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NameMourad
Gendermale
Country of OriginMorocco
Destination CountryFrance
My parents came from Morocco in December 1980. My father, after spending years working hard in France, decided to return to Morocco fifteen years ago. As for me, I was born and grew up in Lyon. I arrived two years ago in Paris, for work. Back then, my father was seen as a respectable man, as a diligent worker. He never felt any racism here. But nowadays everything has changed. Even though we have a job and a comfortable situation, people still look at us in a different way. Because we look less French than others. I think that both media and politicians contributed to this change of behavior towards migrants and migrants children. And we have very few means to defend ourselves against these discourses. There is no one to make our voice heard; I mean us, the so-called second generation.  We can only change things at the political level. Of course, at my level I try to change our image, I also try to help those arriving in France. I volunteer in a local association where I participate to night-time rounds every Friday to identify and assist the most vulnerable people living in the street. But without the support of politicians, these efforts sometimes seem vain. I often return to Morocco, to Casablanca. And it just reminds me Paris, it is a big city as well! Things are not that different there, except that there is the sea and the beach! In Paris I like the two co-existing worlds: Paris by day and Paris by night, that convey different energies. I always feel that my soul is somehow split, between Lyon where I was born and Paris where I live, between Morocco which is my country of origin and France which is my country of birth, where I grew up, where I feel home. Actually, I am three-half, half-Lyonnais, half-Parisian, and half-Moroccan! It is all a matter of finding a proper balance. When I go to Casablanca, I am also being called the immigrant. It is a bit frustrating; it can even be hurtful… Because my identity is also questioned here in France. But now I try to simply ignore this kind of comments. I do not want to force anyone to accept me; we just have to live together, should it be in Paris or in Casablanca!
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