Tag: Somali-Americans

Communities

Minneapolis’ Somali-American Community Can Soon Bypass the Bank to Buy Homes

by  EMILY NONKO    

Said Sheik-Abdi describes himself as “one of the Somali-Americans residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota.” The state has 52,333 people who report Somali ancestry — the largest concentration of Somalis in America — and many live in the Twin Cities. But since his arrival to Minneapolis 20 years ago, Sheik-Abdi has distinguished himself as a community activist skilled in mobilizing fellow community members.

Almost a decade ago, he began collaborating with the American Refugee Committee on ways Minnesota’s Somali-American residents could support their home country. The result was the Neighbors for Nations initiative, which engaged the community in fundraisers including a sambusa cook-off, charity walks and a “1,000 giving $1,000” campaign to raise $1 million.

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Visit to Africa

Omar Goes Back to Africa With Congressional Black Caucus and Takes Pelosi With Her

By Lauren Floyd

It’s been more than two weeks since President Donald Trump told Rep. Ilhan Omar and three other congresswomen of color to “go back” to the “crime infested places from which they came” July 14.

Since then, The words “send her back” have been yelled at a Trump campaign rally and even chanted in response to a California restaurant promotion offering a free side for doing so.

That door is where “every man, woman and child walked to the slave boat, catching a last glimpse of their homeland,” according to the African American Registry, a web database of Black heritage.

Omar’s visit was part of a trip the members of the Congressional Black Caucus took to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the beginning of the slave trade from Africa to what became the present-day United States.

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A ship arrived in 1619 at Jamestown, an English settlement in present-day Virginia, carrying about 20 captured Africans in what’s documented as the arrival of enslaved Africans on the American mainland.

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Pelosi addressed Ghana’s Parliament Wednesday in what she called “a message of respect and reaffirming the U.S commitment to security, freedom and justice for all.”

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African Politics

Somalia’s President Gives Up US Citizenship, But Unclear Why

The office of Somalia’s president says he is giving up his United States citizenship but it is not immediately clear why.

A statement posted on Twitter on Thursday says President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed made the decision voluntarily, with lawyers involved. It says Somalia’s constitution allows for dual citizenship.

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Communities

What Is The History Behind Minnesota’s Somali-American Community?

By Heather Brown

Recent political attacks have shined a spotlight on Minnesota’s immigrant communities. Minnesota has the country’s largest Somali-American population – 69,000 people. That’s about 40% of everyone reporting Somali ancestry in the United States and more than four times the Somali-American population of the next largest state, Ohio.

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Uncategorized

Somali-Americans in Minnesota mourn death of ‘inspirational’ Somali journalist

By Ibrahim Hirsi

One day, Hodan Nalayeh would be pounding the pavement in the Twin Cities, striking up conversations with Somali-Americans at their businesses — with her camera rolling and her face beaming. 

The next day, she would be in remote Somali villages, laughing with nomads herding camels and goats — and inviting them to speak into her microphone for a chance to tell their stories.  

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Communities

‘We Are Americans’: Somali Refugee Family Reflects On Making A Life In The U.S.

By Josh Axelrod, Von Diaz, and Camila Kerwin

Facing persecution, violence, lack of health care and myriad other barriers to safety, millions of refugees leave home each year seeking a better life in a different country. As of 2017, more than 2 million Somalis have been displaced, in one of the world’s worst refugee crises, according to the United Nations refugee agency.

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People

How one former Minnesotan is modernizing government — in the Somali state of Puntland

By Ibrahim Hirsi

For the better part of the 2000s, Yasin Jama spent most of his free time with friends at Starbucks coffee shops in Minneapolis, contemplating what he could do for Somalia, especially the semi-autonomous northeastern state of Puntland from which he hails. At the time, Jama served as a medical laboratory technician for various hospitals — including HealthPartners, Park Nicollet Clinic and Fairview Hospital — in the Twin Cities metro area.

But what kept him up at night in those years wasn’t necessarily testing and recording blood samples. It was the urge to improve Puntland, which was founded in 1998 and has since enjoyed relative peace and tranquility, while also seeing dramatic economic growth, political development and waves of returnees from North America, Europe and Australia.

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Book review, Communities

Somali and American: Portrait of a Minnesota Community

By Aida Alami

Refugees often say that war feels like a wave of violence washing over them, leaving behind death and destruction. The feeling was no different for Katra Ali Hethar, who fled war-torn Somalia in 1991 with her nine small children.

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Communities

‘Because I love Somalia and because I love America’: Minnesota celebrates Somali Independence Day and Week

By Jim Walsh

Cheers erupted and hundreds of Somali flags cut through the humid Minnesota night, waving wildly as Walz read from his proclamation celebrating Somalia Independence Day and Week. Observed annually in Somalia on July 1, the date celebrates the unification of the Trust Territory of Somalia (the former Italian Somalia) and the State of Somalia (the former British Somaliland) on July 1, 1960, which formed the Somali Republic. 

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Communities

In a first, 2 Somali-Americans joining ranks of St. Paul firefighters

By Katrina Pross

The newest firefighters in St. Paul and Minneapolis graduated Friday, including two men who will be the first Somali-American firefighters in St. Paul and possibly the state and nation.

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Uncategorized

From Somalia to Kenya, From Michigan to Missouri: Abdi Tarey Finds His Place as a New American

By Jessica Balise

In 1991, civil war broke out in Somalia. It’s a relatively young country, with only 59 years of independence since British rule. At the time, Abdi Tarey was five years old. His father was in the military and things became very dangerous for his family.

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Immigration

As length of immigrant detentions grows in Minnesota, so do petitions for relief

By Brandon Stahl

Cabduqaadir Mayow fled Somalia in 2014 and asked the United States for asylum, saying the terrorist group al-Shabab was threatening to kill him. A judge, finding no credible evidence to support the claim, ordered him deported. But with no functioning government in Somalia, the Department of Homeland Security let Mayow go.

He moved to Minnesota, married a U.S. citizen in 2015 and hoped they could start a life in the country. During a check-in on June 10, 2017, ICE arrested him and told him he would be deported to Somalia. For nearly two years he sat in jail, despite never being charged with a crime.

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Uncategorized

A Vivid Tale of Father and Son

A Somali immigrant struggles to grasp his child’s imprisonment.

By Adeel Hassan

One of our best-read stories this month followed the journey of a white college dropout who was drawn to the alt-right after watching thousands of videos of far-right YouTube personalities.

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Communities

Somalis in Columbus join Muslims worldwide in celebrating end of Ramadan

By Michelle Michael

For Somalis, living in the United States comes with its own set of challenges, especially during the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset.

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Immigration, Opinion

Who decides who is a real American?
By Douglas Moore Who decides who is a real American? Does any one person or group have the right to define those who are real Americans as opposed to those who are not? Continue reading “Who decides who is a real American?” →
Book review

‘Call me American’ Portland resident who escaped war-torn Somalia shares story

Abdi Nor Iftin will discuss his new memoir, “Call Me American,” Tuesday, June 4, at 5:30 p.m. at the Southwest Harbor Public Library.

Iftin lives in Portland where he works as an interpreter for other Somalis in Maine. He was recently accepted to the University of Southern Maine, where he plans to study political science.

“Call Me American” is the true story of Iftin’s survival of in war-ravaged Mogadishu, Somalia, and his journey to America.

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Achievements

Three Africans listed as Time Magazine Next Generation Leaders

By AT editor

The Time Magazine portrait of Swedish climate champion Greta Thunberg got lots of attention on social media, but she was just one of 10 people named as Next Generation Leaders – and three of them have ties to the African continent.

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Uncategorized

Somali villager travels to US to confront army chief he says tried to kill him

By Richard Luscombe

Human rights abuses and atrocities committed in Somalia during the brutal 21-year reign of the dictator Siad Barre will come under scrutiny in a Virginia courtroom this week as a villager finally confronts the military commander he accuses of attempting to kill him.

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Uncategorized

Somali-American, Halima Aden, becomes first model to wear a burkini in Sports Illustrated

A Somalian refugee has made history as the first model to grace the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition wearing a hijab and burkini.

Model Halima Aden has been featured in the 2019 Rookie Spread of the magazine wearing designer burkinis, hijabs and head scarfs.

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Opinion

From Obama to Omar, East Africa is having an impact in US politics

By Mohammed Guleid
East Africa is beginning to have an impact and shine in the politics of the United States.
The rise of East African influence in America started with Barack Obama, who has ancestral roots in Kenya. He became the President of the United States.

Once again, someone from Eastern Africa is causing a storm in America. Early this year, Ilhan Omar, a young woman from Minnesota was elected to the US Congress.

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Diplomacy

Somalia’s Prime Minister, Hassan Khayre, Visits White House

Somalia’s Prime Minister Hassan Khayre met with President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John Bolton at the White House on Wednesday. Khayre is seen as a key ally in the fight against the al Qaeda affiliated Al-Shabaab

“Pleased to have hosted Somali PM Khayre today. I congratulated him on Somalia’s economic reforms and urged sustained engagement on this front. We discussed ways to deepen the strong US-Somalia partnership on critical issues, including counterterrorism and regional stability,” Bolton wrote on Twitter Wednesday following their meeting.

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Politics

Somali-American Congresswoman ignites controversy in diverse Minneapolis
By Katherine Gypson

Representative Ilhan Omar has a way of attracting attention. Four months ago, the Democrat became the first Somali-American — and one of the first two Muslim women — to serve in the U.S. Congress.

Just weeks into her first congressional term, Omar ignited a controversy with a tweet invoking an offensive trope suggesting U.S. lawmakers’ support for Israel was swayed by money from the powerful lobbying group, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

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Culture

International Mall Offers a Cultural Experience & Unique Shopping

By Lisa Hornung

Few Americans travel to Africa and even fewer have been to Somalia. But you can get a taste of African and international culture and goods right here in Louisville at the International Mall at Eighth and York streets.

A large warehouse-type building is separated into small rooms housing several businesses, including shops, tailors, groceries and even a barber, all owned by independent business owners who come together to support each other. If you’ve ever traveled to a country with a market area or medina, you’ll recognize the small stalls that use every inch of space to store and display wares. Brightly colored rugs, dresses and curtains line the walls and hang from the ceilings. There are beautiful golden tea sets, plates and stackable cookware, alongside faux flower arrangements and beautiful headscarves.

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Military

America’s Escalating Air War in Somalia: How Did We Get There?
By Thomas Gibbons-Neff

Where is the United States at war? It’s a hard question to answer. Inevitably though, at least in the last four years, this sentence has changed little: American troops are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. But with a steady stream of airstrikes, militant deaths, alleged civilian casualties and two American troops killed in Eastern Africa since 2017, another country has since crept onto the list: Somalia.

On Sunday, my colleagues Eric Schmitt and Charlie Savage published a story about the escalating war there against the Al Qaeda-affiliated group Shabab, and how the number of American airstrikes in the country have steadily increased under the Trump administration. In 2018 alone, there were 47 strikes that killed 326 people. And 2019 is already on pace to exceed last year’s tallies.

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Uncategorized

Somali native gives up American life for military service in his birth nation

It surfaced during his childhood in a typical American suburb setting replete with friends, video games and extracurricular sports.

It lingered in high school with a growing comprehension of his good fortune and a burgeoning understanding of world affairs.

It persisted as he entrenched himself in study at the University of Southern Maine and further gained a sense of what would give life purpose in his adult years.

African-born Mohamed Yusuf Mohamed had nurtured constant suppositions about his fate had his family not immigrated to this country from war-torn Somalia in 1990.

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Appointments

Refugee, teacher, turnaround agent, he’s the first Somali-American on St. Paul’s city council

By Frederick Melo

Shortly before being sworn into office, the newest member of the St. Paul City Council received an unhappy social media message from “Mike from Facebook.” The topic: trash.
What could be done, said Mike, about the refuse accumulating at Minnehaha Avenue and Duluth Street?

Kassim Busuri and his legislative aide, Scott Renstrom, immediately contacted a store owner at the corner to discuss the situation, and then Metro Transit to determine who owns a bench at the location. By the end of the day, the likelihood of getting a trash receptacle installed seemed high.

“We’re going to make sure it’s going to be fixed,” said Busuri on Wednesday, minutes after being seated at his first council meeting. His first project as council member may not be one for the record books, but Busuri’s arrival at City Hall holds special meaning for the city’s growing Somali-American population.

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Politics

Ethiopian, Eritrean and Somali win in US Mid-term elections

History was made in the US mid-term election when Ilhan Omar, became the  first Somali-Muslim- American  to be elected to Congress. But there were two  other African-born American politicians who also won seats. One from Ethiopia and the other from Eritrea. All three are democrats. Continue reading “Ethiopian, Eritrean and Somali win in US Mid-term elections” →

Politics

Omar is first Somali-American elected to Congress

Congresswoman-elect Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American elected to the U.S. Congress, says she wants to make the United States more welcoming to immigrants and refugees. Continue reading “Omar is first Somali-American elected to Congress” →