Meet the Editors: Amelle Amirouche
November 06, 2025
Amelle Amirouche
SDG 3: Good Health and Well Being
I step off the plane onto French soil. The familiar sight of the Lyon Saint Exupéry Airport comes into view. Is this what I’m supposed to call home? Walking into my djeda’s apartment, the smell of couscous invades my senses, mixed Arabic and French phrases fill my ears. My dad was born in France to my Algerian Djeda and Djedi, or as I would say in America, my grandparents… mis abuelos… and so begins my transition to my other self.
Back in LA, the other side of my life is the side that speaks Spanish and makes pupusas with family. The side that says Spanish words in an English accent to accommodate my friends. My mom, who fled El Salvador during the Civil War and came to California as a refugee, has made the best out of her circumstances. Still, I have found myself shying away from my heritage, not out of embarrassment, but because I was never sure where I stood in my blend of cultures and identities.
Although my parents have done an amazing job of making sure I’m immersed in our cultures and traditions, growing up I was always confused about where I belonged, wondering who would accept me, a hybrid of Christianity, Islam, French Algerian Latin American young woman. I turned this identity challenge into an ongoing discovery of who I am, who I am not, and what I will become. My hybridity is an ongoing quest and will be for the rest of my life. It defines me. This fusion of cultures, languages, and religions has allowed me to connect with a diverse group of people. Nineteen years of living in my body has taught me that being a hybrid is a superpower, not something to hide. I realize that it is okay to not feel one hundred percent of one thing because my identity is one of my biggest advantages. Being immersed in different cultures and languages has made me fortunate enough to draw from multiple experiences and produce dance and academic work I know others can relate to.
Global citizenship, to me, transcends borders and embraces a mindset of interconnectedness and empathy toward all people regardless of nationality or background. It means recognizing our shared humanity and taking responsibility for the well-being of the planet and its inhabitants. But it is also deeply personal. To me, being a global citizen means carrying every part of my heritage with pride and using it to connect, not divide. It means understanding that every culture I belong to teaches me a different way of seeing the world, and that true belonging comes not from choosing one side but from bridging them all. Global citizenship is about curiosity, compassion, and courage: the curiosity to learn from others, the ability to listen to their stories, and the courage to stand up for justice and understanding wherever I go.
In my senior year of high school, I choreographed a piece about my French Arab Algerian side. The greatest gift was realizing that I could share my culture with others and also make others see themselves in art, something I rarely experienced growing up. That is truly all I hope for when sharing my art. I know that without my fusion of nationalities, religions, and cultures I would not be able to relate to as many people as I am currently able to.
By sharing my own story and listening to the stories of others, I have fostered understanding and empathy across cultural divides. Through these exchanges, I have come to realize that global citizenship is not just an abstract idea, it is a daily practice of openness and humility. In the future, I hope to continue acting globally by advocating for inclusivity and diversity especially within my art form.
Amelle Amirouche
2024 Cohort– Editorial Committee ’24-’25, ’25-’26
