Holding Onto Palestinian Existence Course
To read testimonials from previous HOPE students, scroll to the bottom of the page.
(HOPE) is a In-Person Hybrid course catered for middle and high school students to educate them about Palestinian history, culture, traditions, and struggle, By also providing them with a larger, global understanding of social justice issues, we hope that students become passionate about and advocate for Palestine and other oppressed communities.
Returning Spring 2026!
2024 HOPE Class Testimonials
If I could teach the world one thing about Palestine, I would teach them about what I learned in this class, more specifically about the truth of what's going on and not what Israel makes it seem like. I would teach them about the occupation and hardship that the Palestinians are going through and why we should all speak up about it and not give up or step down until Palestine is free. I plan to continue advocating for Palestine by educating others about what I have learned, since for the cause, education is power. I also plan to help organize campaigns and attend events and fundraisers for Palestine. One thing that I would love to do and that I am working towards is being able to establish some sort of club at my school that can bring awareness towards Palestine and other undermined cultural issues in my community. |
From this class, I was able to learn more about statements and laws such as the Oslo Accords and the Balfour Declaration. I also didn’t have too much of an understanding of the Naksa, the Six-Day War, and who was involved, so I was able to learn more about that as well. The first word that comes to my mind when I think of Palestine is “resilient.” To be able to endure all that we have as Palestinians, we have had to be very tough and strong to be able to not only take what we’re getting hit with, but overcome and resist it, while building an alliance. I see this value of resilience in almost every Palestinian I meet, including myself. |
HOPE has truly changed my life. The person that I want to be in the future will be possible because of HOPE. Because of HOPE, Palestine will always be in my heart and mind. I had a great experience with this class. I enjoyed connecting with people who felt the same way i did about Palestine, and growing with these people throughout the course was truly an experience you can only get at PACC. at first, i wasn't extremely confident in my knowledge on Palestine, and I always backed away from the topic. After completing this course, i can confidently discuss with people the history and details of Palestine. Before I took this course, I was scared to go to Palestine, because I feared for my life. But after taking this course I learned something that I know will change me forever. My urge to fight for Palestine, is stronger than my urge to live in safety. Sometimes you have to step out of your safe haven, in order to make the world a safer place. |
We went over many aspects of Palestine, such as the history, culture, occupation, struggle, and more. I have always loved my home, Palestine and I always wanted to learn as much as I possible can about it. This course was exactly what I was expecting and more. It really opened my eyes, and made me look at Palestine in a new way. Because of HOPE, my understanding of the Palestinian struggle and of the culture of Palestine has been expanded greatly. I recommend everyone to take this course if they want to help spread awareness and educate others about Palestine. I think it made me feel more Palestinian, I finally understood all going on with my people. This was an amazing course! The teacher was very knowledgeable and did a very good job at explaining certain topics. I would recommend the class to everyone because it teaches you the history of Palestine you never knew. |
My experience with PACC's HOPE program was very well. As a Palestinian American, I knew that there was something going on in Palestine with Isreal but I did not know it in depth. HOPE has answered all the questions of my curiosity about the Palestinian Occupation. I strongly suggest others should take this class because it was truly an eye opener for me. PACC is truly such a good community with kind people who welcome everyone with open arms. Learning about Palestine, in my opinion, should be taken into consideration. In history, Palestine's history is not taught, and how Israelis are taking land should be taken importance. I learned a lot as I was introduced to a lot of information and gave me the idea about Palestinian people. I got to learn about the US involvement, the favoritism, which filled me with more confidence for supporting Palestine. Not only history and politics, I got to learn about culture, food, symbols. And I am so thankful for this opportunity! This course definitely benefited me because it’s encouraged me to not stop fighting for Palestine and to NEVER forget Palestine. Now all I want to do is tell everyone around me about Palestine. Not only the negative aspect but the positive too. Palestine isn’t only about the occupation and the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians. |