Little did I know that the woman sitting just a few feet away from me would soon become my new inspiration.

Dr. Susam, a high ranked board member for the Turkimspor club, quickly drew my attention to her when she first entered the room. She was already so charismatic, and she hadn't even spoken a word. A petite woman with a warm smile and eyes that seemed to be able to read right into you, she spoke in a soft manner but with firmness in her words.

As we sat to listen and learn about this club, I kept finding myself shaking my head in awe. They had done so much in their short time as an establishment. Originally started as a football (er, soccer) club for Turkish boys who would have otherwise been rejected from a German team, Turkimspor would later go onto become an empowering foothold for other underrepresented groups. The club expanded to include migrants outside of Turkey; a woman's team; and would become avid advocates for the gay and lesbian community, along with exposing their young members to the importance of education.

Despite harsh judgments and criticisms (even threats and jeers) from those who have different beliefs from this group, they persist and they do so with pride in what they stand for. Even more so, they hold high standards and expectations that all of their members are to encompass these core beliefs, too.

In their humble club headquarter, which also works as a sportsbar/cafe, I would have never expected that such a place was a central movement for social empowerment.

As the meeting concluded and we began to file out, I managed to give her a handshake and asked her a few questions. She gave me a quick synopsis of her life story.

She was a runner in her younger years, running the 10,000 meters and half marathons was her forte. However, she was forced to put aside her passion when her parents made her stick to pursuing higher education. She was heartbroken, but managed to work through it. She got her PHD at Humboldt and is now a social worker, one of 3 other women on the Turkimspor club board member, and a mom. (She also mentioned something about working for the Social Democratic Goverment of Berlin, but I forgot the details...). "It's hard, I'm very tired all the time, but I love what I do."

Fighting words for a fighting woman.