Heritage: Reclaiming What Was Always Hers

What if the moment you learned who you really are changed everything? Leyla King grew up in a vibrant family surrounded by food, faith, and love, but she did not have the language or clarity to name her Palestinian identity. In this episode, Leyla shares how a high school film screening shifted everything, leading her to reclaim her heritage, record her grandmother’s stories, and write Daughters of Palestine: A Memoir in Five Generations. This conversation explores the power of generational storytelling, the intersection of faith and culture, and the deep responsibility of telling stories that were nearly lost. You’ll hear about: • Discovering her Palestinian identity as a teenager • Recording her grandmother’s oral history in 2002 • How passing as white shaped her understanding of privilege • The role of faith in survival, resilience, and storytelling • Why she’s sharing her family’s truth with the world now Guest Bio: Leyla K. King is a Palestinian American Episcopal priest and the author of Daughters of Palestine. She’s a founding member of Palestinian Anglicans and Clergy Allies and serves as the Canon for Mission in Small Congregations for the Episcopal Diocese of West Texas. More from Leyla: Website: thankfulpriest.com Book info & essays: thankfulpriest.com Groups: palestiniananglicans.org, smallchurchesbigimpact.org Resources: To listen in on more conversations about pivotal moments that changed lives forever, subscribe to "The Life Shift" on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts. If you enjoyed this episode, please take a moment to rate the show 5 stars and leave a review! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Access ad-free episodes released two days early: https://patreon.com/thelifeshiftpodcast Subscribe to The Life Shift Newsletter: https://www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com/newsletter/ The Life Shift was just named one of the top 60 life-changing podcasts by FeedSpot: https://podcast.feedspot.com/life_changing_podcasts/ Connect with me: Instagram: www.instagram.com/thelifeshiftpodcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelifeshiftpodcast YouTube: https://bit.ly/thelifeshift_youtube Twitter: www.twitter.com/thelifeshiftpod LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/thelifeshiftpodcast Website: www.thelifeshiftpodcast.com This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices