Where I Come From
Growing up in the countryside of Ouezzane Province, opportunities were scarce — especially for those of us from small villages. Scholarships existed that nobody knew about. International programs were open — but the doors were invisible to us.
I decided early that I would not just find those doors myself. I would hold them open for everyone who came after me. From running in local elections at 23, to co-founding a community association, to boarding a plane to Minnesota for the first time — every step was deliberate. Every experience became a tool to give back.
Today I am a bilingual teacher, a researcher, a volunteer, a podcast host, and a community builder. But before all of that — I am someone from Zoumi who refused to believe that where you are born determines how far you can go.
Every door I walked through,
I left open
— Mohamed El Khouaja · Zoumi, Morocco
"I didn't wait for someone to open a door.
I built one. Then I left it open
for everyone behind me."
Every episode is an invitation to listen, learn, and connect with the quiet work reshaping entire villages.