Identity and Legacy: Mohamed Hadid
Mohamed Hadid’s talk offered a deeply personal reflection on identity, family, and success, grounding these themes in the lived experience of Palestinian displacement and diaspora. Through stories about his parents, childhood, and journey across borders, Hadid shared what it means to carry purpose as a Palestinian. From the first moments of the conversation, it was clear that this would not be a conventional discussion of success, but a reflection on how identity and memory quietly shape a life.
Hadid traced his roots back to Safad and Nazareth, speaking with pride about his family’s long presence in Palestine and their connection to Zahir al-Omar, the autonomous ruler of Galilee. He spoke about his parents and grandparents not as distant figures, but as the people through whom identity was learned and preserved. Reflecting on what it means to carry that history forward, he remarked, “Being Palestinian is a rare, rare thing to be, and they should carry it as a badge of honor.” Rather than framing identity as something static or symbolic, Hadid presented it as something lived and passed down, shaped by family, memory, and movement across places. As he described growing up across Syria, Lebanon, and other parts of the region, it became clear that displacement influenced his sense of belonging, but never erased it.
Hadid spoke about his parents and focused on the values they lived by rather than their hardships. He shared how, even before their own displacement, his family had taken in refugee families, offering them food, clothing, and a place to rest without questioning who they were. What stayed with him most was not the betrayal that followed but the principle his parents chose to uphold. As Hadid explained, “When people are in pain, you take care of them. You don’t ask them what religion they are.” That lesson, passed down through example, shaped how he understands responsibility toward others and continues to guide how he approaches leadership and life more broadly.
When discussing his career, Hadid avoided framing success as exceptional or heroic. Instead, he emphasized persistence, vision, and self-reliance, explaining that he created his own opportunities rather than waiting for acceptance. At the same time, he acknowledged the personal and professional consequences of being openly Palestinian, particularly in the current political climate. Despite this, he remained firm in the belief that identity should not be hidden for comfort.
In speaking to younger generations, Hadid encouraged honesty and pride in one’s roots. He described Palestinian identity as something rare and valuable, meant to be carried openly rather than softened for others, emphasizing that “if you are straightforward and you are truthful, and you say exactly who you are, they will appreciate you.” His talk ultimately offered a quiet reminder that success does not require distancing oneself from the past, and that family, memory, and integrity remain central to shaping both personal and public life.
