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
