Sonita

Sonita Alizada’s remarkable journey, beautifully captured in her upcoming book, is a testament to resilience and optimism. Her story inspires courage and hope, reminding us of the power of the human spirit.” – Hillary Rodham Clinton

“This story is a source of inspiration for young people.” – Kerry Kennedy, President, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights

“Her buoyant voice lends her difficult life story a sense of lightness, optimism, and hope. The memoir’s clean narrative arc reveals Sonita’s talent not only as a lyricist, but as a writer of prose. An uplifting and bighearted memoir from Afghanistan’s most famous female rapper.” – Kirkus Reviews

“Alizada’s straightforward prose effectively conveys her loss of innocence as she comes to understand the burdens placed on women…..this inspires.” – Publishers Weekly

“Over the last decade, Alizada has given much of herself to the world as an activist. Now, on her own terms, she shares her story and all that she sacrificed and gained by continuing to write it, honoring her family throughout its pages.” – Booklist

Sonita Alizada is an Afghan rapper and activist who escaped child marriage in 2015, when her viral music video, “Daughters for Sale,” helped her secure a scholarship to study in the United States. Through her music and advocacy work, Sonita has campaigned for women’s rights and against child marriage, partnering with organizations like the Malala Fund, Global Partnership for Education, and Girls Not Brides. She has received the U.S. Secretary of State’s International Women of Courage Award, the MTV Europe Music Generation Change Award, and was included in BBC’s 100 Women in 2015. Sonita, who learned English upon coming to the U.S., graduated from Bard College in 2023; she is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.