One of my favorite stories that Palestinian writer Ahmed Abu Artema told during his recent speaking tour in the U.S. was how he was influenced by the strength of women. Ahmed spoke about seeing women in Gaza risking curfews to bring food to neighbors and directly confronting Israeli soldiers during his youth. He talked about learning about the bravery of nonviolent resistance from Rachel Corrie, a U.S. volunteer in his childhood hometown of Rafah, who was killed by an Israeli army bulldozer while trying to protect a Palestinian family’s home.

I’ve worked for the American Friends Service Committee in Des Moines, Iowa since 2008, providing legal services to hundreds of immigrants and refugees every year. Last fall, I traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border as a volunteer to help migrants understand their legal rights and their options for seeking asylum in the United States.