Growing up as a Palestinian/Egyptian girl in the Central Valley of California was one of the hurdles that shaped Aya into the ambitious person she is today. She grew up riding horses and enjoys skiing, baking, and crafting. Her knack for science and love for the planet led her throughout her education. She is now a senior at Barnard College studying Environmental Science with a minor in Italian, and currently calls Laguna Beach her home. She plans to pursue a PhD in ecology after graduation. Her main political interests are Palestinian liberation, environmentalism, and regenerative agriculture.
Ella’s experiences growing up in the SF Bay Area exposed her to diverse communities that created an early foray into activism. Her interest in criminal justice led her to start college at John Jay College of Criminal Justice before transferring to Cal Poly SLO to study Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Ethics, Law, and Social Justice. She loves reading, yoga, hiking, and tennis (as of recently). In addition to injustice in the criminal justice system, her main political interests are the War on Terror, women’s rights, and gun control.
Why did We Start a Blog?
We met when we were 3 and 4, living in the Central Valley. Our long-distance, online friendship began when Ella moved to the SF Bay area when she was 8. Aya moved to Manhattan for college and Ella did the same following year, living just 4 minutes from each other.
Our shared love for topics ranging from nature and food to politics and learning left us feeling like we had so much to say; but, without a platform to say it. This blog will serve as a space to speak our minds, challenge ourselves, and tell stories that strike a nerve within us.
Why “Zaytoon”?
“Zaytoon” is the Arabic word for olive. Olive trees are widely regarded as symbols of peace, healing, and friendship. For Palestinians, olive trees have a deeper meaning- acting as a representation of their connection to the land as well as their unwavering resilience in the face of apartheid and genocide.
We chose the name Zaytoon as both a nod to Aya’s background and because we hope that the symbolism and values of the olive tree will act as a guide for all of the work we will do in this blog.
Land Acknowledgment
This blog is written and produced on the ancestral lands of many different indigenous nations. These include the: Tongva & Acjachemen (modern-day Laguna Beach, CA), Graton Rancheria & Miwok (modern-day Petaluma, CA), Mohican, Wappiner, Munsee Lenape & Schaghticoke (modern-day Manhattan, NY), and Chumash, Salinan, & Obispeño (modern-day San Luis Obispo, CA). To learn more about the native territories that you currently live in, click the button.