A couple of days ago I shared a photo of Palestinian baby Siwar Ashour in the arms of her mother, with the reminder that Palestinian mothers love their children just as much as any one else. It should have gone without saying, but then I received this message in my DMs.

I was shocked. It was a bleak reminder of the kind of hate and dehumanisation that Palestinians are still subjected to, and the dangerous, racist tropes behind what is happening there. It’s this kind of rhetoric that fuels and justifies violence and perpetuates ‘othering’, and her words revealed how much work still needs to be done.

Unsure of how to respond, I shared the message to my story, and thousands of you shared your wisdom. It became clear that for every voice that tries to strip Palestinians of their humanity, there are hundreds of you who recognise our commonality.

So I thought… let’s use this to power what we’re trying to do here. Let’s transform pain into purpose. Let’s turn this hate into hope.

Let's fundraise on behalf of this woman. If we reach our goal, I will be sure to send this page to her.

The funds raised go directly to Palestinian families. I know this as I have seen the incredible work of Road to Freedom with my own eyes.