At the age of 18, Mariam Hamdan already has overcome intense pressure and stigma in order to become an advocate for women’s soccer in the West Bank.

“I will never quit playing soccer. A day will come when my daughters and I will play together in the stadium,” Hamdan said as she described her passion for the sport.

Hamdan hails from the village of Dura, north of Ramallah. Her family has pressured her to quit playing soccer, in keeping with the customs of her town, given that she is no longer a child. She has made concessions, such as leaving the high-school team in the past year to please her family. But she still clings to her passion as she seeks to bring about change.

She was recently accepted into medical school in Venezuela. Hamdan said she will soon be traveling to study there, “and I will go back to playing,” assuming her college has a women’s team. If not, she will seek to start one.