SHAMILA KOHESTANI

Shamila Kohestani is a 2006 ESPN Arthur Ashe Award winner, a graduate of Drew University, and a world-renowned public speaker. Shamila grew up in Afghanistan under Taliban rule where she was deprived of an education, confined to her home, and forced to endure physical abuse. While Shamila and her family knew there were severe consequences for families who taught their daughters how to read and write, their dedication and belief in the importance of education overcame their fears, and Shamila studied in secret.
Shortly after the Taliban were removed from power, Shamila began to play football (soccer), a sport that is primarily male-dominated and socially taboo for women participants in Afghanistan. Shamila, with the help of the Afghan Football Federation, was able to continue playing football and worked to establish the first Afghan Women’s National Football Team in 2007. Shamila was proudly named Captain of the Women’s National Football Team.
In recognition of these accomplishments, Shamila received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2006 ESPY Awards ceremony. Additionally, she received the Giant Steps Award for breaking barriers for women football players. Shamila’s story has been published by the New York Times, ESPN, and USA Today.
Shamila finished one year of high school at Blair Academy in 2008. She later graduated from Drew University in 2012 with a degree in Political Science where she was named to the Dean’s List. Shamila has extensive experience speaking at schools, universities, and sporting events where she shares her story of playing football in Afghanistan and promoting gender equality.