SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Palestinian-Americans have faced increased hostility in the U.S. since the Israel-Hamas war began.
"They [People] know us because of the conflict. We are so much more than that," said Aminah Musa.
Musa is Palestinian-American.
She and her family founded the San Diego-based online apparel company, PaliRoots, as a way to celebrate the Palestinian culture and educate others about it.
"We are people who have families, stories, and traditions like every other human being from every background and we want to be seen as that," she said.
Instead, Musa said she's seen as a threat for being Palestinian and Mulism.
She's received death threats online, and people have tried to sabotage her business' reputation.
"We had a group who were anti-Palestinians, anti-muslim, leave us one-star reviews on our Facebook, and that completely shot our ratings down," Musa said.
The Israel-Hamas war has only escalated things.
Today, she chose not to attend Friday prayer at a mosque in Los Angeles because she says there's a heightened hostility towards Muslims.
"My identity, the place that I was born, is being censored and silenced by the other half of my identity as an American," Musa said.
However, Musa said what she's going through is nothing compared to what Palestinians in Gaza are enduring.
"I think what's more important is how it's affecting people in Palestine's lives. For me, I'm privileged. I don't have to worry about anything crashing over my head right now," Musa said.
Despite the backlash, Musa said the Palestinian community is strong and resilient.
The company has also helped raise over $1.1 million to send to Gaza.
For more information on the company and its mission, click here.
