Writer, photographer, and activist, Hoda Katebi is the founder of the blog, Joo Joo Azad (Farsi for "free bird"). She combines her many talents together with a passion for justice in her space, providing something unique for Muslim women to take an interest in, and add their own thoughts. Katebi engages in conversations on feminism, consumerism, body – positivity, and representation. Aged twenty, currently a student at the University of Chicago, Katebi has quite a challenging task, and has made quite an impact for Muslim women.
Katebi feels that her blog focuses on the feminist identity of today's Muslim females, specifically for those living in a Western society. Her space is informative yet stylish, and her photographic talent is reflected in her "street style photos." Her posts include discussions for the female feminist, with "calls for social action" adding an interesting twist to her fashion blogs. Although a space like this is quite something to take on, Katebi uses her fashion blogs to get people"to learn about social issues or listen to my voice," she says. She's done a great job of using "a visual mode of expression and communication," to get her message across.
Hate crimes against Muslim women, one in particular, inspired her to start the blog. A pregnant Muslim woman was attacked in France and experienced a miscarriage as a result thereof. It was then, that Katebi felt compelled to start writing. Katebi says in her mission statement, "this site acts as a site of taking back my identity and taking back my representation as a Middle – Eastern, Hijab – wearing, Muslim women. She insists "I won't let the media render me what I am not. I am not going to let others hide my voice. I am here and I am taking up space."
Her talent for photography is clearly reflected in Tehran Streetstyle, a recent project of hers. It consists of a collection of photos taken by her whilst in Tehran for a short period. Katebi's talent for photography depicts the fashion in Tehran and having learnt and conversed with Tehran's underground designers, this print collection certainly grabs one's attention, as each picture has a story to tell.
The young people who are living in Tehran are beautifully depicted in these photographs; they are "redefining the beauty standards of the global fashion industry, offering an inspirational alternative to the skin – bearing and tight – fitting clothes that dominate the Western fashion industry." Katebi features men and women, who break the rules regarding Iran's strict, conservative way of dressing.
Katebi had the idea that the underground designers in Tehran were "purposefully breaking rules'" and that they had political motives. She discovered that this was not the case, as these designers changed her perception, stating in general that, "I don't mind the government at all, I just – if what I'm designing happens to break a few rules, so be it." These designers introduced her to a unique side of fashion, politics and beauty in Tehran which she brought across to readers in her print collection.