Leland native Paige Cook will be a junior at the University of Michigan when classes resume in early September. She currently works on the podcast team of What the F, a feminist magazine on campus, and has participated in Central Student Government. Cook and other student leaders at U of M have protested and stood up for the rights and dignity of Palestinians since Israel’s war in Gaza began nearly 11 months ago. The brutal conflict has resulted in the deaths of more than 40,000 Palestinians and caused the spread of disease and famine in the occupied enclave—following Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the killing of 1,200 Israelis and seizure of hundreds of hostages. The Glen Arbor Sun spoke with Cook about her Leland upbringing, her experiences in Ann Arbor, and how it has felt to attend college in a town that’s once again a hotbed of student activism.