Nader Khouri

This is a tale of two tables. Picture 1: A spread in the Palestinian diaspora, plentiful, beautiful, cooked in safety but layered with grief Picture 2: A meal in Gaza, made with rations, under siege, but still prepared with care and dignity This is the stark reality of Palestinian life; grieve and gather, serve and resist. On an evening when many in hospitality gather to celebrate all things food, we must remember: Gaza is being starved—systematically and intentionally — with our government's support.  This is not a humanitarian crisis. It is a genocide, enabled by our collective silence and ignored in food spaces that so often consume Palestinian culture but don't protect its people.  To serve food in Gaza is an act of defiance and bravery. We have the privilege and responsibility as food and hospitality folks to channel the same bravery.   If our silence sustains genocide, our courage can help stop it. Because if we don't, we will be met with even more violence and inhumanity at our doorsteps, as we have witnessed over the last few decades and recently- the violence against our Black, Indigenous, and immigrant communities. Don't just bear witness. Hold institutions that are complicit to account, speak the truth in your communities and workplaces even when it's scary, and invest in the places and people that actively stand against genocide. We are all cultural stewards in this country. We have the power to make change, with our voice and our dollars. We cannot wait any longer. Tag your favorite local food institutions, businesses and organizations that stand against genocide! ... 📸 @naderkhouri and stylist @jjoules are selling prints of these images. 100% of profits will go to Sowing Seeds of Hope, a project of @mecaforpeace helping Palestinians in Gaza grow food under siege. Link in our bio and in stories.  #radicalhospitality #Gaza #FreePalestine #EndTheSiege  #stopthegenocide #SowingSeedsOfHope #FoodIsResistance #goodfoodforgood #jbfweekend

I am so in love with Beersheba thobes. And this one? She’s an icon. She’s a legend. She is the moment! Thobes from the Beersheba region are often stitched with dense tatreez designs and bold, vibrant color palettes, reflecting the land, movement, and Bedouin Palestinian communities of the south. I don’t know the full story of the thobe I’m wearing, but I’m deeply drawn to its beauty. This is the kind of work that reminds me why I fell in love with Tatreez in the first place. How do you feel about Beersheba thobes? What facts do you know about Beersheba tatreez and thobes that you want to share? Thobe: @old_palestinian_embroidery Photography: @naderkhouri Location: @husary.oliveoil #tatreez #palestinianembroidery #thobe #embroidery

Last month I got together with the incredibly talented Palestinian photographer @naderkhouri to capture photos that reflect some of the beauty of our culture. Since it was olive harvest season, it only felt natural to shoot among the olive trees. Then I remembered a Palestinian-owned olive oil company, @husary.oliveoil . I noticed @totahstudio followed them on social, so I reached out to see if she was in contact with them directly. Less than 10 minutes later she sent me the owner’s info, and a few hours after that we had a plan to shoot at their olive grove in Marin County. Also, shoutout to @samakashop , where I got this stunning thobe from and who told me to connect with Nader in the first place. I’m sharing all of this because, while it was happening in real time, I kept thinking about how beautiful it is that even though we are half a world away from home, Palestinians still show up for each other. Our sense of community is unshakable. The occupation hasn’t succeeded in breaking that. As I get older, I’m more grateful than ever for the Palestinian and larger Arab community I grew up with here in the Bay Area. Nader behind the camera, and me wandering through an olive grove in a beautifully hand-embroidered vintage thobe. This one is from @samakashop - a 1970s hand-stitched thobe from Gaza. My absolute favorite silhouette. And the stitching? Pristine. Fully Amanne approved. Photography: @naderkhouri Thobe: @samakashop Location: @husary.oliveoil #tatreez #palestinianembroidery #thobe

Unbelievable. Saleh did so much to lift up the morale of everyone, whether he was singing or running with his whole heart to document the horrors of the genocide. He became a fixture of hope and bravery for us all. Allah yirhamo.

As I grieve for Gaza I at the same time NEVER FORGET to tap into the power of its people to teach me the definition of what a true and whole human is.

The history of Palestine and the rest of the region is stained with colonialism and the truth tellers keep showing up to inform us of this but no one wants to learn the lesson.

What kind of a sick, sadistic world do we live in that sits by and watches a Genocide without trying to stop it? Watching these blood thirsty criminals slaughter non combatants for 22 months is a complete failure of everything anyone ever had a shred of faith in. The so called US is on a downward spiral as well as its sponsored proxy zionist entity. This amount of savagery WILL NOT LAST. There is no turning back from this and they will never get away with it. Our beloved journalist Anas Al Sharif and his colleagues were just murdered by the zionist entity. A symbol of hope, courage, and honor Anas was steadfast until the end. Seven people were killed in the attack on the tent located outside the main gate of Gaza City’s al-Shifa Hospital late on Sunday evening, including Al Jazeera correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh and camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal and Moamen Aliwa according to Al Jazeera.

Power to the People, not the corporations. @naderkhouri captured the victory vibes after the tremendous campaign event last night hosted at Uptown Body and Fender. - Victory is already written. We must simply pay the wages of sweat and sacrifice to inherit the liberation which has always been our birthright. - - @greenpartyus

And why Palestine is so much more of a domestic problem than you think.

A message to the world and don’t anyone forget it. The People of Gaza Palestine remain steadfast on their land despite a colonizer’s obsession with trying to steal it and so much of the world’s willingness to ignore it. No matter how lethal they try to be it won’t ever take away the connection to the land.

Via @chalanhamza — In memory of photojournalist Saeed Abu Nabhan and all the 203+ journalists who have been murdered by Zionist forces. —— A colleague in Gaza told Hamza, “Who knows who the next journalist will be.” And Hamza said, “That is the same question I used to ask myself. Am I next?” And his colleague added, “I swear death is better than what we are all going through.” Hamza concludes, “There is nothing left to say. Except that this is a shame, not just to journalism, but to humanity. I’m going to say this to every journalist who cares about their career. Do something to make their career better.”

A day to reaffirm and recommit to Liberation. A day to demand freeing Dr. Hussam Abu Safiyya. A day to demand an Arms Embargo Now. And a day to say no to Democrat and Republican fascism.