Demoralized by Biden administration’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war, Palestinian American Samia Assed found hope in Vice President Kamala Harris’ ascension and running mate pick. This hope shattered during the Democratic National Convention last month, where a request for a Palestinian American speaker was denied. Assed felt unseen and erased, a community organizer in New Mexico said.
Under different circumstances, Assed would have reveled in the groundbreaking rise of a woman of color as her party’s nominee. Instead, she agonizes over her ballot box options. Palestinian Americans have been contending with the rising death toll and suffering in Gaza, alongside pro-Palestinian allies. Tough voting decisions are now at the forefront, including in battleground states.
Assed, a lifelong Democrat and feminist, struggles with her voting decision. Voting for Harris would feel like a jab in the heart without a meaningful change. She wants to block another Trump presidency but also hold the Democrats accountable. It’s a difficult place to be in, she said.
