On September 11, 2001, countless lives were changed forever. Among them were Nancy and Yara Helmy: two sisters who, at the time, were among the many other kids who didn’t understand what was going on. They had no idea that the evil that occurred that day would inspire people to hate not only the terrorists, but also innocent young girls who were just trying to live their lives like the rest of us.
You see, Nancy and Yara are Egyptian immigrants. They’re Muslim. And that’s the only excuse some people need to justify physical and verbal abuse.
As the Helmy sisters became more aware that their safety might be in jeopardy because of people who lumped them in with religious extremists, they took up martial arts to help prepare themselves for the worst. Today, these BJJ purple belts aren’t the same worried young girls they once were, but emotionally and physically powerful women who are prepared to take on whatever comes their way. Their passion and dedication is inspirational not only to other Muslim women, but to anyone who’s ever decided to take their safety and empowerment into their own hands.
Check out their story in this awesome video that illustrates exactly what jiu-jitsu means to them!
