Lexington-area political activist Faith Evans immigrated to the United States from Morocco 18 years ago to escape the authoritarian, paternalistic theocracy of her native country, where it was a felony not to be a Muslim.
In Morocco there is no separation of church and state; the yoke between religion and government validates the monarchy’s legitimacy and power. “The King is considered the descendant of the prophet Muhammad. When I left, all Moroccans (other than a small protected class of Jews) were required to be Muslim,” she said. “The King is also the ‘Commander of the Faithful’ – and women are not equal under the law. Period.”
Not surprisingly, Faith left her native country in search of religious and personal freedoms, equality, and the ability to make her own decisions. Having a choice between settling in Canada or the U.S., she chose the U.S.
Once she arrived in Kentucky, she set about pursuing her education, her career as a statistician, and her US citizenship.
She graduated from Eastern Kentucky University in 2002 with a BBA in Marketing and Political Science; she earned a BA in French in 2006 and an MBA in 2011. She became a U.S. citizen in 2010.
Then Nov. 8, 2016 happened – or, as she calls it, “the bombshell election.”
After leaving all the injustices of her birth country for the dream of equality in the US, she was shattered by the elections of Donald Trump and the Republican congress. “I questioned my entire existence and my choice over immigrating,” she said.
“You can only imagine how I feel about the mixture of religion and politics. It is a toxic mix, regardless of what religion is in question. It is even worse when it is a patriarchy seeking to impose its control through supposed “religious” concerns.”
[click_to_tweet tweet=”On religion and politics: ‘It is a toxic mix, regardless of what religion is in question. It is even worse when it is a patriarchy seeking to impose its control through supposed ‘religious’ concerns.’ – Faith Evans” quote=”On religion and politics: ‘It is a toxic mix, regardless of what religion is in question. It is even worse when it is a patriarchy seeking to impose its control through supposed ‘religious’ concerns.’ – Faith Evans”]
On the advice of a therapist who challenged Faith to DO something about the situation that was causing her despair, Faith began her involvement in grassroots political activism.
“I took ownership of my immigration decision, and decided to use my voice to ensure I do all I can to change this country to what I thought it was,” she said.
A passionate advocate for the rights of women, immigrants, people of color, and those in the LGBTQ community, hers has become a familiar voice at rallies, vigils, forums, meetings, and brainstorming sessions. As she says, “Injustices make my blood boil. I can’t stand by and watch human rights being abused right here at home.”
She goes door-to-door on behalf of statewide candidates she supports, offering dog and cat treats for the pets of those she calls on, as a friendly icebreaker and conversation-starter.
She volunteers at the Fayette County Democratic Party office, doing whatever needs to be done. Currently she is also making earrings with candidate names or logos, plus bracelets, buttons, and stickers for different candidates; writing postcards; posting on social media; sharing articles; and hosting fundraisers.
As she says, “With the privilege of citizenship comes responsibility. I will use my last breath for this fight. This has become my life’s mission and I hope it becomes my legacy, and encourages others to not be complacent about the power they have to bring about lasting changes.”
[click_to_tweet tweet=”With the privilege of citizenship comes responsibility. This has become my life’s mission and I hope it becomes my legacy, and encourages others to not be complacent about the power they have to bring about lasting changes. – Faith Evans” quote=”With the privilege of citizenship comes responsibility. This has become my life’s mission and I hope it becomes my legacy, and encourages others to not be complacent about the power they have to bring about lasting changes. – Faith Evans”]
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