okay thank you thank you for being yeah but yeah we can stop this alright so um
but yeah we can stop this alright so um
but yeah we can stop this alright so um I hope the lunch was good but I really
I hope the lunch was good but I really
I hope the lunch was good but I really hope that the coffee was better and
hope that the coffee was better and
hope that the coffee was better and stronger because I’m awake then and so
stronger because I’m awake then and so
stronger because I’m awake then and so are you all and that makes my work
are you all and that makes my work
are you all and that makes my work easier so so let’s start
[Music]
[Music] [Laughter]
so I want to begin by talking about the
so I want to begin by talking about the power of one woman just one woman it
power of one woman just one woman it
power of one woman just one woman it could be one of you sitting here in the
could be one of you sitting here in the
could be one of you sitting here in the audience it could be one of you later
audience it could be one of you later
audience it could be one of you later watching this on a YouTube video or each
watching this on a YouTube video or each
watching this on a YouTube video or each one of you or maybe even me and someone
one of you or maybe even me and someone
one of you or maybe even me and someone we all know that just one step by a
we all know that just one step by a
we all know that just one step by a determined woman can actually change
determined woman can actually change
determined woman can actually change destinies exactly 70 years ago in 1947
destinies exactly 70 years ago in 1947
destinies exactly 70 years ago in 1947 during the india-pakistan partition when
during the india-pakistan partition when
during the india-pakistan partition when there was bloodshed killings and carnage
there was bloodshed killings and carnage
there was bloodshed killings and carnage everywhere my grandmother who must have
everywhere my grandmother who must have
everywhere my grandmother who must have been just about 1617 years old had to
been just about 1617 years old had to
been just about 1617 years old had to flee her homeland with her father and
flee her homeland with her father and
flee her homeland with her father and her brothers leaving everything behind I
her brothers leaving everything behind I
her brothers leaving everything behind I don’t think at that point she realized
don’t think at that point she realized
don’t think at that point she realized that that one move of hers was actually
that that one move of hers was actually
that that one move of hers was actually shaping the destiny of a future
shaping the destiny of a future
shaping the destiny of a future daughters and granddaughters and the
daughters and granddaughters and the
daughters and granddaughters and the very fact perhaps that I stand here
very fact perhaps that I stand here
very fact perhaps that I stand here today talking about feminism and women’s
today talking about feminism and women’s
today talking about feminism and women’s rights is because of her I don’t think
rights is because of her I don’t think
rights is because of her I don’t think that most of us realize that how the
that most of us realize that how the
that most of us realize that how the acts of our ancestors or how the acts of
acts of our ancestors or how the acts of
acts of our ancestors or how the acts of our previous generations impact our
our previous generations impact our
our previous generations impact our lives today in the best way as possible
lives today in the best way as possible
lives today in the best way as possible about two years ago when I was in an
about two years ago when I was in an
about two years ago when I was in an extremely physically and emotionally
extremely physically and emotionally
extremely physically and emotionally abusive relationship and I was trying
abusive relationship and I was trying
abusive relationship and I was trying for a very long time to actually get out
for a very long time to actually get out
for a very long time to actually get out of it but every time I’ve tried I failed
of it but every time I’ve tried I failed
of it but every time I’ve tried I failed I did not have the courage to get out of
I did not have the courage to get out of
I did not have the courage to get out of it
it
it I tried to think about all the
I tried to think about all the
I tried to think about all the sacrifices that my grandmother and my
sacrifices that my grandmother and my
sacrifices that my grandmother and my mother had made to ensure that I get to
mother had made to ensure that I get to
mother had made to ensure that I get to where I am that I can get what they did
where I am that I can get what they did
where I am that I can get what they did not get in life and their sacrifices and
not get in life and their sacrifices and
not get in life and their sacrifices and thinking about every sacrifice that they
thinking about every sacrifice that they
thinking about every sacrifice that they made along their lives actually made me
made along their lives actually made me
made along their lives actually made me stronger and made that move easier for
stronger and made that move easier for
stronger and made that move easier for me and you to have felt the power of the
me and you to have felt the power of the
me and you to have felt the power of the women in you in your lives and in fact
women in you in your lives and in fact
women in you in your lives and in fact the woman in you when all of you marched
the woman in you when all of you marched
the woman in you when all of you marched a few weeks ago in the women’s March you
a few weeks ago in the women’s March you
a few weeks ago in the women’s March you all marched in Washington DC in Paris in
all marched in Washington DC in Paris in
all marched in Washington DC in Paris in New York and Geneva in every city around
New York and Geneva in every city around
New York and Geneva in every city around the world and you rallied and dissent
the world and you rallied and dissent
the world and you rallied and dissent and watch to claim what is rightfully
and watch to claim what is rightfully
and watch to claim what is rightfully yours and perhaps with every step that
yours and perhaps with every step that
yours and perhaps with every step that you took you realize that you were
you took you realize that you were
you took you realize that you were changing something you were demanding
changing something you were demanding
changing something you were demanding something for not just to your country
something for not just to your country
something for not just to your country but you were also demanding something
but you were also demanding something
but you were also demanding something for the women of the world but I’m not
for the women of the world but I’m not
for the women of the world but I’m not here to talk about my story or about the
here to talk about my story or about the
here to talk about my story or about the story of my grandmother or even your
story of my grandmother or even your
story of my grandmother or even your story I’m here to talk about a new breed
story I’m here to talk about a new breed
story I’m here to talk about a new breed of feminist women who are on the move
of feminist women who are on the move
of feminist women who are on the move every day every night thousands and
every day every night thousands and
every day every night thousands and millions of refugee women who are
millions of refugee women who are
millions of refugee women who are navigating through life-threatening
navigating through life-threatening
navigating through life-threatening conditions only to claim what they
conditions only to claim what they
conditions only to claim what they rightly deserves basic human dignity
rightly deserves basic human dignity
rightly deserves basic human dignity over the last two years I spent a lot of
over the last two years I spent a lot of
over the last two years I spent a lot of time filming and reporting with these
time filming and reporting with these
time filming and reporting with these women at refugee camps in Greece in
women at refugee camps in Greece in
women at refugee camps in Greece in Athens in Eastern Europe and what struck
Athens in Eastern Europe and what struck
Athens in Eastern Europe and what struck me the most about them was the tenacity
me the most about them was the tenacity
me the most about them was the tenacity their resilience and their optimism
their resilience and their optimism
their resilience and their optimism these are not weak women these are
these are not weak women these are
these are not weak women these are perhaps the strongest women of our times
it takes a special kind of strength it
it takes a special kind of strength it takes a special kind of feminism to
takes a special kind of feminism to
takes a special kind of feminism to actually leave your country behind
actually leave your country behind
actually leave your country behind knowing that you’re never going to
knowing that you’re never going to
knowing that you’re never going to return it takes a special kind of
return it takes a special kind of
return it takes a special kind of strength to leave your men behind with
strength to leave your men behind with
strength to leave your men behind with your babies clinging to your chest to
your babies clinging to your chest to
your babies clinging to your chest to cross the high seas to sleep outside
cross the high seas to sleep outside
cross the high seas to sleep outside close borders at freezing temperatures
close borders at freezing temperatures
close borders at freezing temperatures and mind you doing all of this proudly
and mind you doing all of this proudly
and mind you doing all of this proudly wearing their identity the hijab that
wearing their identity the hijab that
wearing their identity the hijab that the world feels today and the spiral
the world feels today and the spiral
the world feels today and the spiral piece that it takes a special kind of
piece that it takes a special kind of
piece that it takes a special kind of strength to be those kind of feminists
strength to be those kind of feminists
strength to be those kind of feminists and their optimism does not really come
and their optimism does not really come
and their optimism does not really come from ignorance these are not ignorant
from ignorance these are not ignorant
from ignorance these are not ignorant women they know about every political
women they know about every political
women they know about every political move every rule every order that is
move every rule every order that is
move every rule every order that is actually directing they move ahead or in
actually directing they move ahead or in
actually directing they move ahead or in fact even halting their migration their
fact even halting their migration their
fact even halting their migration their optimism comes from a relentless self
optimism comes from a relentless self
optimism comes from a relentless self belief I wanted to talk here about a
belief I wanted to talk here about a
belief I wanted to talk here about a night in September 2015 this was outside
night in September 2015 this was outside
night in September 2015 this was outside the hungarian serbia border this was the
the hungarian serbia border this was the
the hungarian serbia border this was the very day that the prime minister of
very day that the prime minister of
very day that the prime minister of Hungary Viktor Orban had
Hungary Viktor Orban had
Hungary Viktor Orban had chillie shut all the borders of his
chillie shut all the borders of his
chillie shut all the borders of his country to stop the refugees from
country to stop the refugees from
country to stop the refugees from entering so a few journalists and a few
entering so a few journalists and a few
entering so a few journalists and a few activists we wanted to get across to the
activists we wanted to get across to the
activists we wanted to get across to the Serbian side because all the refugees
Serbian side because all the refugees
Serbian side because all the refugees were halted at the Serbian border
were halted at the Serbian border
were halted at the Serbian border because they were not being allowed to
because they were not being allowed to
because they were not being allowed to come inside so when we got there in the
come inside so when we got there in the
come inside so when we got there in the middle of the night nobody was prepared
middle of the night nobody was prepared
middle of the night nobody was prepared for it so obviously there were no turns
for it so obviously there were no turns
for it so obviously there were no turns there was no camp there were no toilet
there was no camp there were no toilet
there was no camp there were no toilet facility people were just actually
facility people were just actually
facility people were just actually sleeping outside at freezing
sleeping outside at freezing
sleeping outside at freezing temperatures and I found this 1617 year
temperatures and I found this 1617 year
temperatures and I found this 1617 year old girl who you can see in this picture
old girl who you can see in this picture
old girl who you can see in this picture she must have been she must have been
she must have been she must have been
she must have been she must have been brought up in an extremely sheltered
brought up in an extremely sheltered
brought up in an extremely sheltered environment so she wanted to go to the
environment so she wanted to go to the
environment so she wanted to go to the toilet and she couldn’t get herself to
toilet and she couldn’t get herself to
toilet and she couldn’t get herself to go to the woods there were also hundreds
go to the woods there were also hundreds
go to the woods there were also hundreds of men actually lined up right there in
of men actually lined up right there in
of men actually lined up right there in the woods the picture clearly does not
the woods the picture clearly does not
the woods the picture clearly does not show a great deal but there’s a man
show a great deal but there’s a man
show a great deal but there’s a man there so I could feel the physical
there so I could feel the physical
there so I could feel the physical stress the emotional trauma that she was
stress the emotional trauma that she was
stress the emotional trauma that she was going through and as a woman I
going through and as a woman I
going through and as a woman I understood it I didn’t even have the
understood it I didn’t even have the
understood it I didn’t even have the heart to ask her how was she planning
heart to ask her how was she planning
heart to ask her how was she planning you know like what was she planning to
you know like what was she planning to
you know like what was she planning to do I just couldn’t even ask her that so
do I just couldn’t even ask her that so
do I just couldn’t even ask her that so after some time she just turned around
after some time she just turned around
after some time she just turned around to and looked at me and said that maybe
to and looked at me and said that maybe
to and looked at me and said that maybe in a few years I’m going to look back
in a few years I’m going to look back
in a few years I’m going to look back and laugh at all of this and at that
and laugh at all of this and at that
and laugh at all of this and at that time I shook my head and disbelief in
time I shook my head and disbelief in
time I shook my head and disbelief in respect and admiration for the courage
respect and admiration for the courage
respect and admiration for the courage of the 17 year old girl who could
of the 17 year old girl who could
of the 17 year old girl who could actually laugh about such a distressful
actually laugh about such a distressful
actually laugh about such a distressful situation
situation
situation the courage does not always mean
the courage does not always mean
the courage does not always mean fighting wars and battles courage comes
fighting wars and battles courage comes
fighting wars and battles courage comes in everyday acts from ordinary people
in everyday acts from ordinary people
in everyday acts from ordinary people like her and like others there’s a
like her and like others there’s a
like her and like others there’s a report which says that about 70% of the
report which says that about 70% of the
report which says that about 70% of the Syrian refugees are women and children
Syrian refugees are women and children
Syrian refugees are women and children women mostly move in groups or they find
women mostly move in groups or they find
women mostly move in groups or they find each other along the way supporting each
each other along the way supporting each
each other along the way supporting each other and thriving on the bond of
other and thriving on the bond of
other and thriving on the bond of sisterhood another person I want to talk
sisterhood another person I want to talk
sisterhood another person I want to talk about is this woman I met her last
about is this woman I met her last
about is this woman I met her last summer August 2016 at a refugee camp in
summer August 2016 at a refugee camp in
summer August 2016 at a refugee camp in Athens it’s called the scar mangas
Athens it’s called the scar mangas
Athens it’s called the scar mangas refugee camp
refugee camp
refugee camp she’s the funkiest 33 year old at
she’s the funkiest 33 year old at
she’s the funkiest 33 year old at meant she had a little daughter was
meant she had a little daughter was
meant she had a little daughter was bouncing all around her she was there in
bouncing all around her she was there in
bouncing all around her she was there in the refugee camp for three months before
the refugee camp for three months before
the refugee camp for three months before I could get there and she told me that
I could get there and she told me that
I could get there and she told me that she used to be a schoolteacher back in
she used to be a schoolteacher back in
she used to be a schoolteacher back in Syria she was a single mother and her
Syria she was a single mother and her
Syria she was a single mother and her parents and she had put in all her life
parents and she had put in all her life
parents and she had put in all her life savings just to ensure that she and her
savings just to ensure that she and her
savings just to ensure that she and her daughters could get to a safer country
daughters could get to a safer country
daughters could get to a safer country there was only enough money for her and
there was only enough money for her and
there was only enough money for her and her daughters to travel so her parents
her daughters to travel so her parents
her daughters to travel so her parents had to stay back and she did realize
had to stay back and she did realize
had to stay back and she did realize that she if she actually does get to
that she if she actually does get to
that she if she actually does get to another safer country she might never
another safer country she might never
another safer country she might never see her parents again and that’s
see her parents again and that’s
see her parents again and that’s somewhere the fact that her parents had
somewhere the fact that her parents had
somewhere the fact that her parents had put in so much for the safety of her and
put in so much for the safety of her and
put in so much for the safety of her and her daughters made her more determined
her daughters made her more determined
her daughters made her more determined despite the eu-turkey deal in place
despite the eu-turkey deal in place
despite the eu-turkey deal in place which was actually making it difficult
which was actually making it difficult
which was actually making it difficult for her to move ahead from Greece you
for her to move ahead from Greece you
for her to move ahead from Greece you might probably go back to Turkey she was
might probably go back to Turkey she was
might probably go back to Turkey she was all the more determined that she should
all the more determined that she should
all the more determined that she should get her and her daughters to a better
get her and her daughters to a better
get her and her daughters to a better place so after that what if she actually
place so after that what if she actually
place so after that what if she actually manages to get to the US or she manages
manages to get to the US or she manages
manages to get to the US or she manages to get to Germany what would she do and
to get to Germany what would she do and
to get to Germany what would she do and she told me my parents had given me the
she told me my parents had given me the
she told me my parents had given me the best gift of an education she said I can
best gift of an education she said I can
best gift of an education she said I can teach I am sure I’ll be able to do
teach I am sure I’ll be able to do
teach I am sure I’ll be able to do something for myself and my daughters
something for myself and my daughters
something for myself and my daughters but I want to ensure that my daughter’s
but I want to ensure that my daughter’s
but I want to ensure that my daughter’s also learn and live in a free country
also learn and live in a free country
also learn and live in a free country when they found out that I was Indian
when they found out that I was Indian
when they found out that I was Indian they got very excited about Bollywood
they got very excited about Bollywood
they got very excited about Bollywood songs in Bollywood movies somehow
songs in Bollywood movies somehow
songs in Bollywood movies somehow Bollywood always connects so I want to
Bollywood always connects so I want to
Bollywood always connects so I want to show you a video and I want to play that
show you a video and I want to play that
show you a video and I want to play that video so she can be plain it so she her
video so she can be plain it so she her
video so she can be plain it so she her daughters and I actually danced a
daughters and I actually danced a
daughters and I actually danced a Bollywood music that afternoon all I
Bollywood music that afternoon all I
Bollywood music that afternoon all I remember is songs playing out of an
remember is songs playing out of an
remember is songs playing out of an almost broken mobile phone in a small
almost broken mobile phone in a small
almost broken mobile phone in a small little car
little car
little car in a very dusty refugee camp totally
in a very dusty refugee camp totally
in a very dusty refugee camp totally unaware upon the future health there but
unaware upon the future health there but
unaware upon the future health there but I think I will always remember them
I think I will always remember them
I think I will always remember them smiling shiny resilient faces and I
smiling shiny resilient faces and I
smiling shiny resilient faces and I think that’s how we should always
think that’s how we should always
think that’s how we should always remember these people I know you might
remember these people I know you might
remember these people I know you might feel that these stories are of other
feel that these stories are of other
feel that these stories are of other people that these stories come from a
people that these stories come from a
people that these stories come from a distant land and you do not connect to
distant land and you do not connect to
distant land and you do not connect to them but look a little bit deeper and
them but look a little bit deeper and
them but look a little bit deeper and these are our stories as well we know
these are our stories as well we know
these are our stories as well we know what it means to fight harder to get to
what it means to fight harder to get to
what it means to fight harder to get to where we want to be and as women we know
where we want to be and as women we know
where we want to be and as women we know that we need to put in a little bit in
that we need to put in a little bit in
that we need to put in a little bit in fact sometimes even more than a little
fact sometimes even more than a little
fact sometimes even more than a little bit extra effort to even get to an equal
bit extra effort to even get to an equal
bit extra effort to even get to an equal at form and I strongly believe that
at form and I strongly believe that
at form and I strongly believe that these women their feminism goes a step
these women their feminism goes a step
these women their feminism goes a step further than us the last woman I want to
further than us the last woman I want to
further than us the last woman I want to talk about is her the day I was at the
talk about is her the day I was at the
talk about is her the day I was at the camp at the refugee camp in Athens she
camp at the refugee camp in Athens she
camp at the refugee camp in Athens she actually just reached that very day so
actually just reached that very day so
actually just reached that very day so she was very harassed she’d just come in
she was very harassed she’d just come in
she was very harassed she’d just come in she didn’t know what to do she had been
she didn’t know what to do she had been
she didn’t know what to do she had been separated from a husband and her baby
separated from a husband and her baby
separated from a husband and her baby for almost a year her husband and a baby
for almost a year her husband and a baby
for almost a year her husband and a baby were already in Germany and she but she
were already in Germany and she but she
were already in Germany and she but she was trying to get there she didn’t speak
was trying to get there she didn’t speak
was trying to get there she didn’t speak anything but Arabic and unfortunately I
anything but Arabic and unfortunately I
anything but Arabic and unfortunately I struggle maybe know a few words of
struggle maybe know a few words of
struggle maybe know a few words of Arabic so she was enterprising enough
Arabic so she was enterprising enough
Arabic so she was enterprising enough and she said we could use the Google
and she said we could use the Google
and she said we could use the Google Voice translator so she would talk into
Voice translator so she would talk into
Voice translator so she would talk into the phone and it would throw up English
the phone and it would throw up English
the phone and it would throw up English words for me and I would do the same and
words for me and I would do the same and
words for me and I would do the same and that’s how we communicated so I asked
that’s how we communicated so I asked
that’s how we communicated so I asked her that most likely she would be back
her that most likely she would be back
her that most likely she would be back in Turkey and that she would never get
in Turkey and that she would never get
in Turkey and that she would never get to see her husband and a little baby and
to see her husband and a little baby and
to see her husband and a little baby and she looked into the phone and she said
she looked into the phone and she said
she looked into the phone and she said that I would walk mountains I would
that I would walk mountains I would
that I would walk mountains I would cross borders about boundaries and I
cross borders about boundaries and I
cross borders about boundaries and I would crawl on my knees if I had to but
would crawl on my knees if I had to but
would crawl on my knees if I had to but nobody can keep me away ever from
nobody can keep me away ever from
nobody can keep me away ever from meeting my baby and at that point I felt
meeting my baby and at that point I felt
meeting my baby and at that point I felt that not this woman not the 33 year old
that not this woman not the 33 year old
that not this woman not the 33 year old spunky mother needed at 17 18 year old
spunky mother needed at 17 18 year old
spunky mother needed at 17 18 year old girl are always refugee woman none of
girl are always refugee woman none of
girl are always refugee woman none of them realized their acts of resistance
them realized their acts of resistance
them realized their acts of resistance to
to
to day that there steps of determination
day that there steps of determination
day that there steps of determination today is actually building a future not
today is actually building a future not
today is actually building a future not just for them and their children but for
just for them and their children but for
just for them and their children but for all of us so the next time we march I
all of us so the next time we march I
all of us so the next time we march I think we should March that these new
think we should March that these new
think we should March that these new breed of feminists we should march for
breed of feminists we should march for
breed of feminists we should march for their right to life we should march
their right to life we should march
their right to life we should march against every rule and order the
against every rule and order the
against every rule and order the dehumanizes on the basis of religion and
dehumanizes on the basis of religion and
dehumanizes on the basis of religion and gender I want to play a video to end
gender I want to play a video to end
gender I want to play a video to end with I started with Maya Angela I want
with I started with Maya Angela I want
with I started with Maya Angela I want to end with a favorite poem of like of
to end with a favorite poem of like of
to end with a favorite poem of like of Maya Angela’s that I like it’s called
Maya Angela’s that I like it’s called
Maya Angela’s that I like it’s called still I rise and I want to play it over
still I rise and I want to play it over
still I rise and I want to play it over photographs images of these refugee
photographs images of these refugee
photographs images of these refugee women of how I saw them through the lens
women of how I saw them through the lens
women of how I saw them through the lens of my camera can we play the video yeah
of my camera can we play the video yeah
of my camera can we play the video yeah okay you may write me down in history
okay you may write me down in history
okay you may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies
with your bitter twisted lies
with your bitter twisted lies you may trod me in the very dirt but
you may trod me in the very dirt but
you may trod me in the very dirt but still like dust I rise did you want to
still like dust I rise did you want to
still like dust I rise did you want to see me broken bowed head and lowered
see me broken bowed head and lowered
see me broken bowed head and lowered eyes shoulders falling down like
eyes shoulders falling down like
eyes shoulders falling down like teardrops weakened by my soulful cry
teardrops weakened by my soulful cry
teardrops weakened by my soulful cry as my haughtiness offend you don’t you
as my haughtiness offend you don’t you
as my haughtiness offend you don’t you take it awful hard because I laugh like
take it awful hard because I laugh like
take it awful hard because I laugh like I’ve got gold mines digging in my own
I’ve got gold mines digging in my own
I’ve got gold mines digging in my own backyard
backyard
backyard Yuma should be with your words you may
Yuma should be with your words you may
Yuma should be with your words you may cut me with your eyes you may kill me
cut me with your eyes you may kill me
cut me with your eyes you may kill me with your hatefulness but still like air
with your hatefulness but still like air
with your hatefulness but still like air I’ll rise leaving behind nights of
I’ll rise leaving behind nights of
I’ll rise leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise into a daybreak
terror and fear I rise into a daybreak
terror and fear I rise into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise I am the
that’s wondrously clear I rise I am the
that’s wondrously clear I rise I am the dream and the hope
dream and the hope
dream and the hope I rise I rise I rise
I rise I rise I rise
I rise I rise I rise [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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