7Hills Documentary and Fundraiser: Skateboarding, Youth Empowerment, and Public Space in Amman
“Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to unite people. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair.” The opening lines of the trailer for an upcoming documentary screening this Friday 19:00 EEST about Amman’s only skatepark and 7Hills, the organization behind it.
The grassroots organization started in 2014 with the idea to create a skatepark in downtown Amman to provide a space for youth (a lack of which I highlighted in a previous blog post). Since 2014, the park has expanded and now also includes an area for parents to sit and a basketball hoop. It is also perhaps the cleanest park in Jordan. The park’s growth and cleanliness are directly related to 7Hills’ programming. Yes, they crowdfunded the park online, and yes, they convinced skatepark designers to fly into Jordan and build the park pro bono.
However, in my opinion, the herculean task 7Hills and its staff do day-in-day-out empowering youth to take ownership and maintain their park and breaking down barriers by encouraging youth to help others learn how to skate (whether that’s kids of different gender or nationalities – not a small feat in Jordan) is the most admirable. The results are plain to see. Visit the park and you will see more women and girls than you would likely see in any other park in Jordan, and this is a skatepark! And they are not just standing and watching, they are participating – 42% are women, to be specific. The park is also used by a highly diverse group of youngsters – Somalis, Sudanese, Yemenis, Palestinians, Jordanians, Syrians. Most importantly, if you ask those youngsters how the park has impacted their life, be prepared to get some chills. Almost 100% report that their life has been better after attending skate classes at the park, almost 90% say they feel welcomed at the park, 95% said they feel more confident after beginning skate lessons, and 95% said that “every person has the right to skate regardless of age, gender, nationality, or social status.” The kids live out this idea by interacting with others from different nationalities or gender every time they are at the park.
Further testament to 7Hills, 95% of the kids who attend report receiving support from the youth leaders that 7Hills identifies, trains, and encourages to be leaders in their community. The 7Hills team’s professionalism, compassion, and tangible positive impact have garnered respect and buy-in from the community – and not just the youth, but also the parents and elderly. It has truly become a community hub, which is incredibly important for sustainability and continued success (in academic terms, they have fostered a “mental” space of the physical location that is welcoming, fun, and open for all regardless of age, sex, nationality – but more on that in another blog post).
Pretty awesome right? I agree! “What should I do next?” I hear you asking. Well, first tune in to https://www.7hillspark.com/ this Friday, May 29 at 7:00 PM Amman time (5:00 PM London, noon New York, 9:00 AM Los Angles) and see the park and hear from the youngsters and 7Hills staff directly. The film will be available for 24 hours on the website. While you are there, for those of means, I highly encourage you to give what you can to support this truly grassroots and impactful organization.
In line with ARK’s mission and its youth-focused programming in Jordan, we are excited to be developing with 7Hills and partners plans for a new skatepark in Jordan. Be sure to follow ARK’s blog for more updates as well as 7Hills on their socials:
https://www.instagram.com/7hillspark/ and https://web.facebook.com/7HillsPark/.