“When I got to @princeton, the first thing I did was buy a world map from the Princeton University Store. My interest in global issues began very early, and I’ve always had a map in my room, ever since my parents got me one when I was five. I was born in Morocco and moved to America at a young age, so I have never felt totally Moroccan nor totally American. Growing up, I felt disparaged by the lack of representation of Moroccan Americans, but I refused to let that bring me down. Instead, I decided to engage further with my heritage because of my personal connection and because the North African region is too often overlooked in American society and academia. Language became a poignant way for me to take part in my culture and share it with others. My family taught me Arabic and French at home, and I learned Spanish through school. Last year, as an intern for @newamericanpathways, I was in charge of filling out refugee applications for residency or citizenship, and there was something so special about the way someone’s eyes would light up when they found out I spoke their native language. Immediately, it became easier to exchange our experiences with each other, and we were able to connect on such a more personal level. My @princetonspia experience has also been incredibly influential. Through my task force in junior year, which was focused on international development, I got to conduct in-depth research on Morocco. Before that, I’d never thought about doing such a big project on my home country because I had rarely seen it done in American discourse. But after many long nights of research and long-distance calls with embassy offices, I was able to write a 25-page paper about the country from which I came. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter to me that I’m not 100% American or 100% Moroccan. I’m just grateful both for the cultural values that Morocco has instilled in me and for the opportunities that the U.S. has given me. In the future, I hope I can be a role model for young immigrant women working in the policy sphere, just like me.” — Imane Mabrouk ’21. #PolicyProfile is an @Instagram series featuring our community. Want to be featured? DM us.