34 Sabrene Odeh (she/her)

Sabrene Odeh is a first-generation Palestinian American graduate from the University of Washington Bothell in 2021. She graduated with a Master of Arts in Cultural Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Society Ethics and Human Behavior with a minor in Human Rights. She now works as an advocate against human trafficking.

From a young age Odeh knew she wanted to make a difference. Born into a Palestinian family who immigrated to the United States for safety, both her father and grandparents faced countless hardships under the military occupation of Palestine. Her family knew first-hand what it was like to be dehumanized. She was raised to fight for equality and believes that everyone deserves freedom. Throughout Odeh’s life she has always participated in demonstrations and has been vocally active about various communities from the Black Lives Movement to the Indigenous people in Washington, which has transformed her into a symbol of resistance for Palestinians in Washington.

Her lifetime of activism prepared her to fight after the October 7th attack when the Palestinian resistance defended their land and were met by ruthless aggression from the Israeli Defense Force. Odeh expressed her frustration towards the United States government and their propaganda for not showing the truth. From then on, Odeh began marching through the streets, leading protests, and demanding justice. During an interview I conducted with Odeh, we discussed how this time helped her realize how divided the Palestinian community in Washington is. To help combat this, she founded Baladna, which is a non profit community organization that strives to teach the young generation about the culture, dance, food, and the Palestinian history. It starts with these small steps, which will eventually lead to large scale change.

As the attacks on Palestine became more hostile, Odeh knew she had to do more. On November 21, 2023 Odeh and other community members drafted a letter to the Seattle city council asking for their support for an immediate, long-term ceasefire resolution. Because of their letter, on November 21st, Seattle became the second largest city in the United States to pass a long-term ceasefire resolution. Odeh, one of the members who wrote the Ceasefire resolution stated, “We are concerned for the safety and well-being of all people in Israel/Palestine and refuse to accept that Israeli safety and well-being must come at the price of more Palestinian lives” (2). She has always fought for human rights and continues to do so while advocating for Palestinian lives.

Odeh has stated her next steps are to focus on her family after spending so many years lost in other people’s needs. She also wants to keep pushing Palestinians to invest in their communities. To many Arabs and Palestinians Sebrene Odeh is a symbol of hope that a united front can free Palestine. Odeh’s constant fight and resilience shows how we must collectively work together to create a better, safer and more just world.