"My nationality is Palestinian,"
"The very little English I knew I learned from watching old Clint Eastwood cowboy movies,"
"To my surprise, when I got to California, no one was wearing cowboy hats,"
"They had thought it was anti-Israel propaganda,"
Johny Khalilieh arrived in the Bay Area at 18 with limited English and determination. He learned English from watching old Clint Eastwood movies and was surprised by cultural differences in California. Born and raised in Beit Jala, he attended the Greek Orthodox Saint Nicholas Church and grew up in a close-knit, faith-centered community. He fled increasing aggression and a violent encounter with soldiers over an Arabic school project, prompting his family to seek safety abroad. Khalilieh built a career teaching math at Diablo Valley College while helping establish and operate La Veranda Cafe, balancing classrooms and kitchens through sacrifice and hard work.
Read at The Mercury News
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