# What language does your heart dream? | Razanne Al-Abdeli | TEDxKings Park Youth

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zElltdKcdT8
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/zElltdKcdT8
Generated: 2026-01-13T17:04:39.048+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Razanne Al-Abdeli shares her personal journey navigating the dual identities of being an Australian-born, Perth-raised individual and someone with Palestinian heritage, emphasizing that identity should not be viewed as a binary choice but as a rich tapestry woven from diverse experiences, exemplified by the dual symbolism (front and back) of Palestinian Tatreez embroidery.

**Key Points:**
- Al-Abdeli founded "The Curtain Palestinian Society" in 2020 to create a hub for Palestinian youth on campus to express their identity and connect with their heritage.
- She notes that nearly a third of Australia's population is born overseas, highlighting the country's diversity, which she deeply values.
- The speaker recounts a childhood incident where she was pulled out of math class for having photos of Palestinian landmarks (like the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem) posted on her school diary, demonstrating early conflict in identity expression.
- She struggled with feeling like she had to switch between English and Arabic, feeling she couldn't fully express herself in either language, and that her identity was often seen as an 'imperfection' rather than a duality.
- Al-Abdeli cites a poem by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish that helped her understand that one does not have to choose between their roots and their current reality, as both form their story.
- She contrasts the 'back' (strong and perfect) and the 'front' (stories of displacement and struggle) of Palestinian Tatreez embroidery to illustrate that both sides of her identity—Australian and Palestinian—are integral parts of her whole story.

![Screenshot at 00:11: Razanne Al-Abdeli begins her talk by posing a question to the audience about whether they have ever met a Palestinian, setting the stage for her personal narrative on identity.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/zElltdKcdT8/00-00-11.jpg)

**Context:** Razanne Al-Abdeli delivers a TEDxKings Park Youth talk about navigating a dual identity as a Palestinian-Australian living in Perth. She discusses the challenges of feeling like she had to suppress or separate her Palestinian heritage from her Australian upbringing, particularly concerning language and societal perceptions of difference, and how she found empowerment in embracing both aspects of her identity.

## Detailed Analysis

Razanne Al-Abdeli shares her experience growing up in Perth, Australia, while holding onto her Palestinian heritage. She notes that despite Australia being highly diverse (with nearly one-third of the population born overseas), she initially felt pressure to compartmentalize her identities, exemplified by a childhood incident where she was disciplined for displaying photos of Palestinian sites in her school diary. This led to a feeling that she had to constantly switch between speaking English (where she felt she couldn't express herself fully) and Arabic (where she also felt limited), leading to a sense of internal conflict where her heritage felt like an 'imperfection.' To counter this, she founded 'The Curtain Palestinian Society' at Curtin University in 2020 to foster a community where Palestinian youth could express themselves proudly. A pivotal moment came when her cousin, Razan, wrote a poem after visiting family displaced from the citrus farms of Yafa in Gaza, which helped Razanne understand that one's identity is comprised of both the place they are from and where they currently live. She uses the metaphor of Palestinian Tatreez embroidery—which has a strong, perfect 'back' and a narrative-rich 'front' depicting history and displacement—to illustrate that embracing both sides of her background is essential to a complete and proud identity.

### Founding 'The Curtain'

- established in 2020 to create a hub for Palestinian youth on campus
- aimed to allow self-expression and connection to identity
- signed up 300 members by the end of the first year

### Identity Conflict

- felt pressure to switch between English and Arabic, leading to feeling unable to express herself fully in either language
- felt her heritage was seen as an 'imperfection'
- experienced this conflict when her math teacher questioned photos in her diary

### Finding Resolution

- inspired by a poem from her cousin, Razan, about family displaced from Yafa, Gaza, which explained that identity encompasses both heritage (roots) and current location (where you are now)

### Tatreez Metaphor

- Palestinian embroidery features a strong, perfect 'back' and a narrative-rich 'front' detailing history and displacement
- both sides are necessary to tell the full story of one's life and heritage

![Screenshot at 00:02: Title card transition showing colorful geometric patterns and the TEDx Kings Park Youth branding.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/zElltdKcdT8/00-00-02.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:06: Razanne Al-Abdeli standing center stage on the red circle, being introduced to the audience at the TEDxKings Park Youth event.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/zElltdKcdT8/00-00-06.jpg)
![Screenshot at 00:11: A close-up of Razanne Al-Abdeli speaking passionately while wearing traditional Palestinian embroidered attire.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/zElltdKcdT8/00-00-11.jpg)
![Screenshot at 02:13: A wide shot showing the speaker standing on stage with the large audience seated in the auditorium, illuminated by spotlights.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/zElltdKcdT8/00-02-13.jpg)
![Screenshot at 04:21: A close-up visual overlay of intricate blue and white cross-stitch Tatreez embroidery, illustrating the cultural heritage discussed.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/zElltdKcdT8/00-04-21.jpg)