so I first started with equipment women’s side of giant bicycles live
women’s side of giant bicycles live
women’s side of giant bicycles live donated over 60 bikes before the bikes
donated over 60 bikes before the bikes
donated over 60 bikes before the bikes were delivered I got the chance to ride
were delivered I got the chance to ride
were delivered I got the chance to ride with the girls and it was probably the
with the girls and it was probably the
with the girls and it was probably the best day that I’ve ever had in
best day that I’ve ever had in
best day that I’ve ever had in Afghanistan I can easily pinpoint the
Afghanistan I can easily pinpoint the
Afghanistan I can easily pinpoint the worst days I’ve had in Afghanistan and
worst days I’ve had in Afghanistan and
worst days I’ve had in Afghanistan and this by far is the best this is Mariam
this by far is the best this is Mariam
this by far is the best this is Mariam this is you know his assistant his
this is you know his assistant his
this is you know his assistant his right-hand woman and she is the strength
right-hand woman and she is the strength
right-hand woman and she is the strength of the team she is tough as nails she’s
of the team she is tough as nails she’s
of the team she is tough as nails she’s been run over by a motorcycle
been run over by a motorcycle
been run over by a motorcycle she has crashed numerous times she has
she has crashed numerous times she has
she has crashed numerous times she has been called every name in the book she’s
been called every name in the book she’s
been called every name in the book she’s been insulted multiple times over the
been insulted multiple times over the
been insulted multiple times over the past three or four years that she’s been
past three or four years that she’s been
past three or four years that she’s been riding bikes these girls this is the
riding bikes these girls this is the
riding bikes these girls this is the Afghan Highway coming out of Kabul are
Afghan Highway coming out of Kabul are
Afghan Highway coming out of Kabul are doing this with great risk but they’re
doing this with great risk but they’re
doing this with great risk but they’re doing it not just for themselves they’re
doing it not just for themselves they’re
doing it not just for themselves they’re doing it to inspire other girls to ride
doing it to inspire other girls to ride
doing it to inspire other girls to ride so I hired a little truck brought all
so I hired a little truck brought all
so I hired a little truck brought all the bikes bussed in the girls to the
the bikes bussed in the girls to the
the bikes bussed in the girls to the province of Bamian and we rode out we
province of Bamian and we rode out we
province of Bamian and we rode out we did a few laps around the city to kind
did a few laps around the city to kind
did a few laps around the city to kind of get the feel of the bikes and played
of get the feel of the bikes and played
of get the feel of the bikes and played with the idea of writing together for
with the idea of writing together for
with the idea of writing together for the first time because we didn’t have to
the first time because we didn’t have to
the first time because we didn’t have to watch out for potholes we were you know
watch out for potholes we were you know
watch out for potholes we were you know avoiding cars and trucks and we looked
avoiding cars and trucks and we looked
avoiding cars and trucks and we looked at okay what’s it like to ride in a
at okay what’s it like to ride in a
at okay what’s it like to ride in a peloton types what’s it like to draft
peloton types what’s it like to draft
peloton types what’s it like to draft off of each other what does that mean
off of each other what does that mean
off of each other what does that mean how does that work
how does that work
how does that work lessons for me as well as a mountain
lessons for me as well as a mountain
lessons for me as well as a mountain biker not a roadie and the girls started
biker not a roadie and the girls started
biker not a roadie and the girls started to look like a team for the first time
to look like a team for the first time
to look like a team for the first time they were riding together and while
they were riding together and while
they were riding together and while there’s barriers between me and Afghan
there’s barriers between me and Afghan
there’s barriers between me and Afghan men that are eliminated when I ride a
men that are eliminated when I ride a
men that are eliminated when I ride a bike the barriers that are also there
bike the barriers that are also there
bike the barriers that are also there between Afghan women of just you know a
between Afghan women of just you know a
between Afghan women of just you know a little bit of quiet a little bit of
little bit of quiet a little bit of
little bit of quiet a little bit of distance and formality when you’re on a
distance and formality when you’re on a
distance and formality when you’re on a bike that is out the window
bike that is out the window
bike that is out the window these girls are singing Bollywood tunes
these girls are singing Bollywood tunes
these girls are singing Bollywood tunes and dancing on their bikes and shaking
and dancing on their bikes and shaking
and dancing on their bikes and shaking their they’re joking they’re nudging
their they’re joking they’re nudging
their they’re joking they’re nudging each other they’re nudging me they’re
each other they’re nudging me they’re
each other they’re nudging me they’re shouting you know teasing coach acting
shouting you know teasing coach acting
shouting you know teasing coach acting like any other girl I get to be part of
like any other girl I get to be part of
like any other girl I get to be part of that in a way that I’ve never been able
that in a way that I’ve never been able
that in a way that I’ve never been able to connect with Afghan women and girls
to connect with Afghan women and girls
to connect with Afghan women and girls Nazif is studying to be a midwife and is
Nazif is studying to be a midwife and is
Nazif is studying to be a midwife and is wanting to work to save women’s lives
wanting to work to save women’s lives
wanting to work to save women’s lives and children’s lives but she also wants
and children’s lives but she also wants
and children’s lives but she also wants to compete in the Olympics and the
to compete in the Olympics and the
to compete in the Olympics and the reason that she says that she wants to
reason that she says that she wants to
reason that she says that she wants to do that is not for personal gain it’s
do that is not for personal gain it’s
do that is not for personal gain it’s because she wants to show the world that
because she wants to show the world that
because she wants to show the world that Afghanistan and this is her words is
Afghanistan and this is her words is
Afghanistan and this is her words is more than drugs and violence she wants
more than drugs and violence she wants
more than drugs and violence she wants to show that there are opportunities and
to show that there are opportunities and
to show that there are opportunities and it comes back to everything I’ve ever
it comes back to everything I’ve ever
it comes back to everything I’ve ever seen in Afghanistan that keep me going
seen in Afghanistan that keep me going
seen in Afghanistan that keep me going back and keep me believing that change
back and keep me believing that change
back and keep me believing that change is possible because her face kind of
is possible because her face kind of
is possible because her face kind of says it all that hope is always more
says it all that hope is always more
says it all that hope is always more powerful than fear all of them have said
powerful than fear all of them have said
powerful than fear all of them have said at multiple times because I’ve always
at multiple times because I’ve always
at multiple times because I’ve always checked in with them one as don’t
checked in with them one as don’t
checked in with them one as don’t continue to do this just because I’m
continue to do this just because I’m
continue to do this just because I’m supporting you make sure that you’re
supporting you make sure that you’re
supporting you make sure that you’re doing this because this is the risk you
doing this because this is the risk you
doing this because this is the risk you want to take because you love it and I
want to take because you love it and I
want to take because you love it and I will continue to support you but you’re
will continue to support you but you’re
will continue to support you but you’re never letting me down if you don’t want
never letting me down if you don’t want
never letting me down if you don’t want to do this anymore if for some reason
to do this anymore if for some reason
to do this anymore if for some reason the security changes and every single
the security changes and every single
the security changes and every single time each one of them have said change
time each one of them have said change
time each one of them have said change does not happen by staying at home they
does not happen by staying at home they
does not happen by staying at home they realize that they are on the frontlines
realize that they are on the frontlines
realize that they are on the frontlines they realize the risks they take much
they realize the risks they take much
they realize the risks they take much more so than I you could ever understand
more so than I you could ever understand
more so than I you could ever understand I get to go and come back here because I
I get to go and come back here because I
I get to go and come back here because I have a passport and I have a child here
have a passport and I have a child here
have a passport and I have a child here and this is my home what’s been really
and this is my home what’s been really
and this is my home what’s been really heartwarming for me has been while the
heartwarming for me has been while the
heartwarming for me has been while the team is doing amazing things to break
team is doing amazing things to break
team is doing amazing things to break open this taboo what’s really phenomenal
open this taboo what’s really phenomenal
open this taboo what’s really phenomenal is there’s two or three groups of girls
is there’s two or three groups of girls
is there’s two or three groups of girls that are learning to ride bikes without
that are learning to ride bikes without
that are learning to ride bikes without a coach without any male influence maybe
a coach without any male influence maybe
a coach without any male influence maybe a brother here and there
a brother here and there
a brother here and there they’re banding together and riding
they’re banding together and riding
they’re banding together and riding bikes in an effort to change it on a
bikes in an effort to change it on a
bikes in an effort to change it on a social level their specific goal is not
social level their specific goal is not
social level their specific goal is not to race their specific goal is it takes
to race their specific goal is it takes
to race their specific goal is it takes boys 20 minutes to get to school
boys 20 minutes to get to school
boys 20 minutes to get to school it takes us an hour or an hour and a
it takes us an hour or an hour and a
it takes us an hour or an hour and a half that’s not fair we should be able
half that’s not fair we should be able
half that’s not fair we should be able to ride bikes too and so what happened
to ride bikes too and so what happened
to ride bikes too and so what happened in Bamian was I was back there in June
in Bamian was I was back there in June
in Bamian was I was back there in June and I rode with two girls who were
and I rode with two girls who were
and I rode with two girls who were riding bikes and wanted to teach others
riding bikes and wanted to teach others
riding bikes and wanted to teach others to ride bike so that they
to ride bike so that they
to ride bike so that they get to and from the women’s university
get to and from the women’s university
get to and from the women’s university because the bustline had stopped in
because the bustline had stopped in
because the bustline had stopped in September nearly 40 girls took to the
September nearly 40 girls took to the
September nearly 40 girls took to the streets with t-shirts that said right to
streets with t-shirts that said right to
streets with t-shirts that said right to ride and Mohamed who’s one of the men’s
ride and Mohamed who’s one of the men’s
ride and Mohamed who’s one of the men’s National Cycling Team members was part
National Cycling Team members was part
National Cycling Team members was part of this and it shows that men are a huge
of this and it shows that men are a huge
of this and it shows that men are a huge part of this equation that men in boys
part of this equation that men in boys
part of this equation that men in boys need to be supporting women and girls
need to be supporting women and girls
need to be supporting women and girls need to be working together and that
need to be working together and that
need to be working together and that they are working together I mean this is
they are working together I mean this is
they are working together I mean this is probably my favorite photos of of that
probably my favorite photos of of that
probably my favorite photos of of that ride there’s an incredible quote that
ride there’s an incredible quote that
ride there’s an incredible quote that has really stuck with me and I think
has really stuck with me and I think
has really stuck with me and I think that it really represents the work that
that it really represents the work that
that it really represents the work that I do and how I feel about this whole
I do and how I feel about this whole
I do and how I feel about this whole campaign is change happens when those
campaign is change happens when those
campaign is change happens when those who are unaffected are as outraged as
who are unaffected are as outraged as
who are unaffected are as outraged as those of us who are and that’s what it
those of us who are and that’s what it
those of us who are and that’s what it takes it’s about realizing that it’s not
takes it’s about realizing that it’s not
takes it’s about realizing that it’s not always personal but that you need to be
always personal but that you need to be
always personal but that you need to be outraged and that we need to band
outraged and that we need to band
outraged and that we need to band together to believe that hope is more
together to believe that hope is more
together to believe that hope is more powerful than fear and that change is
powerful than fear and that change is
powerful than fear and that change is possible no matter where that is
possible no matter where that is
possible no matter where that is thank you for coming
”
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