Inheriting a Legacy and a Platform | Najla Said

About this episode

Najla Said discusses navigating her family's legacy and her own creative voice while exploring her cultural identity and activism.

As the daughter of the renowned intellectual Edward Said, Najla Said discusses the unique pressures of navigating her family's legacy while forging her own creative voice in the shadow of his immense influence. The conversation explores her journey from attempting to assimilate into American culture as a youth to confronting her heritage during a pivotal trip to Palestine and Lebanon. Said details her entry into professional theater and the development of her acclaimed one-woman show, Palestine, which grew from an intimate journal entry. She also offers a personal perspective on her father's moral backbone, the impact of recent global events on her sense of safety in New York, and the evolution of her activism through new collaborative theater projects. The discussion touches on the enduring intimacy of her memoir, Looking for Palestine, and how sharing her inner monologue has helped her find a community based on genuine solidarity.

People in this episode

Guest: Najla Said

Topics covered

• family legacy
• theater
• cultural identity
• activism
• memoir
• personal journey

Keywords

• Najla Said
• Edward Said
• theater
• Palestine
• cultural identity
• memoir
• activism
• New York

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Palestine, Looking for Palestine

Places: Palestine, Lebanon, New York

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