CAES Morocco: Leading Across Differences

On May 1st, 2025, Americans across the United States took to the streets in protest of our current administration and the myriad of unfounded and unprecedented actions our leaders have taken. In the very same way, on May 1st, 1994, a small group of Amazigh people decided to stand up to their monarchy. They gathered with small signs and chanted for their right to recognition. The members of that small group were arrested and charged by their government for being "anti-arab". Today, over 30 years later, those very same people are still fighting for societal acceptance and access to food, water, and education, while much of the world remains ignorant to their plight.     In exploring the diverse communities of Morocco, two questions rise as recurring: Does promoting your culture come at the detriment of another? Or is there enough room at the table for all people to be seen and represented? From the cities to the coast, Morocco is a country rich in duality. Among Morocco's r...

  You can do more than you think. Do you believe that? Is this an inspiration or a reminder of your circumstances? At Olberry, this quote from the office stood out to me. Do I think this of myself, yes. Does everyone? No.  Mind over matter can be helpful, but when you are at a disadvantage, it is hard to have a positive and future-focused mentality. We are all capable of doing more than we think, but some have limitations that are greater than a mindset.  In Morocco, education poses a challenge. As of 2017, 10 million Moroccans were classified as illiterate, with over a million young people who have not received primary or secondary education (Dehaoui). Of those living in poverty, 80% live in rural areas. In terms of school, this means students have to endure difficult terrain, weather, and odds just to get to school. Imagine the brain space and mental energy this occupies. How are they expected to do more than they think when they use all their mental energy just to show...

    Many of the Moroccans we have spoken to on this trip have claimed to be Amazigh (Berber), at least in part.  Some have explained that there is enough of a mix between Arab and Berber that everyone is at least a little bit Amazigh.  At the same time, we've met people who claim to be fully Amazigh, being from one of the mountain groupings to which the different Berber groups hail from. In Morocco "o ver 80 percent of people identify as Berber or Amazigh" (Mack, n.d.) Still, there is a clear distinction in the kinds of jobs and opportunities available to Amazigh people when compared with such as are available to more Arab-identifying people.     Our Taxi driver today, Adi, was once a nomad herdsman.  But years of drought (which hopefully have come to an end as of September of last year) necessitated a change in his line of work.  He now drives tourists across scrubby, flat desert-scapes to the edge of the dunes. Then other herdsmen lead came...

S tratification, a phrase to describe how people are organized or divided in a society, has always fascinated me. While abroad in Morocco, I found myself reflecting about who held the most wealth and power,...and who didn't. Morocco, with its rich mix of cultures, religions, and languages, offers a lot to observe in this regard. But what stood out to me the most hasn’t been just the diversity…it’s been the incredible cleanliness and care put into public spaces across the country.  From the spotless courtyard of the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, to the perfectly trimmed trees in Rabat, and the shining sidewalks of Tangier,...Morocco’s cities are impressively well-kept. These aren’t just places that look nice by chance but rather the result of hardworking Moroccan laborers who clean and maintain these areas every day, often in intense working conditions. Whether it be raking leaves, picking up trash, or trimming hedges, their work is constant and visible.  While much of this l...