Today we had a very inspiring meeting with Ateka Ali, co-founder of Wasla Connect. They are helping Palestinians in tech, in Gaza and worldwide, with training and connecting them with mentors. If you are in tech and have more than a few years of experience, consider signing up as a mentor if you haven’t already. I have signed up as a mentor myself! https://www.waslaconnect.com/ 

Please see notes from the meeting below.

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Laila Al-Arian – Al-Jazeera – Freedom Advocacy Network – June 4, 2025

June 4, 2025

We learned so much from Laila Al Arian, and about her team’s selfless work to bring truth to the world, and documenting history as it is happening.

Please see notes from the meeting below:

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Tales of Deprogramming: From a Christian Evangelical Upbringing to Palestine Solidarity Activism

April 30, 2025

Presenter: Joanna Berry, Canadian Immigration & Refugee Lawyer, (sometimes) law professor

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Freedom Advocacy Network Meetings

April 23, 2025

Click this link to add the Freedom Advocacy Network Meetings to your Google calendar:
https://calendar.google.com/calendar/event?action=TEMPLATE&tmeid=MW8zNzNhY2gxNWQyZ3ZtZDQ4Zm8xYjR2N3BfMjAyNTA0MzBUMTcwMDAwWiBhMmMzMzQ1MTgzNWYxNjMyMGIxMDU0ZDg4YWFjYTQ4ZDk0YWZjZmQ1MWFiNjM3MTY0NWQ3MDUxZDgzN2JkNmNhQGc&tmsrc=a2c33451835f16320b1054d88aaca48d94afcfd51ab6371645d7051d837bd6ca%40group.calendar.google.com&scp=ALL

Or download this file if you use other calendars such as Outlook, Apple, Proton and others:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aj8fcFkZPsaEVqicM5kFQhUzQgZ4Hn84/view?usp=drive_link

Google users can also optionally use this Calendar below:

AI for Good – Multiply your activism, multiply your voice

April 23, 2025

Using AI for Good

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how we use AI—not just as a tool, but as a way to shape narratives, empower voices, and push truth forward. The tech itself isn’t inherently good or bad; it reflects the data we give it and the intentions we carry into its use.

That’s why I say: use AI for good.
And when I say “good,” I mean truth, justice, equity.

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How to Migrate from Gmail to ProtonMail: A Quick Guide

April 1, 2025

Why Leave Google?

Google’s motto has evolved from “Don’t be evil” to “Do the right thing,” but in the recent years, the company has abandoned these principles entirely. Through Project Nimbus, a $1.2 billion contract with the Israeli government, Google and Amazon are providing cloud computing and AI technology that directly supports Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and apartheid regime in Palestine. Despite protests from their own employees, Google has chosen to:

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MPP Bethlenfalvy refuses to stand up for Pickering residents

March 28, 2025

In an earlier post we shared that MPP Bethlenfalvy refuses to stand up against the bully MPP McLeod. We are not giving up. We put up 100 of these signs all over Pickering. More are coming!

Ceasefire Now: Harnessing Social Media & Conscious Investing for Peace

March 21, 2025

In the digital age, social media platforms and financial investments are transforming into powerful tools for driving change. This was a poignant theme in a recent meeting of peace advocates, where they discussed leveraging these platforms to promote peace and influence policy change.

Using LinkedIn for Peace Advocacy

Enzo, an active participant in the meeting, discussed his new LinkedIn page, <a href=’Ceasefire”>https://www.linkedin.com/company/ceasefire-now/’>Ceasefire Now. Created to avoid spam and blockage issues, the page aims to draw the attention of the White House and hopefully make posts viral. Enzo hopes that journalists will pick up on these posts, thus creating a wider reach for their cause.

Despite some setbacks like shadow banning and threats, Enzo emphasized the importance of diversifying their communication channels, considering LinkedIn is most vulnerable to blocking. The conversation showed the importance of resilience in the face of challenges to keep the cause alive.

Raising Awareness on Financial Investments

A significant part of the meeting focused on raising awareness about the implications of financial investments. Naheed and Adil shared that Ireland has acknowledged that they shouldn’t be buying US Treasuries, a significant step towards conscious investing.

They also discussed the ‘NoThankYou’ app, for Android users, which checks for Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS). The team has been proactively reaching out to 36 countries, questioning why they are buying US treasuries. They’ve also embarked on a petition process to engage more people and are contacting pension funds for greater impact.

The team’s efforts seem to be bearing fruit, with SWAN responding positively and a bank reconsidering their financial allocations. However, Adil cautioned that this path is not without its challenges, as he has been threatened with legal action by a bank he used to work for. Nevertheless, their commitment to addressing the public and raising questions about financial investments remains unshakeable.

Publicly Calling Out ‘Dirty’ Investments

Naheed pointed out that many people are unaware that ordinary people are buying US treasuries. There is a growing demand for ‘cleaner’ investments, free from the taint of war stocks. To drive this awareness, they suggest publicly calling out banks like Scotia and Wealth Simple, which have investments on the BDS list.

Amine added that Citibank is one of the worst culprits from a BDS perspective. This part of the conversation highlighted the need for greater public scrutiny of financial institutions, to push them towards ethical investing.

Looking Ahead

The meeting concluded with an exciting announcement by Amal about a special guest for their next meeting – a documentary filmmaker. This suggests a move towards creating their own media to further amplify their message.

As the meeting concluded, it left a lingering sentiment of a group of determined individuals leveraging the power of social media and conscious investing to make a difference. Their journey is a testament to the potential of collective action in the digital age.

Call to Action

Now, more than ever, it’s crucial to be aware of where our money is going. Are we inadvertently supporting war through our investments? Let’s start asking these questions to our financial institutions and demand ‘cleaner’ investments. Let’s use our power to bring about change.

Resources & Links

Empowering Change: The Freedom Advocacy Group’s Strategic Approach to Palestinian Liberation

March 21, 2025

On January 3, 2024, members of the Freedom Advocacy Group gathered to brainstorm and strategize about campaigns, initiatives, and partnerships aimed at promoting Palestinian liberation. The meeting touched on various key aspects, from cooperative efforts with the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement to the humanization of the Palestinian people through social media. Here’s a deep dive into the key points discussed during the meeting.

A Collaborative Approach with BDS

Amin, a member of the group, shared his experience meeting with the BDS organization. BDS is known for its targeted campaigns against specific organizations, focusing on both global and local campaigns. With partners like CJPME and BDS Quebec in Canada, the group is currently targeting entities like Scotiabank and Indigo.

The BDS movement also plans to name and shame the United Arab Emirates (UAE) due to their normalization. This is a bold strategy that exposes those who contribute to the ongoing crisis indirectly by maintaining diplomatic relations with the oppressors. The naming/shaming initiative is set to be updated on BDSMovement.net on January 10th.

Interestingly, BDS is not just focusing on organizations directly linked to the conflict. They’re also targeting corporations like HP and Citibank over human rights violations. The strategy here is to hit where it hurts most. For instance, while HP seems indifferent to war-related associations, they are concerned about looking racist, an angle BDS is keen to explore.

Humanizing the Palestinian People

Rizwan, a Medical Tech entrepreneur, is working on a project aimed at humanizing the Palestinian people. He started the group ‘Children of Palestine’, modeled after the popular ‘Humans of New York’ community. The group’s mission is to share positive stories about Palestinians, with a specific focus on children rather than the war. By doing so, Rizwan aims to provide a different perspective on the Palestinian people, shedding light on their humanity amidst the ongoing conflict.

Consistent, Clear Messaging Campaign on LinkedIn

Another key point that came up during the meeting was the idea of launching a consistent, clear messaging campaign on LinkedIn. This initiative, led by Salman, aims to carry a strong, urgent, and loud voice calling for a ceasefire and Palestinian liberation. This business-focused campaign is to be reviewed by a small group before being shared widely.

Amal, another member of the group, suggested a unique approach—talking to Risk Managers at local organizations. This innovative idea leverages the fact that companies have an obligation to avoid conflicts of interest and uphold human rights, thus making them potential allies in the fight for Palestinian liberation.

Outreach and Growth

Members were reminded to populate the group’s skills database and idea bank, and to invite at least one trusted person from their network to the group, ensuring the community continues to grow. This shows the importance of expanding the group’s influence and sharing resources.

Next Steps

Finally, the group discussed potential actions to be taken in the future. This ranged from going over the ideas in the idea bank to confirm which ones to implement, to putting together a list of LinkedIn folks who are problematic and should be addressed. The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue pushing for divestments, as brought up in the discussion with BDS.

Freedom Advocacy Network

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Entrepreneurs for Palestine – https://entrepreneursforpalestine.com/

Wasla Connect – Mentoring and upskilling Palestinians in tech

Laila Al-Arian – Al-Jazeera – Freedom Advocacy Network – June 4, 2025

Tales of Deprogramming: From a Christian Evangelical Upbringing to Palestine Solidarity Activism

Freedom Advocacy Network Meetings

AI for Good – Multiply your activism, multiply your voice

Using AI for Good

How to Migrate from Gmail to ProtonMail: A Quick Guide

Why Leave Google?

MPP Bethlenfalvy refuses to stand up for Pickering residents

Ceasefire Now: Harnessing Social Media & Conscious Investing for Peace

Using LinkedIn for Peace Advocacy

Raising Awareness on Financial Investments

Publicly Calling Out ‘Dirty’ Investments

Looking Ahead

Call to Action

Resources & Links

Empowering Change: The Freedom Advocacy Group’s Strategic Approach to Palestinian Liberation

A Collaborative Approach with BDS

Humanizing the Palestinian People

Consistent, Clear Messaging Campaign on LinkedIn

Outreach and Growth

Next Steps

Resources & Links