Malia Bouattia: Changing Times
Last week, Malia Bouattia was appointed the new president of the National Student’s Union (NUS) of Britain. The NUS is a confederation of college student unions across the country that advocate for the rights and needs of students across the country. This re-election is a significant event for Britain because Bouattia is the first female, black and Muslim president to be elected for this position.
Bouattia originally was from Algeria, and in her acceptance speech she described her experience during the Algerian insurgency of evading bombings and emigrating in pursuit of the right to a higher education. Her role as president entails the direction of all funding and financial aid for students across Britain, as well as representing their concerns and working to prevent a dissatisfied teachers union. She oversees the boards of all colleges in the United Kingdom and is responsible for distributing funds to causes of their need.
With Obama’s reign, Clinton’s climb for the next U.S. president and Bouattia’s recent election, it comforts me that at last, no one race dominates all executive positions.
This is a hugely significant event that has had an international ripple effect. As a black and Muslim woman, Bouattia truly represents a vast span of ethnicities, historically those who have battled oppression. To introduce into power someone of this background is a step forward for the NUS because Bouattia has experience with both the reality of suffering countries and the knowledge of what it means to be a part of internationally oppressed factions.
When I first heard Barack Obama’s voice over the radio the morning of his victory in 2008, I remember wondering why Obama’s blackness was of such prevalence when the TV reporters spoke of his victory. To eight-year-old-me, he was a great politician, not a great black politician. Then I grew up and took a few history classes where I discovered the true implications of Obama’s presidency. I understood that he stands out because he is preceded by 43 wrinkled white men who have lead the United States of America.
What Obama brought to the table was unique. As the first black president, it forced him to always consider the social conditions of his people in addition to the typical legislative jobs. I would even argue that legislative change has been active in government far longer than social politics have demanded attention in our society. As much as those libertarians out there may disagree, our social issues are our political issues. They cannot be separated in order to accomplish change that respects the people and is productive at the same time.
This is what Obama did for me. He demonstrated as president that we must transcend the racial hatred that exists in our world if we ever are going to make change, and ultimately he showed to the world what being American is all about. That we are an amazing country comprised of all kinds of people.
I believe that Malia Bouattia can have this same effect for Britain. She represents multiple ethnic groups who have suffered injustice, and therefore will know how to deal with issues both social and political. With Obama’s reign, Clinton’s climb for the next U.S. president and Bouattia’s recent election, it comforts me that at last, no one race dominates all executive positions. She is a lens in which I look to the future and see governing bodies that swarm with people of varying colors, genders, hairstyles, faiths and ages. With those who wear turbans on their heads and those who don’t, those who fast and those who don’t, those who love their own gender and are not hated for it. This world I see is just beginning, and is beginning with people like Bouattia.