Ana Wildhart

I created a children’s sunhat that looks like a watermelon with the words,
“Free Palestine” written along the brim.

The watermelon symbolizes the Palestinian flag. The sizing is intentionally smaller to represent a children’s sunhat. A representation of all the child martyrs lost in this genocide, who only wanted a peaceful future. It also represents the survivors left orphaned, maimed and traumatized. Their fundamental human rights to comfort and safety were torn away and stripped from them before they even got a chance to live. They never got to experience childhood. My heart breaks for them. I wish I could protect them all.

I chose to name this piece after the Arabic word- “Sanadi” which translates to “My Support”. When I was contemplating a name, I was curious if there were any Arabic words or phrases that phonetically sounded like the word “sunhat” and somehow on my search, I came across the word “Sanadi”. After I looked up the translation of the word, I felt like it was a sign- so that is what I chose to name it. The word “Sanadi” is also an anagram of the spanish word “Sandía” which translates to watermelon.

My goal with this piece is to bring more awareness and compassion to the plight of the Palestinian people, especially Palestinian children. This occupation has been going on for longer than I’ve been alive. But after learning the history of Israel, it was very easy for me to side with Palestine. I will never sympathize with colonizers and war criminals who brutalize innocent children, women, and civilians under the guise of retaliation for crimes they took no part in.

I spent months of my life making this piece, and it’s my most meaningful work. I am very proud of it. My solidarity and support goes to Palestine, always & forever.

I started this project on June 23, 2024 and finished it on April 30, 2025.

If you’d like to help and are able to donate, I’d encourage you to give to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund. They have several programs that help children affected in Gaza.

If you’d feel more comfortable donating directly to an individual, Yusuf Abu Hattab also has a fundraiser that helps people on the ground floor in Gaza. He regularly posts on social media what the money is going towards and how it helps the community.

If you don’t have the means to donate, the only thing I ask of you is to bear witness and be a truth keeper. The powers that be tend to rewrite their ugly history, but it’s our own stories that get passed down through the generations that get remembered. 

Share the truth with future generations.

Don’t let the history of this genocide be rewritten as anything other than what it truly is- an ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people for their land.

الله يحمي فلسطين ويعافيها

From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!

-A