Speed Sisters
One of the most interesting thing about our times and generation is the news and how we can access it so quickly. I love all things positive and don't watch regular news that much unless there is something catastrophic that is happening and needs our attention.
Palestine is one of those place where something has been forgotten. A land that is filled with people who are being wiped out and the world is watching standing by from a balcony seat and wondering what the next step will be? How will this story end?
The answer is it will never end. The stories will keep happening, we will keep creating new and wonderful things and we will keep resisting and challenging our daily lives and our occupation. Palestinian people as a whole have a negative light on them considering the occupation and constant terror that keeps occurring. But there are some wonderful things going on and some truly extraordinary people who really make you think twice about their own lives and what they can achieve in such restricted living conditions in some cases.
I was reading an amazing article in the Guardian newspaper in the UK about a group of women who live in the West Bank but are from all over Palestine calling themselves 'The Speed Sisters'. They are group of courageous strong beautiful women who challenged a male dominated sport and industry, and won.
These women, Maysoon Jayyusi, Mona Ali, Marah Zahalka, Noor Daoud, and lastly Betty Saadeh, have all had their struggles. Struggles with family, occupation, men, media, culture and life. But once they overcame their home challenge they had the confidence to go the circuits and challenge the male racers. They insisted on being taken seriously and would not leave till they were accepted. These circuits were also not what you would expect. They were just closed down markets and parking lots that were vacant. They would practice racing and their moves there, showing their male counterparts what they were capable of.
All have their own reasons for wanting to be a part of this wonderful team of women, but mainly they have one common frustration. That of being stuck in traffic and constant checkpoints. The racing gives then a sense of freedom and movement. What a liberating feeling.
They have gotten the attention of many and in particular a woman called Amber Fares who has made a documentary about them and had a full house at the international documentary festival.
I for one, can't wait to see this documentary and wish I could be a part of it. What wonderful representations of women they are. And in particular Palestinian women.
With Love, From Palestine