ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rana Abdelhamid - Community organizer, entrepreneur
Rana Abdelhamid is an internationally acclaimed community organizer, first-degree black belt, public speaker and social entrepreneur focused on mass mobilization, international solidarity and the empowerment of marginalized communities.

Why you should listen

Rana Abdelhamid is committed to organizing communities around migrant, gender and racial justice. For ten years, Abdelhamid has served as the Executive Director of Malikah, a global grassroots movement committed to building safety and power for all women through self-defense, healing justice, community organizing and financial literacy. She founded Malikah at the age of 16 after being attacked by a stranger, who tried to remove the hijab from her head. Today, Abdelhamid and her volunteer team of women conduct healing spaces and have trained more than 7,000 women in 18 cities across the globe. For the past three years, Malikah has held the National Muslim Women's Summit at Harvard University, training 50 Muslim American women in leadership and community organizing.

Abdelhamid's organizing work has always been rooted in building solidarity across communities domestically and abroad. During the Arab Spring, Abdelhamid was involved in mobilizing diaspora communities in solidarity with grassroots activists in Egypt. After the "Muslim ban" was passed, she helped organize thousands of people across Boston for the 20,000-person Copley Square protest and spoke alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren, among others. After the murder of Nabra Hassanen, Abdelhamid and her team worked to mobilize tens of thousands of people across ten cities in under 24 hours for prayers and vigils in her remembrance.

In 2013, Abdelhamid started Hijabis of NY, an online platform that highlights the stories of hijabi women. In 2017, she also coedited and published Muslim Women's Stories, a collection of narratives from young Muslim women across the US. She is highly committed to the global human rights movement and is one of youngest serving board members of Amnesty International USA. Abdelhamid has a BA from Middlebury in International Politics and Economics and a master's degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, where her research was focused on policy interventions to mitigate the prevalence of domestic violence in Queens, NY and on refugee integration policy in the US.

In 2017, Abdelhamid was named one of the 17 women who "Rocked the Resistance" in 2017 and is frequently called "the Muslim Black Belt." She has been named a Truman Scholar, a Running Start Rising Political Star and has received both a NYC Council Proclamation and an International Youth Advocate award by the UNAUSA Foundation.

More profile about the speaker
Rana Abdelhamid | Speaker | TED.com
TED Salon Doha Debates

Rana Abdelhamid: 3 lessons on starting a movement from a self-defense trailblazer

Rana Abdelhamid: Três lições sobre como iniciar um movimento com uma pioneira da autodefesa

Filmed:
1,808,671 views

Aos 16 anos, Rana Abdelhamid começou a ensinar autodefesa a mulheres e meninas do bairro dela. Quase dez anos depois, essas aulas comunitárias transformaram-se em Malikah: uma rede de base global que cria segurança, poder e solidariedade para todas as mulheres. Como ela fez isso? Abdelhamid compartilha três ingredientes para criar um movimento a partir do zero.
- Community organizer, entrepreneur
Rana Abdelhamid is an internationally acclaimed community organizer, first-degree black belt, public speaker and social entrepreneur focused on mass mobilization, international solidarity and the empowerment of marginalized communities. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
So my story starts on July 4, 1992,
0
792
4809
Minha história começa
em 4 de julho de 1992,
00:17
the day my mother followed
her college sweetheart
1
5625
2476
no dia em que minha mãe seguiu
o namorado dela da faculdade
00:20
to New York City from Egypt.
2
8125
2059
do Egito para a cidade de Nova York.
00:22
As fireworks exploded behind the skyline,
3
10208
2810
Enquanto fogos de artifício
explodiam no horizonte,
00:25
my father looked
at my mother jokingly and said,
4
13042
3101
meu pai olhou para minha mãe
e disse brincando:
00:28
"Look, habibti,
5
16167
1309
"Veja, 'habibti', os norte-americanos
estão comemorando sua chegada".
00:29
Americans are celebrating your arrival."
6
17500
2375
00:31
(Laughter)
7
19944
1680
(Risos)
00:33
Unfortunately, it didn't feel
much like a celebration
8
21833
3476
Infelizmente, não se parecia muito
com uma comemoração
00:37
when, growing up, my mother and I
would wander past Queens
9
25333
3810
quando, crescendo, minha mãe e eu
caminhávamos por Queens,
00:41
into New York City streets,
10
29167
1767
pelas ruas de Nova York,
00:42
and my mother with her hijab
and long flowy dresses
11
30958
3226
e minha mãe, trajando "hijab"
e vestimentas longas e soltas,
00:46
would tighten her hand
around my small fingers
12
34208
2935
apertava meus dedos pequenos em sua mão,
00:49
as she stood up
against weathered comments like,
13
37167
3226
enquanto se defendia de insultos como:
00:52
"Go back to where you came from,"
14
40417
2101
"Volte para onde veio",
00:54
"Learn English,"
15
42542
1309
"Aprenda inglês",
"Imigrante idiota".
00:55
"Stupid immigrant."
16
43875
1809
00:57
These words were meant
to make us feel unsafe, insecure
17
45708
4476
Essas palavras eram
para nos deixar inseguras
01:02
in our own neighborhoods, in our own skin.
18
50208
2334
em nosso próprio bairro,
em nossa própria pele.
01:05
But it was these same streets
19
53500
1559
Mas foram essas mesmas ruas
01:07
that made me fall in love with New York.
20
55083
2643
que fizeram com que eu
me apaixonasse por Nova York.
01:09
Queens is one of the most
diverse places in the world,
21
57750
3268
Queens é um dos lugares
mais diversificados do mundo,
01:13
with immigrant parents
holding stories that always start
22
61042
3476
com pais imigrantes, que vivem
histórias que sempre começam
01:16
with something between three
and 15 dollars in a pocket,
23
64542
3642
com algo entre US$ 3 e US$ 15 no bolso,
01:20
a voyage across a vast sea
24
68208
2435
uma viagem por um mar imenso
01:22
and a cash-only hustle
25
70667
1476
e um esquema pago em dinheiro vivo
01:24
sheltering families
in jam-packed, busted apartments.
26
72167
3625
para abrigar famílias em apartamentos
lotados e danificados.
E foram essas mesmas famílias
01:28
And it was these same families
27
76417
2351
01:30
that worked so hard to make sure
that we had safe microcommunities --
28
78792
4267
que trabalharam muito para garantir
que tivéssemos microcomunidades seguras,
01:35
we, as immigrant children,
29
83083
1726
nós, enquanto crianças imigrantes,
01:36
to feel affirmed and loved
in our identities.
30
84833
3143
nos sentíamos apoiadas
e amadas em nossa identidade.
01:40
But it was mostly the women.
31
88000
1893
Mas foram principalmente as mulheres.
01:41
And these women are the reason why,
32
89917
1851
Elas são a razão,
01:43
regardless of these statements
that my mom faced,
33
91792
3101
apesar dos insultos
que minha mãe enfrentava,
01:46
she remained unapologetic.
34
94917
2559
pela qual ela se manteve imperturbável.
Essas mulheres eram
algumas das mais poderosas
01:49
And these women were
some of the most powerful women
35
97500
2601
01:52
I have ever met in my entire life.
36
100125
2643
que já conheci em toda minha vida.
01:54
I mean, they had networks for everything.
37
102792
3059
Elas tinham contatos para tudo:
01:57
They had rotations
for who watched whose kids when,
38
105875
2934
para determinar quem cuidava das crianças,
02:00
for saving extra cash,
39
108833
1810
poupar dinheiro extra,
02:02
for throwing belly dance parties
40
110667
1934
organizar festas de dança do ventre,
02:04
and memorizing Koran and learning English.
41
112625
2768
memorizar o Alcorão e aprender inglês.
02:07
And they would collect small gold tokens
42
115417
2767
Juntavam pequenas fichas de ouro
02:10
to fundraise for the local mosque.
43
118208
2000
para arrecadar fundos
para a mesquita local.
Foram essas mesmas mulheres,
02:13
And it was these same women,
44
121000
1726
02:14
when I decided to wear my hijab,
45
122750
2143
quando decidi usar meu "hijab",
02:16
who supported me through it.
46
124917
1892
que me apoiaram nessa decisão.
02:18
And when I was bullied for being Muslim,
47
126833
2393
Quando eu era insultada por ser muçulmana,
02:21
I always felt like I had an army
of unapologetic North African aunties
48
129250
5226
sempre senti que eu tinha um exército
de tias norte-africanas imperturbáveis
02:26
who had my back.
49
134500
1250
que me defendiam.
02:28
And so every morning at 15,
50
136875
1643
Todas as manhãs, aos 15 anos,
02:30
I would wake up
and stand in front of a mirror,
51
138542
2642
eu acordava, ficava na frente do espelho
02:33
and wrap beautiful
bright silk around my head
52
141208
2768
e envolvia a cabeça
com um belo lenço de seda,
02:36
the way my mother does
and my grandmother did.
53
144000
3018
tal como minha mãe faz e minha avó fazia.
02:39
And one day that summer 2009,
54
147042
2601
Um dia, naquele verão de 2009,
02:41
I stepped out into
the streets of New York City
55
149667
2267
eu andava pelas ruas de Nova York,
a caminho de meu trabalho voluntário
02:43
on my way to volunteer
at a domestic violence organization
56
151958
3393
em uma organização
contra violência doméstica
02:47
that a woman in
my neighborhood had started.
57
155375
2434
fundada por uma mulher de meu bairro.
02:49
And I remember at that moment
I felt a yank at the back of my head.
58
157833
4018
Lembro-me de que, naquele momento,
senti um puxão em minha cabeça.
Depois alguém me puxou, me agarrou
e tentou arrancar meu "hijab".
02:53
Then someone pulled and grabbed me,
59
161875
1893
02:55
trying to remove my hijab
from off of my head.
60
163792
3017
02:58
I turned around
to a tall, broad-shouldered man,
61
166833
3143
Eu me virei e me deparei
com um homem alto, de ombros largos,
03:02
pure hate in his eyes.
62
170000
1750
com puro ódio nos olhos.
03:04
I struggled and fought back,
63
172625
1726
Lutei, reagi e, finalmente,
consegui fugir.
03:06
and finally was able to get away,
64
174375
2434
03:08
hid myself in the bathroom
of that organization and cried and cried.
65
176833
3917
Eu me escondi no banheiro
daquela organização e chorei bastante.
03:13
I kept thinking to myself,
66
181375
2143
Fiquei pensando: "Por que ele me odeia?
03:15
"Why does he hate me?
67
183542
2059
03:17
He doesn't even know me."
68
185625
1458
Ele nem me conhece".
03:20
Hate crimes against Muslims in the US
69
188083
2560
Os crimes de ódio
contra muçulmanos nos EUA
03:22
increased by 1,600 percent post-9/11,
70
190667
4142
aumentaram 1,6 mil %
depois do 11 de setembro.
03:26
and one in every four women in the US
71
194833
2643
Uma em cada quatro mulheres nos EUA
sofre alguma forma de violência sexista.
03:29
will suffer some form of gender violence.
72
197500
2684
03:32
And it may not seem like it,
73
200208
1851
Pode não parecer,
03:34
but Islamophobia and anti-Muslim violence
74
202083
2393
mas islamofobia e violência antimuçulmana
são formas de violência sexista,
03:36
is a form of gender violence,
75
204500
1893
03:38
given the visibility
of Muslim women in our hijabs.
76
206417
3767
dada a visibilidade das mulheres
muçulmanas que vestem "hijabs".
03:42
And so I was not alone,
77
210208
1810
Eu não era a única,
03:44
and that horrified me.
78
212042
1809
e isso me deixou horrorizada,
me fez querer fazer algo.
03:45
It made me want to do something.
79
213875
1643
03:47
It made me want to go out there
and make sure that no one I loved,
80
215542
3392
Me fez querer sair, garantir
que ninguém que eu amava,
03:50
that no woman would have to feel
this insecure in her own skin.
81
218958
3209
que nenhuma mulher tivesse que sentir
essa insegurança na pele.
03:55
So I started to think about
how the women in my own neighborhood
82
223667
3559
Então, comecei a pensar
como as mulheres de meu bairro
03:59
were able to build
community for themselves,
83
227250
2601
haviam conseguido construir
uma comunidade para elas
04:01
and how they were able to use
the very little resources they had
84
229875
3601
e usar os pouquíssimos recursos que tinham
04:05
to actually offer something.
85
233500
1393
para oferecer alguma coisa.
04:06
And I began to think
about what I could potentially offer
86
234917
2684
Comecei a pensar no que poderia oferecer
04:09
to build safety and power for women.
87
237625
2559
para dar segurança e poder às mulheres.
04:12
And through this journey,
88
240208
1476
Durante essa jornada,
aprendi algumas coisas.
04:13
I learned a couple of things,
89
241708
1476
04:15
and this is what I want to share
with you today, some of these lessons.
90
243208
3726
Quero compartilhar hoje com vocês
algumas dessas lições.
04:18
So lesson number one:
91
246958
1935
Então, lição número um:
04:20
start with what you know.
92
248917
2059
comece com o que você sabe.
04:23
At the time, I had been doing
Shotokan karate
93
251000
2643
Na época, eu fazia caratê Shotokan,
desde que me lembro.
04:25
for as long as I could remember,
94
253667
1809
04:27
and so I had a black belt.
95
255500
1976
Eu era faixa preta.
04:29
Yeah. And so, I thought -- surprise.
96
257500
2392
Sim, então, pensei... surpresa.
04:31
(Laughter)
97
259916
1018
(Risos)
04:32
I thought that maybe
I should go out into my neighborhood
98
260958
2726
Pensei que talvez devesse
sair pelo meu bairro
e ensinar autodefesa às moças.
04:35
and teach self-defense to young girls.
99
263708
1893
04:37
And so I actually went out
and knocked on doors,
100
265625
2268
Então, saí e fui bater às portas,
falei com líderes
da comunidade, pais, moças
04:39
spoke to community leaders,
to parents, to young women,
101
267917
2601
e, finalmente, consegui garantir um espaço
gratuito no porão do centro comunitário
04:42
and finally was able to secure
a free community center basement
102
270542
4351
04:46
and convince enough young women
that they should come to my class.
103
274917
3142
e convencer várias moças
de que deveriam vir à minha aula.
04:50
And it actually all worked out,
104
278083
2476
Na verdade, deu tudo certo
04:52
because when I pitched the idea,
105
280583
2226
porque, quando lancei a ideia,
04:54
most of the responses were, like,
106
282833
1935
a maioria das respostas foi assim:
04:56
"All right, cute,
107
284792
1434
"Está bem, legal,
04:58
this 5'1" hijabi girl who knows karate.
108
286250
3309
essa menina de 'hijab'
de 1,55 m, que sabe caratê.
05:01
How nice."
109
289583
1601
Que bom!"
05:03
But in reality, I became the Queens,
New York version of Mr. Miyagi
110
291208
4851
Na realidade, eu me tornei a versão
nova-iorquina de Queens do "sr. Miyagi"
05:08
at 16 years old,
111
296083
1643
e, aos 16 anos de idade,
05:09
and I started teaching 13 young women
in that community center basement
112
297750
5018
passei a ensinar defesa pessoal a 13 moças
no porão do centro comunitário,
05:14
self-defense.
113
302792
1309
Com cada movimento de autodefesa,
05:16
And with every single self-defense move,
114
304125
2101
05:18
for eight sessions
over the course of that summer,
115
306250
2393
durante oito sessões,
ao longo daquele verão,
05:20
we began to understand
the power of our bodies,
116
308667
2726
começamos a perceber
o poder de nosso corpo
05:23
and we began to share our experiences
117
311417
2601
e a compartilhar nossas experiências
sobre nossa identidade.
05:26
about our identities.
118
314042
1351
Às vezes, havia descobertas chocantes,
05:27
And sometimes there were
shocking realizations,
119
315417
3517
05:30
and other times there were tears,
120
318958
1685
e outras vezes até lágrimas,
05:32
but mostly it was laughs.
121
320667
1767
mas, em geral, eram risos.
05:34
And I ended that summer
with this incredible sisterhood,
122
322458
3393
Acabei aquele verão
com uma irmandade incrível
05:37
and I began to feel
much safer in my own skin.
123
325875
3184
e comecei a me sentir
muito mais segura em minha pele.
05:41
And it was because of these women
that we just kept teaching.
124
329083
2893
Foi por causa daquelas mulheres
que continuei a ensinar.
05:44
I never thought that I would continue,
but we just kept teaching.
125
332000
3101
Nunca pensei que continuaria,
mas continuei.
Hoje, após 9 anos, 17 cidades,
05:47
And today, nine years, 17 cities,
126
335125
2601
05:49
12 countries, 760 courses
127
337750
2726
12 países, 760 cursos
05:52
and thousands of women and girls later,
128
340500
3018
e milhares de mulheres e moças,
05:55
I'm still teaching.
129
343542
1476
continuo ensinando.
05:57
And what started as a self-defense course
130
345042
2267
O que começou como um curso de autodefesa,
no porão de um centro comunitário,
05:59
in the basement of a community center
131
347333
2185
06:01
is now an international
grassroots organization
132
349542
3142
é agora uma organização internacional
06:04
focused on building safety and power
for women around the world:
133
352708
3851
concentrada na criação de segurança
e poder para as mulheres em todo o mundo:
06:08
Malikah.
134
356583
1268
Malikah.
(Aplausos)
06:09
(Applause)
135
357875
6059
06:15
Now, for lesson number two:
136
363958
2601
Agora, a lição número dois:
06:18
start with who you know.
137
366583
1875
comece com quem você conhece.
06:21
Oftentimes, it could be quite exciting,
138
369625
2393
Muitas vezes, pode ser muito animador,
06:24
especially if you're
an expert in something
139
372042
2059
principalmente se você é especialista
em algo e quer causar impacto,
06:26
and you want to have impact,
140
374125
1393
mergulhar em uma comunidade
e achar que tem uma receita mágica.
06:27
to swoop into a community
and think you have the magic recipe.
141
375542
3392
Mas aprendi muito cedo
06:30
But very early on I learned
142
378958
2393
06:33
that, as esteemed philosopher
Kendrick Lamar once said,
143
381375
4226
que, como o estimado filósofo
Kendrick Lamar disse uma vez:
06:37
it's really important
to be humble and to sit down.
144
385625
3542
é muito importante
ser humilde e se sentar.
06:42
So, basically, at 15 years old,
145
390083
2893
Então, basicamente, aos 15 anos,
06:45
the only community that I had
any business doing work with
146
393000
3559
a única comunidade
com a qual eu tinha trabalhado
06:48
were the 14-year-old girls
in my neighborhood,
147
396583
2518
era a das meninas
de 14 anos de meu bairro.
06:51
and that's because
I was friends with them.
148
399125
2101
Isso porque eu era amiga delas.
06:53
Other than that, I didn't know
what it meant to be a child
149
401250
2768
Fora isso, eu não sabia o que significava
ser filha de imigrantes
bengaleses no Brooklyn,
06:56
of Bengali immigrants in Brooklyn
150
404042
2142
06:58
or to be Senegalese in the Bronx.
151
406208
2018
ou ser senegalesa no Bronx.
07:00
But I did know young women
who were connected to those communities,
152
408250
3476
Mas eu conhecia moças
ligadas a essas comunidades,
07:03
and it was quite remarkable
how they already had
153
411750
2893
e era extraordinário como elas já tinham
07:06
these layers of trust and awareness
and relationship with their communities.
154
414667
3809
as camadas de confiança, consciência
e relacionamento com as comunidades delas.
07:10
So like my mother
and the women in her neighborhood,
155
418500
2726
Assim como minha mãe
e as mulheres do bairro dela,
07:13
they had these really strong
social networks,
156
421250
2643
elas também tinham
redes sociais muito fortes.
07:15
and it was about providing capacity
157
423917
2142
Tratava-se de dar capacidade
07:18
and believing in other women's
definition of safety.
158
426083
3393
e acreditar na definição de segurança
de outras mulheres.
Embora eu fosse instrutora
de defesa pessoal,
07:21
Even though I was
a self-defense instructor,
159
429500
2143
07:23
I couldn't come into a community
160
431667
1851
não podia entrar numa comunidade
07:25
and define safety for any other woman
161
433542
2267
e definir segurança
para qualquer outra mulher
07:27
who was not part of my own community.
162
435833
1959
que não fizesse parte de minha comunidade.
07:31
And it was because,
as our network expanded,
163
439042
2517
Conforme nossa rede se expandia,
07:33
I learned that self-defense
is not just physical.
164
441583
2726
aprendi que autodefesa
não é apenas algo físico.
07:36
It's actually really emotional work.
165
444333
2101
É, na verdade, um trabalho
muito emocional.
07:38
I mean, we would do
a 60-minute self-defense class,
166
446458
3560
Fazíamos uma aula
de autodefesa de 60 minutos
07:42
and then we'd have 30 minutes reserved
for just talking and healing.
167
450042
3476
e depois reservávamos 30 minutos
só para conversar e fornecer uma cura.
07:45
And in those 30 minutes,
168
453542
1351
Nesses 30 minutos,
07:46
women would share what brought them
to the class to begin with
169
454917
3142
as mulheres compartilhavam
o que as levava para aquela aula
07:50
but also various other
experiences with violence.
170
458083
3310
e também várias outras
experiências com a violência.
07:53
And, as an example,
one time in one of those classes,
171
461417
2476
Por exemplo, uma vez, em uma dessas aulas,
07:55
one woman actually started
to talk about the fact
172
463917
2726
uma mulher começou a contar
como tinha estado por mais de 30 anos
em uma relação de violência doméstica.
07:58
that she had been in a domestic violence
relationship for over 30 years,
173
466667
4059
08:02
and it was her first time
being able to articulate that
174
470750
2726
Foi a primeira vez que ela
conseguiu falar a respeito,
08:05
because we had established
that safe space for her.
175
473500
3018
porque tínhamos criado
um espaço seguro para ela.
08:08
So it's powerful work,
176
476542
1309
É um trabalho poderoso,
08:09
but it only happens when we believe
in women's agency to define
177
477875
3976
mas só acontece quando acreditamos
na ação das mulheres para definir
08:13
what safety and what power
looks like for themselves.
178
481875
3000
o que é segurança e poder para si mesmas.
08:17
All right, for lesson number three --
179
485875
2601
Está bem, para a lição número três,
08:20
and this was the hardest thing for me --
180
488500
1934
que foi a mais difícil para mim,
08:22
the most important thing about this work
is to start with the joy.
181
490458
3643
o mais importante sobre esse trabalho
é começar com a alegria.
08:26
When I started doing this work,
I was reacting to a hate-based attack,
182
494125
4018
Quando comecei a fazê-lo,
estava reagindo a um ataque
motivado pelo ódio.
08:30
so I was feeling insecure
and anxious and overwhelmed.
183
498167
3226
Eu me sentia insegura, ansiosa e oprimida.
08:33
I was really afraid.
184
501417
1642
Estava com muito medo.
08:35
And it makes sense,
because if you take a step back,
185
503083
2476
Isso faz sentido porque, em retrocesso,
08:37
and I can imagine that a lot of women
in this room can probably relate to this,
186
505583
4018
posso imaginar que muitas mulheres aqui
possam talvez se identificar com isso:
08:41
the feeling, an overwhelming
feeling of insecurity,
187
509625
2433
uma sensação avassaladora
de insegurança que temos constantemente.
08:44
is oftentimes with us constantly.
188
512082
2394
08:46
I mean, imagine this:
189
514500
1308
Imaginem esta situação:
08:47
walking home late at night,
hearing footsteps behind you.
190
515832
3335
voltando para casa à noite
e ouvindo passos atrás de você.
08:52
You wonder if you should walk faster
or if you should slow down.
191
520042
3641
Você se pergunta se deve andar
mais rápido ou diminuir o passo.
08:55
You keep your keys in your hand
in case you need to use them.
192
523707
3102
Fica com as chaves na mão,
caso precise usá-las.
Você diz: "Me mande um SMS
quando chegar em casa.
08:58
You say, "Text me when you get home.
I want to make sure you are safe."
193
526833
3935
Quero ter certeza de que está bem".
09:02
And we mean those words.
194
530792
1684
Estamos falando sério.
09:04
We're afraid to put down our drinks.
195
532500
2184
Temos medo de descuidarmos
de nossas bebidas.
09:06
We're afraid to speak
too much or too little in a meeting.
196
534708
3685
Temos medo de falar demais
ou muito pouco em uma reunião.
09:10
And imagine being woman and black
and trans and queer and Latinx
197
538417
4392
Imaginem ser mulher, negra,
transgênera, queer, latina,
09:14
and undocumented and poor and immigrant,
198
542833
3310
sem documentos, pobre e imigrante.
Só assim poderão imaginar
o quanto esse trabalho pode ser opressor,
09:18
and you could then only imagine
how overwhelming this work can be,
199
546167
3226
09:21
especially within the context
of personal safety.
200
549417
2458
especialmente no contexto
da segurança pessoal.
09:24
However, when I took a step to reflect
201
552833
2310
No entanto, quando dei um passo
para refletir sobre o que
me levou a esse trabalho,
09:27
on what brought me
to this work to begin with,
202
555167
2184
09:29
I began to realize it was actually
the love that I had
203
557375
3268
comecei a perceber que era, na verdade,
o amor que eu tinha pelas mulheres
de minha comunidade.
09:32
for women in my community.
204
560667
1559
09:34
It was the way I saw them gather,
205
562250
2476
Foi a maneira como eu as via se reunirem
09:36
their ability to build for each other,
206
564750
1976
e a capacidade de construir
umas para as outras
09:38
that inspired me to keep doing this work
207
566750
2268
que me inspiraram a continuar
fazendo esse trabalho todos os dias.
09:41
day in and day out.
208
569042
1684
09:42
So whether I was in
a refugee camp in Jordan
209
570750
2976
Quer eu estivesse em um campo
de refugiados na Jordânia
09:45
or a community center in Dallas, Texas
210
573750
2434
ou em um centro comunitário
em Dallas, no Texas,
09:48
or a corporate office in Silicon Valley,
211
576208
2476
ou em um escritório corporativo
no Vale do Silício,
09:50
women gathered in beautifully magical ways
212
578708
3060
as mulheres se reuniam de um modo
maravilhosamente mágico,
09:53
and they built together
and supported each other
213
581792
2267
construíam juntas
e apoiavam-se umas às outras
09:56
in ways that shifted culture
214
584083
1643
de um jeito que mudava a cultura
para dar poder e segurança às mulheres.
09:57
to empower and build safety for women.
215
585750
2476
10:00
And that is how the change happens.
216
588250
1976
É assim que a mudança acontece.
10:02
It was through those relationships
we built together.
217
590250
2684
Foi por meio dessas relações
que construímos juntas.
10:04
That's why we don't
just teach self-defense,
218
592958
2101
É por isso que não ensinamos
só a autodefesa,
mas também organizamos bailes
e jantares com comidas étnicas,
10:07
but we also throw dance parties
219
595083
1685
10:08
and host potlucks
220
596792
1309
escrevemos notas amáveis umas às outras,
10:10
and write love notes to each other
221
598125
2351
10:12
and sing songs together.
222
600500
1809
e cantamos músicas juntas.
10:14
And it's really about the friendship,
223
602333
1810
Trata-se realmente de amizade,
e tem sido muito divertido.
10:16
and it's been so, so fun.
224
604167
1892
10:18
So the last thing I want to leave you with
225
606083
2060
A última coisa que quero deixar a vocês é:
10:20
is that the key takeaway for me in
teaching self-defense all of these years
226
608167
5642
para mim, a lição essencial sobre ensinar
autodefesa todos esses anos
é que, na verdade, não quero
que as mulheres,
10:25
is that I actually don't want women,
as cool as the self-defense moves are,
227
613833
4060
por mais legais que sejam
os movimentos de autodefesa.
10:29
to go out and use
these self-defense techniques.
228
617917
2767
saiam e usem essas técnicas de autodefesa.
10:32
I don't want any woman to have to
de-escalate any violent situation.
229
620708
5851
Não quero que nenhuma mulher precise
passar por qualquer situação violenta.
10:38
But for that to happen,
230
626583
1351
Mas, para que isso aconteça,
não deve haver violência
10:39
the violence shouldn't happen,
231
627958
1685
10:41
and for the violence not to happen,
232
629667
2309
e, para não haver violência,
10:44
the systems and the cultures
233
632000
1476
os sistemas e as culturas que permitem
essa violência precisam acabar.
10:45
that allow for this violence
to take place to begin with needs to stop.
234
633500
3601
10:49
And for that to happen,
we need all hands on deck.
235
637125
3518
Para isso, precisamos
de todas as contribuições.
10:52
So I've given you my secret recipe,
236
640667
2851
Dei a vocês minha receita secreta.
10:55
and now it's up to you.
237
643542
1767
Agora é com vocês:
comecem com o que sabem
e com quem conhecem
10:57
To start with what you know,
to start with who you know
238
645333
3810
e façam isso com alegria.
11:01
and to start with joy. But just start.
239
649167
2684
Mas simplesmente comecem.
11:03
Thank you so much.
240
651875
1268
Muito obrigada.
(Aplausos)
11:05
(Applause)
241
653167
5375
Translated by Maurício Kakuei Tanaka
Reviewed by Maricene Crus

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rana Abdelhamid - Community organizer, entrepreneur
Rana Abdelhamid is an internationally acclaimed community organizer, first-degree black belt, public speaker and social entrepreneur focused on mass mobilization, international solidarity and the empowerment of marginalized communities.

Why you should listen

Rana Abdelhamid is committed to organizing communities around migrant, gender and racial justice. For ten years, Abdelhamid has served as the Executive Director of Malikah, a global grassroots movement committed to building safety and power for all women through self-defense, healing justice, community organizing and financial literacy. She founded Malikah at the age of 16 after being attacked by a stranger, who tried to remove the hijab from her head. Today, Abdelhamid and her volunteer team of women conduct healing spaces and have trained more than 7,000 women in 18 cities across the globe. For the past three years, Malikah has held the National Muslim Women's Summit at Harvard University, training 50 Muslim American women in leadership and community organizing.

Abdelhamid's organizing work has always been rooted in building solidarity across communities domestically and abroad. During the Arab Spring, Abdelhamid was involved in mobilizing diaspora communities in solidarity with grassroots activists in Egypt. After the "Muslim ban" was passed, she helped organize thousands of people across Boston for the 20,000-person Copley Square protest and spoke alongside Senator Elizabeth Warren, among others. After the murder of Nabra Hassanen, Abdelhamid and her team worked to mobilize tens of thousands of people across ten cities in under 24 hours for prayers and vigils in her remembrance.

In 2013, Abdelhamid started Hijabis of NY, an online platform that highlights the stories of hijabi women. In 2017, she also coedited and published Muslim Women's Stories, a collection of narratives from young Muslim women across the US. She is highly committed to the global human rights movement and is one of youngest serving board members of Amnesty International USA. Abdelhamid has a BA from Middlebury in International Politics and Economics and a master's degree in Public Policy from the Harvard Kennedy School, where her research was focused on policy interventions to mitigate the prevalence of domestic violence in Queens, NY and on refugee integration policy in the US.

In 2017, Abdelhamid was named one of the 17 women who "Rocked the Resistance" in 2017 and is frequently called "the Muslim Black Belt." She has been named a Truman Scholar, a Running Start Rising Political Star and has received both a NYC Council Proclamation and an International Youth Advocate award by the UNAUSA Foundation.

More profile about the speaker
Rana Abdelhamid | Speaker | TED.com