Azouz Gharbi studied law and is an administrator in the National Neighbourhood Association Liaison Committee (Comité National de Liaison des régies de quartier). He was active with MIB (Mouvement de l’Immigration et des Banlieues, Immigration and Banlieues Movement) and always thought that the social history of neighbourhoods and resident-led combats have proven how important they are for democracy in France (Marche pour l'Egalité, Convergence, MJA, MIB, Comité contre la double peine). They show that sovereignty and sharing have always been at the heart of the fight for equality. Since 2003, he has been in charge of the project led by the Aubervilliers neighbourhood coordinator for the Maladrerie Emile Dubois neighbourhoods. His focus has always been working with residents to develop policies based on participative democracy and an economy of solidarity. It’s about restoring the connection of social ties to the common good, encouraging an economic dynamic that can create rights and work participatively and about getting residents motivating about a type of sovereignty not seen before on their local level.