Yara describes herself as rather being a jack of all trades than a master of none. Whilst working within the fashion industry as a designer, she has also launched her career as a yoga teacher in Haifa, Israel, one of the first to be leading classes in Arabic. It is also Yara’s knowledge and practice of Ayurvedic treatment has led to her involvement with start projects which aim to promote self-care and wellbeing to women living as refugees in the West Bank.  Yara was kind enough to answer some of my questions I had about the pressures woman living as an Arab Palestinian in Israel feel and the effect their society has had on… Read More

Maysa Daw is a Palestinian Singer/Songwriter from Haifa. She performs both as a solo artist as well as with the renowned Palestinian rap group DAM (Da Arabian MC’s). We sat down to discuss the sense of responsibility Maysa has as a female Palestinian musician, and the path she is treading to encourage a sense of self love. I love singing, it the thing I am most grateful for in the world and I think choosing a career in music has given me a responsibility that I very much respect and love to be a part of.   Being… Read More

On the anniversary of Sassy Stories 1st Birthday, Founder and Artist Bethany Burgoyne has been reflecting on the catalyst for this project’s existence. She leads us through her own story that has unraveled in the last 12 months, and questions why, even though she is advocating the ability for women to speak up, she still finds herself hitting her own mute button.   “The act of making art exposes a society to itself… It illuminates us…(and) casts a beam into the heart of our own darkness and says “see?”.  Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way     I obsessively file… Read More

A year ago in London, Sassy was introduced to Maram Kablawi, the Director and Founder of Andalus School of Flamenco and Culture in Haifa, Israel. Hearing how passionately Maram spoke of her project and her aim to empower and educate Arab girls through Flamenco, was a catalyst for the recent research trip Sassy has undertaken.   Spending two weeks in Andalus observing, documenting and understanding Maram’s vision provoked questions about the culture of Arab Society, it’s affect on women and girls, as well as the challenges faced when living as Palestinian Arabs… Read More

I never thought I could be friends with my enemy. I never thought I would be able to sit at the same table with someone so different from me and carry on a conversation. I was frightened to open up and let out the feelings I’d been taught to hide to avoid being singled out for retaliation. It was like a mouse becoming a cat’s best friend. Absurd. Growing up in an environment where I was taught my entire life that the Israeli government had taken my family’s land, which had happened during… Read More