"We Only Become Advocates When We Become Victims"

I recently watched a short clip by Dr. Omar Suleiman regarding the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Gaza and Palestine. One thing he said that truly stuck with me was, “We only become advocates when we become victims.” This line carries so much weight because it reflects an uncomfortable truth about humanity, one that many of us are guilty of, whether we realize it or not.

As human beings, we naturally avoid uncomfortable conversations, especially when they do not seem to affect us directly. We tell ourselves that we have “bigger problems,” as if the suffering of others is somehow less urgent because it is not happening in our own backyard. We live in bubbles of comfort, convinced that we are untouched by the horrors that plague other parts of the world. Yet, the moment we ourselves become victims when tragedy knocks on our door we are suddenly the first to speak out, to raise awareness, to demand justice. While it is understandable to react to our own pain, it is deeply flawed to only care once that pain becomes personal.

We, as humans and as a collective humanity, need to redirect our intentions, our values, and our focus toward issues that truly matter. We need to learn to empathize before we are forced to. Living in the West, I notice how much we take for granted. We complain about inconveniences and label them “Western problems,” forgetting that for so many people around the world, survival itself is a daily battle. While we argue over luxuries, others are struggling to hold on to their lives, their homes, and their dignity.

Real change begins when we decide to care about the suffering of others even when we are not directly impacted. Advocacy should not be born only from personal loss; it should stem from compassion, justice, and a shared understanding that our humanity is tied to one another. Because if we wait until we become the victims, we will only continue to repeat the same cycle of indifference and regret.