy through House of Hope, a home and network created to support Gazan refugees with dignity
This conversation was recorded before the most recent ceasefire, at a time when emotions were already heavy. Listening now, Najla’s story feels even more urgent and even more grounding in its reminder of how lived experience can be transformed into helping others.
Connect with Najla: Follow Najla: @lady_najla80
Learn more about House of Hope: gazahouseofhope.org
Connect with Siti’s Stories:
Follow Siti’s Stories: @sitis.stories
Visit: sitisstories.com
