Palestinian journalist and author Plestia Alaqad has shared the books, music and screen favorites that speak to her most deeply, framing them as sources of feeling, reflection and hope during dark times. The feature gathers the cultural works that continue to move her and shows how art can offer steadiness when the wider world feels overwhelming.
The piece also arrives with a striking personal backdrop. In March, Alaqad spent three weeks sailing across the Atlantic with nine other young activists, a period described as a rare moment of serenity. That experience appears to shape the mood of her selections, linking quiet, contemplation and solidarity with the search for meaning in culture.
Rather than simply listing recommendations, the feature highlights how reading, listening and watching can become forms of emotional survival. Alaqad’s choices point to culture not just as entertainment, but as something that can preserve memory, create connection and keep hope alive even in bleak circumstances.
Originally published in Dazed’s Summer 2026 issue, the selection offers a concise portrait of Alaqad’s inner world through the art she returns to. For readers looking for thoughtful cultural recommendations, it presents a hopeful guide to what to read, listen to and watch through the eyes of a writer shaped by both urgency and resilience.
