1 00:00:01,639 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: Welcome to Get Connected with Nina del Rio, a weekly 2 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: conversation about fitness, health and happenings in our community on 3 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:11,719 Speaker 1: one oh six point seven light FM. 4 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:16,000 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to Get Connected. Every year, millions of 5 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,599 Speaker 2: girls around the world are forced into marriage. Among them 6 00:00:20,040 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 2: was Sonita Elizada, who was sold when she was only 7 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,520 Speaker 2: ten years old, and when that first marriage fell through, 8 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:32,720 Speaker 2: her parents placed her on sale again for nine thousand dollars. Eventually, 9 00:00:32,800 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 2: she escaped and lives today as an acclaimed rapper and 10 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:40,160 Speaker 2: activist in the United States. Sonita Elizada tells her incredible 11 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 2: story in Sonita, My Fight against Tyranny and My Escape 12 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,559 Speaker 2: to Freedom. Sonita Alizada, thank you for being on Get Connected. 13 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:49,360 Speaker 3: Thanks so much for having me. 14 00:00:50,159 --> 00:00:52,880 Speaker 2: So it's been about eleven years since you left for 15 00:00:53,040 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 2: the US. What was it like for you to go 16 00:00:56,520 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 2: back in your memory and write this book remembering so 17 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 2: many of the more difficult things that you lived through. 18 00:01:02,800 --> 00:01:08,440 Speaker 3: Writing this book, it was very emotional, like a roller 19 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:13,680 Speaker 3: coaster for me to go back to all the memories 20 00:01:14,040 --> 00:01:17,280 Speaker 3: I tried to forget for years, but they were hunting 21 00:01:17,319 --> 00:01:21,320 Speaker 3: me and I just wanted to get everything out so 22 00:01:21,360 --> 00:01:26,560 Speaker 3: I could help myself mentally and to go through all 23 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 3: those moments like writing about the Taliban war, poverty, child marriage. 24 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:38,199 Speaker 3: It was very difficult for me, but it felt also 25 00:01:38,480 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 3: very nice to get it out and for me to 26 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:46,560 Speaker 3: also have this book as a statement for other girls 27 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 3: women around the world that anything is possible. So when 28 00:01:51,080 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 3: I look at this book, the story I put together 29 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 3: with the memories I had, it's amazing. It feels great. 30 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,240 Speaker 3: This book shows me where I was, where I am 31 00:02:03,280 --> 00:02:07,600 Speaker 3: today and how all these difficulties really shaped me to 32 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 3: be stronger. 33 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,799 Speaker 2: And it's not all dark. I mean, there's so much 34 00:02:11,880 --> 00:02:13,840 Speaker 2: of your life when you're young. You seem like a 35 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 2: kid who's got a lot of moxie, and you're out there. 36 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 2: You know, your sisters especially, and your brother Isaac feels 37 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:24,600 Speaker 2: a bit like a hero in some ways to you. Definitely, Yeah, 38 00:02:24,639 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: please tell me about your brother. 39 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. I was about to say that, Yes, he's still 40 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:34,960 Speaker 3: my hero. And also he's still very supportive when it 41 00:02:35,040 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 3: comes to my music, which is surprising because I come 42 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:42,760 Speaker 3: from a very conservative family. But to have him be 43 00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:46,960 Speaker 3: a big fan support whatever I do, it's life changing. 44 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 2: Since you mentioned the Taliban, he has a couple of 45 00:02:50,480 --> 00:02:53,920 Speaker 2: encounters with the Taliban. The whole family does, but in 46 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: those particular ones, it just seems like the Taliban they're 47 00:02:57,560 --> 00:02:59,080 Speaker 2: essentially bandits and thieves. 48 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:03,720 Speaker 3: I mean, yes, I feel like from all of us, 49 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:08,359 Speaker 3: Rosser was the one who encountered but the Taliban the most, 50 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,519 Speaker 3: and because he hated them the most, and he understow 51 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 3: what was going on and all the difficulties he was 52 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:20,800 Speaker 3: facing because of them. So the Taliban acted. You know, 53 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 3: they were brainwashing kids, Like when I talk about going 54 00:03:25,639 --> 00:03:29,320 Speaker 3: to mosque, this was something that every child had to do, 55 00:03:29,600 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 3: and every man in the family had to go to 56 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:37,960 Speaker 3: mosque pray every day. So basically they were turning us 57 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 3: into whatever they wanted, whatever shape, whatever color, whatever that 58 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:47,240 Speaker 3: could fit them or they could benefit from. And today 59 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:52,240 Speaker 3: they're not different. They probably they look nicer what they were, 60 00:03:52,480 --> 00:03:55,840 Speaker 3: what they look like, but the mentality is still the same. 61 00:03:56,760 --> 00:04:00,440 Speaker 2: Your mother is very interesting. It seems as if her 62 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 2: first instincts are always more conservative and traditional, or at 63 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:05,560 Speaker 2: least they were when you were younger. But over time 64 00:04:05,920 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 2: she slowly begins to open up. 65 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:12,400 Speaker 3: And that took a lot of years for her to 66 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 3: really explore the opportunities. When I talk about my story, 67 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:23,320 Speaker 3: I usually want to put emphasize on the fact that 68 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:25,800 Speaker 3: my mother she loved me. She loves me. She is 69 00:04:25,839 --> 00:04:29,200 Speaker 3: a very nice woman. What she had to do to 70 00:04:29,320 --> 00:04:32,239 Speaker 3: sell me, trying to sell me into marriage was something 71 00:04:32,279 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 3: that she knew and she thought that was the best 72 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 3: option for a girl. So today, when I arrived in 73 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,840 Speaker 3: the US in twenty fifteen, because I had the opportunity 74 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 3: to educate myself to learn more about, you know, the 75 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 3: fact that child marriage was happening around the world and why, 76 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 3: how how many are affected. So through the interviews I 77 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:05,760 Speaker 3: did media platforms, she also got to learn more. It 78 00:05:05,880 --> 00:05:10,640 Speaker 3: was because of my education that she got educated that 79 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 3: girls can be more than what's the label put on them. 80 00:05:15,880 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 3: So she's today, she's again my biggest fan. She's going 81 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:27,000 Speaker 3: to school to learn ABC. So it's the power of education. 82 00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:31,200 Speaker 3: I'm hoping that the woman in afghanis and they can 83 00:05:31,480 --> 00:05:34,839 Speaker 3: have access to education again, because this is the source 84 00:05:34,880 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 3: where you can really find power and inspiration to continue 85 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 3: fighting for yourself. 86 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,400 Speaker 2: Our guest is Snita Alizada. The book is Sonita, My 87 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 2: Fight against Tyranny and My Escape to Freedom. She's an 88 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:51,719 Speaker 2: acclaimed rapper and activist. She learned English upon coming to 89 00:05:51,760 --> 00:05:54,880 Speaker 2: the US. Graduated from Bard in twenty twenty three, and 90 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:57,760 Speaker 2: this fall she will be pursuing a master's degree at 91 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,240 Speaker 2: Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. Congratulations on that in 92 00:06:01,279 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 2: advance website to find out more is Sonita dot net. 93 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,599 Speaker 2: Soo na dot net. You're listening to get connected on 94 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:13,000 Speaker 2: one six point seven light FM. I'm Nina del Rio. 95 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:18,599 Speaker 2: When you first started looking into child marriage child brides, 96 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,160 Speaker 2: you talk in the book about how it was very 97 00:06:23,120 --> 00:06:28,560 Speaker 2: revealing your first experiences with Americans and Europeans asking about Afghanistan. 98 00:06:28,600 --> 00:06:31,480 Speaker 2: Their questions kind of showed to you how little we 99 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:36,920 Speaker 2: know about each other. Right, I find that sort of sad, 100 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,240 Speaker 2: but also obviously you've tried to lean into the opportunity. 101 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:45,640 Speaker 2: What do you think that We'll say, Europeans and Americans. 102 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,559 Speaker 2: Europeans and Americans get right about Afghanistan, and what should 103 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:49,320 Speaker 2: they know more about? 104 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 3: So let's portrayed on social media, on news as often 105 00:06:56,279 --> 00:07:03,159 Speaker 3: about war and terrorism and whatever that can have a 106 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 3: negative view on Afghanistan. They do it, But what they 107 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 3: don't see is the hospitality of Afghan people. It's the 108 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 3: landscape of Afghanistan, It's the potential that Afghan people have, 109 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:30,760 Speaker 3: and especially Afghan women. When the previous government in Afghanistan, 110 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 3: when women were given opportunities, resources to receive diplomas, who 111 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:42,640 Speaker 3: get education to work, we saw that a big number 112 00:07:42,680 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 3: of a women who worked in government. It was more 113 00:07:46,360 --> 00:07:52,920 Speaker 3: than men. And that's very inspiring for us women that 114 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 3: we are always told to be at home. So I 115 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:02,080 Speaker 3: just feel like I hope people start to see the 116 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 3: potential too, especially in Afghanistan right now under the Talibana JYM, 117 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:10,080 Speaker 3: that women are told to stay at home and forget 118 00:08:10,120 --> 00:08:14,880 Speaker 3: about the twenty years of progress they made before. And 119 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 3: I sometimes feel very devastated and disappointed in international communities 120 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 3: because they don't see the need that girls women in Afghanistan. 121 00:08:27,800 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 3: They're calling for help and they don't. Basically they try 122 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:33,839 Speaker 3: to ignore it, which is very sad. 123 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 2: Tell me about learning to be an activist. 124 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 3: All experience, I guess I started not knowing what I 125 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 3: was doing exactly. I just wanted to share my story, 126 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:49,480 Speaker 3: and by sharing my story, I learned a lot about 127 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:54,000 Speaker 3: the fact that it can be exhausting. You will feel 128 00:08:54,120 --> 00:09:00,520 Speaker 3: very tired, very disappointed, easily very angry to see that 129 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:05,160 Speaker 3: whatever you do it seems like pointless you don't see 130 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 3: the change you wish to see. But also all these 131 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:12,840 Speaker 3: things taught me that in order for me to create 132 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:17,520 Speaker 3: the last thing change, it's going to take what'st of 133 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 3: my energy and it will take longer. So I should 134 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 3: be patient and I shouldn't kill myself that this is 135 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 3: something I only have to do. I need to take 136 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,800 Speaker 3: care of myself as well and then see what I 137 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,080 Speaker 3: can offer with the help of others. 138 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,160 Speaker 2: I think about tradition. You know, tradition. You talk about 139 00:09:37,160 --> 00:09:39,280 Speaker 2: missing your family in the book, and missing things about 140 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 2: your own culture or cultures. You know, it's what makes you. 141 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 2: Yet there are things that are uncomfortable for so many 142 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:49,760 Speaker 2: In your story. You talk about the tradition if your 143 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:52,400 Speaker 2: husband dies, you married your brother in law. Of course, 144 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:55,080 Speaker 2: women need permission for so many things. It's not only 145 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:58,320 Speaker 2: true in Afghanistan that things are difficult, But why do 146 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:02,800 Speaker 2: you think sometimes the most difficult or violent traditions persist 147 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:04,840 Speaker 2: when they don't always make people happy. 148 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:11,560 Speaker 3: It's a good tool for those who want to stay 149 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:17,600 Speaker 3: in power to be selfish, to control people, which is 150 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:20,959 Speaker 3: happening in Afghanistan. So the best way for the Taliban 151 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:25,320 Speaker 3: to persist to be in power for longer. They need 152 00:10:25,360 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 3: to lock the minds that can actually lead the country 153 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:36,600 Speaker 3: in a better way, more peaceful, more developed country. So 154 00:10:37,280 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 3: the Taliban, they're scared of women because they question a lot, 155 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,960 Speaker 3: They have a lot to offer, their very creative and 156 00:10:47,040 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 3: when it comes to that, they hate it. Another reason 157 00:10:51,520 --> 00:10:56,280 Speaker 3: why they hate music is because music has a lot 158 00:10:56,280 --> 00:11:01,360 Speaker 3: of power to change people and to make you feel 159 00:11:01,400 --> 00:11:03,920 Speaker 3: like you want to question, or you want to dance, 160 00:11:04,000 --> 00:11:06,600 Speaker 3: you want to do something. That's why they hate it 161 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:11,680 Speaker 3: because things that can inspire people, it's dangerous for them. 162 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,960 Speaker 2: It feels like when you've discovered music, when you saw 163 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 2: somebody playing guitar for the first time, when you first 164 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 2: started putting your poems to music, it was like electric 165 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 2: for you. So it was automatic that there was something 166 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:23,880 Speaker 2: you were drawn to. 167 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 3: I had never seen it, so it was most of 168 00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:33,720 Speaker 3: anything more than anything. It was just so beautiful, and 169 00:11:34,440 --> 00:11:40,000 Speaker 3: I was hoping I could create something beautiful. So that's 170 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:46,920 Speaker 3: why I wanted to learn the guitar. And it's awoken 171 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:51,840 Speaker 3: a lot of emotion within me, so I wanted to 172 00:11:51,880 --> 00:11:52,839 Speaker 3: experience it again. 173 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,240 Speaker 2: At that time, you were also you had your book 174 00:11:56,240 --> 00:11:59,200 Speaker 2: where you were writing your dreams down that came from 175 00:11:59,240 --> 00:12:03,000 Speaker 2: the dream Book. Yeah, the Dreams Book. Do you still 176 00:12:03,040 --> 00:12:05,679 Speaker 2: have the Dreams Book? Do you still have things that 177 00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:07,400 Speaker 2: I do? 178 00:12:08,120 --> 00:12:13,000 Speaker 3: I finish that book, which, yeah, I finish one of 179 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 3: them and I started the second one. And I encourage 180 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,760 Speaker 3: people to have a vision board for themselves too, because 181 00:12:21,559 --> 00:12:24,600 Speaker 3: I never thought I would believe in something like that. 182 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,960 Speaker 3: I thought it would be always fate to drive us. 183 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,920 Speaker 3: But just to have a picture of where you want 184 00:12:31,960 --> 00:12:34,640 Speaker 3: to be, it's going to help you a lot when 185 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:35,400 Speaker 3: you're lost. 186 00:12:35,920 --> 00:12:37,240 Speaker 2: What is your goal with this book? 187 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 3: This book, I'm hoping that one day. I not only hoping, 188 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 3: I believe that the Taliban will not be in power 189 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:54,840 Speaker 3: in Afghanistan forever, especially with this new generation. Nothing really 190 00:12:54,880 --> 00:12:58,160 Speaker 3: can change their mind because of the power of internet. 191 00:12:58,840 --> 00:13:04,240 Speaker 3: So I'm hoping and I believe that the Taliban have 192 00:13:04,440 --> 00:13:10,679 Speaker 3: to change their cruelty or their rules, or they just 193 00:13:10,760 --> 00:13:14,520 Speaker 3: have to leave because of the power of new voices. 194 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:18,959 Speaker 3: And I'm hoping that I can return to Afghanistan one 195 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:23,840 Speaker 3: day after my studies at Oxford, after working a little 196 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 3: bit to be ready to better serve my country in 197 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:28,439 Speaker 3: the future. 198 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,200 Speaker 2: What are you going to study at Oxford? 199 00:13:31,200 --> 00:13:38,079 Speaker 3: Two Masters Force refugee for refugee migration. And the second 200 00:13:38,120 --> 00:13:40,480 Speaker 3: one is a master of public policy. 201 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:43,360 Speaker 2: That's impressive. And how is your family now? 202 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:48,360 Speaker 3: They're good. They're around the world, So I wish that 203 00:13:48,480 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 3: wasn't the case because I wanted to have them all 204 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:54,679 Speaker 3: in one safe place. But they're good. 205 00:13:55,520 --> 00:14:00,440 Speaker 2: Good. Just to ask one final question, given the we're 206 00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 2: in the US and there is not only here but 207 00:14:02,960 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 2: this anti immigrant climate going on, what are your thoughts 208 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:06,800 Speaker 2: about that? Right now? 209 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:11,319 Speaker 3: It's just shocking to me that the country first gave 210 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:16,160 Speaker 3: me a place to stay and have all the opportunities 211 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:19,760 Speaker 3: I had. Now it's a risky place for me to be. 212 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:25,440 Speaker 3: So I'm one of those people who's affected by the 213 00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:29,960 Speaker 3: travel ban, And when I think about the US and 214 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 3: what's going on, it's just very heartbreaking because I know 215 00:14:34,240 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 3: many people want to leave and they're very scared of 216 00:14:39,600 --> 00:14:44,760 Speaker 3: all the unknown going on. So I feel the same. 217 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:46,760 Speaker 3: It's just a lost situation. 218 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:49,920 Speaker 2: This is a beautiful book. I hope you do well 219 00:14:49,960 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 2: with it and best of luck with your studies. 220 00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:52,840 Speaker 3: Thanks so much. 221 00:14:52,960 --> 00:14:55,960 Speaker 2: The book is Sonita, My Fight against Tyranny and My 222 00:14:56,200 --> 00:14:59,360 Speaker 2: Escape to Freedom by Sonita Alisada. Thank you for being 223 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 2: on Get Connected. 224 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:01,560 Speaker 3: Thank you Bye. 225 00:15:02,680 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 1: This has been get connected with Nina del Rio on 226 00:15:05,640 --> 00:15:08,440 Speaker 1: one oh six point seven light Fm. The views and 227 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,160 Speaker 1: opinions of our guests do not necessarily reflect the views 228 00:15:11,160 --> 00:15:13,240 Speaker 1: of the station. If you missed any part of our 229 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:15,640 Speaker 1: show or want to share it, visit our website for 230 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:19,960 Speaker 1: downloads and podcasts at one o six seven lightfm dot com. 231 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:20,880 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening.