[Editor’s note: Open letters published in the Bi-College News do not reflect the views of the publication, its staff, or its editorial board. This letter represent only the views of the author. The Bi-Co News continues to strive to reflect the perspectives and experiences of all students across the Consortium.]
We write this statement with shaken hearts, profound love, and unwavering support for our dear friend Kinnan. We want to share with you a little bit about Kinnan and why we cherish him as a friend.
Kinnan is a pre-med biology major who is passionate about learning. He is a warm, energetic, and thoughtful person. He is super smart and hard-working — his grit, determination and work ethic have inspired us and many in our student body. Kinnan is a very caring friend. He is supportive, encouraging, and an impactful community member. He is also an incredible runner and athlete, always defying expectations.
Kinnan is a brother to many of us, particularly the international students who live far from home like he does. When we learned he had been shot along with Hisham and Tahseen in a hateful attack targeting them because of their Palestinian identities, we experienced a range of emotions: shock, sadness, fear. Like Kinnan, we came to Haverford College to pursue a quality education. Many of our parents, particularly the parents of Palestinian students, Arab students, international students, and students of color, are now terrified for our safety.
Palestinian students like Kinnan deserve the same basic rights as everyone else: the freedom to learn and grow in a safe environment, without having to live in fear of violence and hatred. As Kinnan’s friend, all we want is for him to recover from this horrible act of violence and hatred, with accountability and justice for this brutal attack In order for that to happen, we need Haverford College to take concrete steps to ensure the safety and protection of Palestinian and Arab students on campus. No student should have to endure such an unjust and hateful attack while seeking an education in the United States — that includes Palestinian students.
