Niçoise from Moroccan immigration (“I am the first of my siblings born in France”), she is perfectly integrated into the “French” culture and way of life, and although she is aware that her case cannot be generalized, she is also optimistic about the future: “I experienced discrimination in high school, but I fought to rise above it. I am certain that one day all this will cease because mentalities will eventually evolve. But we also, the children of immigrants, must have a positive attitude and understand that integration is also a goal for us, and we must do our part to succeed in it.”
Today, Fouza Ayoub (with this positive pedagogy that perhaps comes from her training in social sciences, holding a Master’s in Human Relations from the University of Aix-en-Provence) is the general secretary of the PS group at the Nice City Hall, and she also presides over the Rive Gauche section of the Nice party, which, with 300 members, is the largest in the department.
“I was born and raised in the eastern neighborhoods of Nice, which I consider ‘my’ city, and I have always been a socialist sympathizer, becoming an activist in 2005. I was particularly involved in 2006/2007 for Ségolène Royal’s presidential campaign in the working-class neighborhoods, and during this experience, I realized that politics was truly a passion for me. In 2008, I left my job at a recruitment firm in Sophia-Antipolis to become a full-time member of the Changer d’Ere group on the Municipal Council, where I organize and coordinate the activity of elected officials.”
“I am obviously critical of municipal policy, which is too focused on communication and does not sufficiently consider the needs of the working classes. It is known that when times are tough, people are afraid; they want change to improve their situation but also fear chaos because they know it is always the weakest who suffer the consequences.
And so, the ruling right capitalizes on this and, thanks to communication, manipulates them in the name of this kind of secure conservatism that, ultimately, means nothing changes, and the same people always benefit.
Social mobility suffers, and consequently, many of the modest social classes are excluded from opportunities for success.”
“To change all this and succeed, we would need a project of truly democratic organization of our society for the new generations to benefit from. However, I observe that the UMP’s policy goes in the opposite direction. One only has to look at the gradual and evident dismantling of public services. What will happen to social diversity when the wealthiest can afford privatized social services while the less fortunate are only entitled to compassion, thus a less favorable quality of life compared to now?
Where is social justice…”
“I am very hopeful for the PS primaries to designate a candidate for the 2012 presidential election who can mobilize a truly democratic debate and, unknowingly, make a societal project the synthesis that the elected candidate will present to the French people.
I will campaign for the PS candidate to become the President of the Republic and to be the President of ‘all’ the French and not just those ‘at the top’ as is the case today.”
Fouzia Ayoub is a woman of principles and convictions, whose determined will to take charge of her future can only be admired. She is aware of the difficulties in implementing a framework of values she advocates, but she is confident in her capacity (hers and that of those who think like her) to succeed.
This desire to act reminds us of President J.F. Kennedy’s words to young Americans: “Why have hands and keep them clean in one’s pockets?”
