Young women in Athens are celebrating their identity through rollerblading
14 May, 2020
As
Athens tentatively emerges from a decade of chaos, a group of
feminist roller skaters are fighting for space in their city. This
generation of young Greeks grew up with few opportunities, but this
taught them a valuable lesson: if you want to follow your passion,
you have to do it yourself. While support and infrastructure for
young people fell victim to the crisis, the girls are using roller
skating as a way to create their own community and express
themselves.
These photos take you on a four-wheeled journey through the
hidden skate spots and urban wastelands that puncture this ancient
metropolis. In the process, they probe into what it means to be a
young woman in Greece today and why finding a way to do what you
love, despite the challenges, matters now more than ever.
Athena Skates was made for Red Bull Storytellers, a new
programme to develop emerging filmmakers. I wanted to present
Athens and the struggles of young people growing up there in a way
that’s never been seen before. What emerges is a high-velocity
portrait of a city that’s constantly changing, seen through the
eyes of a creative crew of young female roller skaters.
Watch the video here.
Photos by @mdleaver | Words by Alex King | Video by @hijracollective
