What now?

Somalia my beautiful country. I sit and wonder what will happen to my people whom we left back home? They face constant danger of being hit by a stray bullet, but yet remain to stay put and not abandon their land. Growing up in the U.S. for the past 16 years of my life, I feel a sense of shame. This shame comes from the fact that we as the students who are pursuing higher education in the diaspora have become too comfortable in our current situation. As sad as it is for me to admit I am one of those people. I can't imagine being in Somalia and enduring the pain and constant struggle that those back home face on a daily basis.

With that said, I feel a deep passion to do my part in at least raising awareness about the struggle of those back home. Luckily we've been able to escape the mayhem, but that shouldn't keep us from thinking about what we can do to better our beautiful Somalia. Yes Somalia has been without a central government for quite sometime now, but then CHANGE will come. Change comes with the mindset of having hope, and translating that hope to organizing people to take the leadership role in making it happen. After organizing then can we act as ONE people, with one vision in mind of making Somalia what it once was. That dream will come true INSHA'ALLAH with the help of Allah. It requires for us to put aside our differences, and remind ourselves of what Somalia was. With the images and memories of what Somalia was we can be HOPEFUL that with hard work and determination CHANGE WILL COME!!!!!!

I pray that I live to see a UNITED Somalia. I pray that my kids will see it as well, and be PROUD to state that they are Somalis. I want to preserve and carry on the Somali culture and language. May we act on our wishes and remember that wishes/dreams are the starting point to creating lasting change. CHANGE will come.......

MAKE Every Week AIDS WEEK!!!

It’s AIDS Week, and as I surf the Internet I come across many facebook wall pictures as well as twitter pages showcasing the red ribbon. Now don’t get me wrong, but SERIOUSLY do we need a week to remind us of all the people dying of AIDS?
I don’t mean to sound cynical but we as people need to do more to not only educate ourselves about this disheartening issue, and ask ourselves what role we can play in getting antiretroviral therapy to those living in the poorest of countries. Maybe we ought to start, right here in America, after all CHARITY DOES START AT HOME. Sometimes it irritates me of how we picture Africa as the nation that is good for nothing and in desperate need of not only our financial assistance but of our medical advances. But then if we’re honest with ourselves, we come to realize that one doesn’t have to travel far to find people who are unable to pay for antiretroviral therapy to not only tend their lifespan but to reduce their infectiousness. Truth is we have come too overly individualistic that it’s more about ME, ME, ME rather than WE.
We need to think of what we can do to really make a difference in the lives of those living with AIDS, and make it OUR problem rather than just theirs. Harmony and happiness comes from helping others and working towards the common good rather than assuming that there’s nothing You can do. It takes someone to create a movement that can change lives. That change needs to start somewhere, might as well work to create it.
It’s a start the people are taking interest about AIDS, but we cannot pick and choose which parts to be parts of. We need to be PROACTIVE and work to make EVERY WEEK AIDS week because after this week, AIDS will continue to kill hundreds of thousands of People. Let us work towards creating lasting change that will increase the life span of those living with AIDS and work to create awareness. AIDS is not the problem of those living in AFRICA; AIDS is our problem. Together we can do it.

Remember we must all strive to become the change we wish to see in the world…

Unspoken Topics in the Somali Community!!!

The title says it all, unfortunately have a lot of topics that are not spoken about in the community I come from. This then creates space for a number of things to occur, which eventually hurt the very people who are falling to speak about the matter. Take a moment to read this, holding back your judgements and try to understand why these topics are unspoken? What are the social factors that contribute to it being unspoken? Don't stop there, think about religious,cultural and other factors that can make the world we live in the way it is.

-Poverty
- Safety
-Lack of Health Education
- STD is not an issue with the older generation, but with the younger youth they are indulging in sexual intimacy before marriage.
- Topic of sexuality is very taboo in the community.. Youth in cedar riverside are having high number of cases in STI’s as well as STD.. Hard to comfort such issues.. High stigmatized let alone talk about it. The only education is out of sight out of mind…(Abstinence only)
- Community has come with a lot of baggage ex.(their diet is not in line with that of their new adoptive country)..Young people come to this environment and look at the culture of rock and roll, sex and drugs and the parents are not aware of what their kids are exposed to. The younger generation are at risk because their parents are not aware of what their children is exposed to..
- Children are exposed to the content that is featured in rap songs, where there is a lot of talk about sex and female body parents, drugs..
- You cant get away from the exposure of sex, drugs and experimenting and doing what you want to do
- If your not married you should not be having sex
- Its not about education in terms of prevention but educating the youth about what the religion says about sex
- Get religious scholars to talk about the issue of sex before marriage and how to seek help if one was to engage in it..
- No one talks about AIDS/HIV we talk about youth violence
- Formation of attitude towards SEX
- You don’t go into an event thinking that
- If I get AIDS/HIV I won’t die any sooner than I’m suppose to
- Religion teaches you to do what you have to do to be
- TV shows nothing to do with culture but everything to do with society
- We are all in those situations to make choices
- We are all provided with the education and information, but the exposure
- The way that we eat
- Culture a lot of sugar and oil which results to diagnosis in diabetes or high cholesterol as well as high blood pressure
- Find a way to disaggregate the moral issue of sex from the public health issue of AIDS – break the silence in order to be able to address AIDS without making victims outcasts.
- Media doesn’t explain why the numbers are so high in one particular community so never use the media as a scapegoat.
- Immigrant communities the tvs are turned on all days of the day and is used as a form of entertainment for children

Food for thought

Its 12:02 am and I sit here thinking about all the things I am in and why I do what I do. For those of you who don’t know me, I am someone who is involved in just about any organization you might know think of, truthfully speaking I am in 4 demanding organizations/groups who all have one thing in common: ( A sole purpose to improve the conditions of the communities they identify with and in the end the world. They say change starts somewhere might as well start where you life.

I see myself always running from meeting to meeting and always discussing the same issues which is to create a sense of community, reduce youth violence, getting people to become the change they wish to see and in general just to make the world a better place.

It seems as though there are far more good people out there that want to do positive work, but all are sitting silently somewhere in the universe not acting on their gut impulse. What this does in return is create a nation of WISHERS rather than DOERS. Honestly speaking we don’t need wishes, if you’re not ready to put your mouth where your time and energy are.

Going back on my community involvement, I just turned 21 and I want to do positive work where I bring the fruits and knowledge of public health, youth studies and leadership studies ( my major) to the poorest of communities.

A community doesn’t have to be rich in money in order to find people who are rich in thought. I am from the neighborhood of cedar riverside, not because I live there but because that’s where my heart is.

The world has decided to lump people of the same socioeconomic backgrounds in the ghetto leaving them with busy streets, more bars than parks, and a number of disparities not only when it comes to poor health, but less grocery dairy stores and more fast food chains, less working adults, more dependence on drugs and an overall environment that will leave anybody hopeless.

But what that is not the case in Cedar. Yes there have been a number of shootings, and just last year a young man who was tutoring was killed after finishing his shift as a tutor. But one must be in cedar riverside to understand the beauty and determination of people who have been presented with the worse of situations, but have decided to smile and make something meaningful out of their misfortunate’s.

Power and how it pertains to leadership

My feelings in regards to power and how it pertains to leadership is a positive one. Naturally people fear those in higher societal positions. I personally feel that if people use power for reasons deemed right, it can be utilized to recruit people to work towards a desirable common goal. Power can be used negatively as well, but with the right intensions and the right type of people; I personally believe that power can be a positive thing.

Youth violence has really been a problem in my community and this issue has taken the lives of several of our young people. Somali on Somali crime is something common within the Somali community. Somalia is in a state of anarchy due to conflict between feuding tribes. Many families have fled from that country of war and terror to seek refuge in the west. For quite a while the Somali community here lived in peace and harmony and people had hopes to someday rebuild their country along the lines of unity. A new form violence in terms of youth was ignited here. Somali youth violence based on tribal lines slowly started to appear. Crimes due to gangs based on Qabeel (tribes) became frequent in number. Now, youth are being killed one by one and it seems like the situation in Somalia is being duplicated here. If we don’t take a stand and stop this situation while its still in its earlier stages than we will be facing a catastrophe. This issue has existed for quite some time now but people have ignored it, and as sad as it is for me to say this, it took 9 young men to lose their lives before the community decided that they would react to the problem. Even now, although it looks as though the topic of discussion seems to be youth violence there still seems to exist a division that is getting in the way of people coming together to work for the common good of saving today’s youth. A division that has still carried over from the divisions that started back home.

I am saddened, for I don’t see the need for this division. If everyone wants to save the youth and help them as they say, then why can’t everyone join efforts to combat this issue? I feel that although people say they want to help the youth, the number of individuals who are sincere about really helping the youth is far less than those who come out claiming that they are working for the betterment of the community. A lot of people talk about the wrongdoings of the youth, problems they are creating, and things of such sort but they never talk about solutions. The idea that they could help those people never seems to cross their mind. Talk is what a lot of elders and older youth seems to do, but I believe that talk without action is useless.

What this does is dishearten those who are sincerely working to better the situations. Individuals who want to see the youth get the resources and opportunity to make something of themselves. It breaks my heart to see people claiming to work towards helping the youth, when in reality they are fulfilling their own personal agendas. As a result the young people who need the help, don’t know whom to trust, because it is not like you can tell apart those who are sincere about it and those who aren’t.

The director of the youth program at the Coyle Center has used his power as a director to go out to different colleges to recruit and remind college students about the need for young people to be active in the community. A lot of times what happens is that there are a lot of people who want to do something positive, but because for some reasons just stop at the idea, and never really go out there to implement their thoughts and ideas into practice. So it’s nice for such a person as the youth director of the Coyle Center to remind others about the need for volunteers to help foster and educate tomorrow’s leaders. It is our responsibility as college students, those that have reached somewhere in life and know the problems to help those that are still in the process. The problem is that when people reach at a place where they are proud of themselves they chose to forget everyone else. They focus on themselves and that seems like something that isn’t fair. It is the duty of those young college students to mentor and help those younger ones so that they don’t lose their way.

I myself tutor at the Coyle center. I have decided to tutor there because; I feel that the presence of young college students can make a statement to those who come to the neighborhood to cause trouble. When young college students come to the neighborhood they are able to become role models for the youth whom they tutor. In a neighborhood such as Cedar Riverside it’s not everyday that people invest in the neighborhood. What breaks my heart is that there is a large number of youth from pre-school to high school who calls Cedar Riverside a home. If the city and the college students aren’t giving back then who do they leave these kids to? That as well as a personal passion of helping others is what brings me back to the neighborhood to leave my trace while helping the youth with their academics.

Every time I get time I talk with my friends about joining the cause of empowering our youth. A lot of them want to get involved but because of fear, they are stopped in their tracks and find themselves discussing the problem rather then working to find a solution.

Somali Class @ the University of Minnesota..

Tuesday September 8th, 2009 @ approximately 4:40pm history was made at the University of Minnesota. Somali Class was launched to give Somali speaking students an opportunity to brush up on their skills and strengthen it. For people such as myself, I was excited about the chance to enroll in a class at the University level to retain my motherland.

I was born in Somalia, but spent 14 years of my life here in this great state of Minnesota. During this time, I am saddened to announce that my Somali skills have taken a step towards the worse. I'm not proud to admit that I am unable to speak fluently in the language that makes me who I am as a person, and that is one of the stronger reasons that pushed me to sacrifice enrolling in this course that would require for me to attend classes everyday of the week. I saw more benefits, and realized that with strengthening my oral communications in my motherland, I will be able to do more for my own people. It's not the same when you talk to people in Somali compared to when you speak to them in English. People identify more with you when you speak to them in their mother tongue.

I am extremely happy that the University of Minnesota has taken a step towards the right direction, in giving Somali language an opportunity to cater to Somali and non-Somali speakers as all other languages offered here at the U of M. The class is taught by Saciid Salax who is known in the community as a teacher, poet, and playwright, he brings with him many years of experience in the education field, and a desire to teach the Somali language to all those who are interested.

Today I can proudly say that the University of Minnesota is working with the Somali community and has paved the way to retain the existence of our beloved language.

Dream lives on !!

I realized that every community has their set of problems. The only difference is that when your part of one, the problems are more clear to you. I now understand that my beloved Somali community isn't alone. That means the somali people are not alone in their struggle with tribes and youth violence. The only difference is that we as a community must connect with other communities who too have dealt with these issues. Then only can we find a solution that works. Its not a matter of organizing workshops and programs just then, but its really about establishing long lasting relationships that will link communities together. With this new found connection, can we sit down and get to the root of the problem. A plus is the fact that we other's who've experienced it and could possibly shed light on the situation, and allowing us to avoid potential falls.

I call to the youth of the Somali community where ever they might be, to be connected to their communities. I call to the youth and the educated leaders to not distance themselves from the community. We as a community must address the underlying issues that are cause our youth to turn to violence, our sisters to abort their unborn children and our elders to still sit at starbucks and discuss tribes.

We ( you) are the future of our beloved country. Yes currently the country might not be at its best to compete with the one's we are living in, but nevertheless its the place of our birth. It should be in us all to work towards bettering somalia.

Somalia lives in my veins
Somalia is the air I breath
Somalia is what gives meaning to my life
Somalia is what fuels my energy to withstand all obstacles I've come across thus far

I will not and cannot stop until I see a vibrant somali community working together solely for the purpose of bettering the community. Let us put aside anything that has ever divided us, and work together for a better tomorrow.

Salaam Peace Project
Understanding and Prevention of violence,

Cedar Riverside, Somali Youth: for the past several years, when people hear this part of the metro area of Minneapolis and this large group of African immigrants; gangs, violence, alcohol and drugs are the first things that come to mind. There have been mentions of the violence of Somali-on-Somali gang related murders that have taken place within the perimeters of this well-known area. Families have been left devastated, friends shocked and a community divided. In 2008, a diverse group of Somali elders, community leaders, parents, students and volunteers came together to discuss what could be done to stop the violence and abuse of drugs. This team of positive thinking and hard planning group called Somali Youth Network Council (SYNC) have rallied and campaigned to improve this community and to give back to their people.

A year later, SYNC is still working to better change and educate the youth as well as their parents. A series of educational workshops are underway and will begin after the Project Salaam kick-off on the 16th of August, 2009. Because of the increase of violence, there will be four workshops dedicated to violence and substance abuse. The workshops will be targeted to the Somali youth in hopes to better educate them. Our goal is to give better understanding and enough resources for these young men and women to live and strive for a better life.

The mission question: Can we, as SYNC, make a difference in the fight against violence and substance abuse? Will intervening at the first sign of risk, restoring youth going down the wrong path, proposing a culture free of violence and teaching them to trust in adults (parents, teachers and public authority) lead us to the goal that everyone of us envisions.

The vision: Streets free of crime, schools furnished with students, a society comprised of hard working young Somali’s and homes saturated with euphoria.

‎We must cultivate our souls and minds‎

I sit here today asking myself what is the purpose of life? We as young people wake up every day not fully aware of our true purpose in life. The real reason why we've been placed on this land. Yes, indeed we say by tongue that we are created to worship none other than Allah (swt) and to follow the Sunnah of the prophet (pbuh) but it seems to me that none of us have really comprehended the true meaning of believing in the oneness of Allah. Were so caught up in the web of lies that we don't realize that were leading ourselves in the path of jahanam. Dear brothers and sisters I am not trying to lecture anyone for I am full of mistakes but I just wanted to remind my fellow brothers and sisters in Islam a issue that we tend to overlook. One that concerns us all whether young or old.

We live in a society that only wants to consume things never wanting to give anything in return. We as Muslim individuals need to be setting an example for other individuals to follow. One that all people from all walks of life would be compelled to apply in their daily lives. Our beloved prophet (pbuh) used to give his neighbors and fellow companions whatever they needed. He was all about giving. But us in the other hand seem to be doing the exact opposite. Doing our best to get the most money its OK it doesn't matter if we have to fall on haram while were at it, it seems. Have we forgotten the Sunnah of Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (phub) ? We are supposed to be the example. Those, which others would want to, embrace their way of life and learn about. But it seems to me that we are making people see Islam and Muslims as uneducated worthless people. Who cheat, deceives, disfigure and deform what America stands for.

Our beloved Prophet (pbuh) has said in numerous narrations’ to seek knowledge even if it means going to China. We on the other hand have been blessed with the opportunity of receiving a free education and having nothing to lose while were at it. But what do we do with that golden opportunity we simply throw it in the trash. Indeed we have couple of hundreds of Somali Students going to Colleges and Universities but the numbers of high School dropouts are increasing. It seems the longer we stay in America the more we seem to put our customs, religion and traditions in the trash.

Another good example of a golden opportunity that we don't take advantage of is voting. Most of us don't vote because as I have said earlier were either too busy feeding ourselves the web of lies that we will return back home and govern our own countries. Yes alhamdulilah that’s a great plan but its time that we must wake up and smell the coffee and wake up to reality. Should we just sit there waiting to hear the news that we can all go back to Somalia and in the meantime just wait? Or should we be making something of ourselves and learning new things that, we will be able to take with us when were going back home? You see we also have to let our voice be heard about issues that matter to us and to chose those who we believe can get the job done into office? Because if we don't vote somebody else controls our communities. They write the law and it is put into law and our money pays for it. So we might as well vote and make sure that the needs of our community are met. If all Muslims over the age of 18 go out to vote and give their power to the leader (meaning the imams of the masjid) and then the leader could go out to the representatives and that way he can share with them the concerns of the Muslim Community. That way the person running for office will most probably would take the leader seriously when he sees the power and all of the people who have placed their power in him. That way the imam could ask for the person running for office to give the Masjid or the Community Center a specific amount of money from that which has been collected from the Muslim Citizens that which reside in that Community who have paid federal taxes.

It seems as if the enemy can always find a way to keep the Muslims separated even if it’s over the smallest things. Now they’re separating us into different camps the Shii, Salafii, Theyii, Heii, Sheii, and Whatiii whatever they can to keep us a part. Because they know that as soon as we come together its over. They know that Islam is not isolated to only Africans but to all people regardless of where they’re from. They know that we have something stronger that bonds us all together which is the belief in the oneness of Allah (towhid).

Dear brothers and sisters who must know that the only responsibilities that we have is not that of which is to provide for ourselves but also those to ones society. We must be law-abiding citizens. If we work together to better our community we would be able to attract more people to Islam. This is our opportunity to spread the message of Allah. Some of our other responsibilities to our society are to give back in community service. Meaning we should be the ones attracting homeless people, organizing food drives in which we give the homeless people free food. We show the people within our communities the beauty of our deen. Then only can we say we have reached true success. Dear Muslim readers none of us is guaranteed to live to see tomorrow but what we can do is make good use of our time. We must not let a single minute to waste. We need to take charge and take part in our communities.

We must cultivate our souls and minds and fulfill these social responsibilities that we have upon ourselves. We must deliver the message and be as one. Keep in mind that when you’re out in the public your not caring your name and image but rather the names of all Muslims all over the world and their image. So think twice before you do something and when you’re doing anything do it to enhance the Ummah in whatever form, way or capability. For it is only you who has the power to empower other individuals to see the beauty of this beautiful deen.



This article was inspired by a Khalid Yassin lecture that I went to.

Africa is where I call home

I fled from my homeland,
From blood thirst warlords in 1993,
Who killed without reason

Who killed the innocent bystanders
Tribal conflict they called it,
But “murder she wrote”

They killed for all the wrong reasons
depriving future generations the chance to grow
and inflicting the young minds with “this infected
Concept know as tribalism, an eye for an eye,
a tooth for a tooth, a nail for a nail.
Killing, rapping and butchering thy own nephew”

I grew not knowing what my country was like
Only hearing stories of how it used to be

As I grew older I questioned myself as to why
People would do such hideous act of violence

Breaking up families and causing mothers endless cries
watching their sons being shot
Witnessing their daughters being raped
Not being able to do anything
helpless, powerless, and in agony....

Centuries go by and they declare
“WE ARE INDEPENT” and I ask “WHAT IS INDEPENCE”?


I could not have written this note without the help of my dear brother abdullahi bashir..... Thannk u i don't know what i'd do without ur support and willingness to help....Ur the best....

ISN'T IT ENOUGH?

Isn't enough????

Isn't it enough that our youngesters r lost in the game
A game that has no end and promises glory and fame

Isn't it enough that our sisters are losing their self respect
Forgetting their true identity i believe its time for a reality check

Wheres the community when we need them the most
At times like this the communities should have had their doors open and not be closed

Why must the world be so cruel
Why r we ignoring the quran when its our own tool

The tool to success
A tool that can lower ur stress

Life is too short to waste
And death is a event in everyones lives that all will have to taste

Isn't it enough that our boys r locked up in prison?
And our girls are killing their unborn children without a reason

Isn't it enough that we had to leave our home due to tribalism affairs
We say we want peace but its us who r fueling the fire with more flames and then say we care

My country has been raped of its basic rights
With our countrymen killing each other in endless fights

I miss the land that was so clean n pure
But now it has been diagnosed with a disease that has no cure

Isn’t it enough that our kids r forgetting their mother tongue
Isn’t it enough that the only thing they remember is the noise of the loud guns

Who is to blame?
For getting us into this game

A game that has no beginning or ending
A game that has us believing in a distorted image

Wake up brothers n sisters Somalia waits us
N we surely wont’ succeed by taking the American way of life

Can anybody hear?

Can anybody hear me?
By: Salma Hussein

Can anybody hear me?
Does anybody hear my cry?
What happened to my sons and daughters?
Did they forget about me already?

I have no one to turn to
No one to ask for help
My siblings fight amongst themselves
Blinded by tribalism

I’m so alone
It’s so cold, I dream of having a stable place to call home
Without the fear of bloodshed

What has gone wrong with my people?
Do they not see what is taking place?
Do they not see the path that we are headed towards?
Why isn’t anybody doing anything about this?

Why is the world cold?
Doesn’t anybody care?
The suffrage continues
Starvation increases
Bloodshed continues
While the educated turn the corner

Who is out there for us?
Who am I to turn to for help?
Who am I to seek protection from?
When my own people call war on themselves?

Our children are left their to suffer
Their forced to watch their countrymen kill each other
What kind of image and lesson are we passing on to our youngsters?

We fled to America and other western countries
Believing that life would get better
Little did we know what awaited us?

Our youth fail prey to the American way of life
Leaving behind their religion and culture
Our sons turned to drugs and gang activities
While our daughters abandoned their hijabs and came up with new ways to flaunt their beauties

Who is to blame?
Every person who has every used qabil to divide people
Every individual who cares for their own tribes success while caring little about the others.

I ask is qabil really worth it all?
Having no government for nearly 16 years.
Having our men kill each other for land and power

Somalia belongs to all of us
Regardless of your tribe you’re Muslim first
We need to put our differences aside and celebrate our similarities

Why have we allowed this to go on for this long?
How long can we wait for our country men to finally realize that its not worth it.

Walahi if we continue on in this path
It won’t be long before our language and culture disappears
Is that our goal?
If it is then lets continue on with this division and chaos that has raped us of our beautiful land.
But if we want to have a country to call our own we have to realize that regardless of what part of Somalia you are from were all aiming for the same goal.


A country is nothing without its people
Somalia needs us more than ever
United we stand and divided we fa

Charity begins at home

“What can I do for you?” These words have become very natural to me. I see myself, more than most people, genuinely interested in the well-being of others. Whether I’m at school, hospital or local community center I go out of my way to be helpful. Just last week, I remember going up to a young man who is a regular at the community center I tutor at walking around the university campus. I simply approached him wanting to know why he wasn’t in school during school hours. My curiosity and good heartedness were received not to well. The young man responded, “Why is it any of your business?”

At the moment, I didn’t really know how to respond to the question, but after much thought I guess the simply answer is that my HEART as well as my Eye tirelessly work towards the improvement of my immediate community. I feel a sense of responsibility to extend a hand, help carry groceries, translate a letter or simply asking a young man why he wasn’t where he should have been as a RESPONSIBILITY I have towards my community.

I want others to act and start putting the needs of others in front of their own, without expecting some reward or recognition. I call to the Somali readers of this blog, to take it upon themselves to lead by example and become the light of the community. Our elders have sacrificed so much, to give us the opportunities we have come to know living in the Diaspora and we owe it to them to GIVE time.

For all of those who are wondering where to start? A good friend of mine reminded me of the most important place where many forget, the HOME. He texted, “charity begins at home. First establish yourself. Help fam. Then help others. Don’t try to take on all the problems. Do just enough.” I must admit this caught me off guard, because all this time most of my attention was towards the greater community, but a simple text helped put things in perspective.

A call to action

Salam,


A young brother was shot and killed. According to the MPD his death is justifiable because he was using his car as a weapon against the police.

If what they are saying is true, would it not make sense for them to shoot at the tires of the car to reduce the threat, rather than shooting at him multiple times resulting in his death?

Its time we speak out against these incidents. Yeah the car might have been stolen, but that's somebody's life they just took away. As the witness said, " why couldn't they shoot at his tires?" Its time we demand answers from these very law enforcements who were put there to protect us, rather than killing our sons.


My fellow Somali family, let us join hands and make sure that our voice is heard. We cannot let this be another shooting, and as the headline of the story tells you, the media is quick to twist things.

Together we can seek our rights as a community, who won't take this as yet another young boy who wanted to inflict harm.


Here's the link to the story and please tell me there's no bias in the reporting?

http://www.startribune.com/local/stpaul/39137222.html

Salma

Yes we can!!!!!!

I've realized that there's one thing I've been taking for granted for quite some time, that being TIME. I find myself spending hours on various meetings, ranging from attending community advisory to reducing youth violence meetings you name it, and at the end of the day I feel that the results are pretty much the same. It seems that the only thing that ever gets accomplished in these meetings is the art of talking. I admit that I can't take myself out of the problem, but really its tragic.

I attended most of these meetings believing that it will help in the process of organizing and voicing the needs of the community, not to say that it hasn't done that, but just not in the scale I was hoping it would.

I feel that with the number of meetings held by Somali officials across Mpls, the state of our community should have long been transformed. So where are the results of all this endless meetings after meetings that have been taking place for as long as we've been in America? Well it seems as though that most of these meetings are led by selfish leaders who are only in it for their own self interest. These meetings lack young motivated youth who deeply care about the state of the community, who hold no hidden agendas as most of today's leader do.

It times young people take the lead to be the change they wish to see in their world, starting from their neighborhoods. Its time we all start investing in our neighborhoods, because if we don't you can bet that no one else will.

So we are we waiting for? Let's stop this trend of meetings, and start mobilizing around issues of concern. Let's not be a community of talkers, who can't back their talk. I know that there are far more good people, than those who intend evil, but its a matter of making this year the year we take back our name and show the rest of the state what the Somali Community is made of.

So what do you really know about the Somali community?

It seems as though there is a buzz surrounding the Somali community lately, one that wasn't there before. So it pushes me to ask, what has changed? Well I shall tell you, it seems as though the sudden interest comes from the trouble the community faces readjusting to a new country.

With the ongoing youth violence, and the young men leaving for Somalia, the community has become media's favorite. You are sure to find a story about the missing men going to Somalia to fight a holy war, and what that means for the Somalis residing here to the youth who have taken arms against each other. The title always being "SOMALI".

Having lived in the U.S for quite sometime now, this has led me to ask yet another question, how come when other Americans such as a white Caucasian man commits crimes, his place of origin is never brought up? They simply go on to say " a St..paul man has killed his entire family today", never once bringing up whether his German or Jewish. So why not do the same for the Somali Community?" 

Its not fair for any community not only the Somali's to have their name dragged in the dirt and watch their community only when something tragic happens. Where is the media when young college students come out to the local community centers to volunteer their time? Well they're definitely no where to be seen, but the minute something terrible happens they can be seen in the front line with their cameras.

Its time people ask of the media to report on the important things that give meaning to our existence. Things such as those who are giving back, students who are excelling in their studies, not on youth who have taken arms against each other and not on clan warfare in the Somali community. Unless we speak, the media will continue to report on what they think people want to see.

So the next time you hear anything about any one community, remember that there is far greater good things taking place, that the media fails to bring to attention. So get out there and get involved and be your own judge.

Put your thoughts on paper

My poem might not rhyme
But it carries a message one that concerns our time

We live in a society that focuses on dreams
Even if those dreams mean for a 14 year old girl to starve herself due to low self esteem

Were too busy to stop for second and ponder
To evaluate all the corruption thats taking place and then we wonder

Why is that the world is full of so much pain?
Why can't we learn from the past and what have gained?

I'll tell you what we gained an increase in depression
And more ways to hide our true feelings because as they say, "make a good first impression".

Building bridges of understanding

I hope this reaches you all in the best state of health and spirit. Our community has forgotten the reason why we escaped to America, because it seems as though the bullets have followed us to our new homes and in this case Cedar Riverside, the “little Modgisho” of Minneapolis. On Monday Sept 22, 2008 a brother was killed @ 5:15pm. This man was not involved with gangs or any sort of violence, but a young man who was attending college to make something of himself. He decided he wanted to give back to his community, something that not too many college folks do.

I am writing this as college students who knows that college itself is hectic, but our youth won’t wait for us to get done with our textbooks. We all have to find it within ourselves to find time to be out there serving the community. We cannot and I repeat cannot wait on for the elected officials and the law enforcements alone to serve and protect our families. If they did, then this wouldn’t be the third brother in a span of 3 months to be killed. My respective peers, I write to you as a peer who feels that " young people can play a greater role in the community." I say this time and again because, we are the light and hope of our failed nation, and it is tragic that many have forsaken the community.

I know there are young people who are working each and everyday working to better the situation here in Minnesota, such as the youth that have created SYNC. SYNC is short for Somali Youth Network Council. This organization was created in hopes of bringing together all the places of worship in Minneapolis and community centers to better work together in the solution process.

I beg and plea with everyone who is reading this to please reconsider your purpose and your role in the community. You cannot leave the responsibility of cleaning up our community of violence and gang activities to outsiders. We’ve stayed quiet for too long; it’s time we get ORGANIZED. It’s time that we learn of what city services that are available to work with us. The resources won’t come to us, we have to go and find out about them. Who better to do that than us, college students who have the time, energy and passion of unifying our countrymen?

This isn't something new in our community (it isn't the first and it won't be the last) if we don't stop finding excuses as to coming together and attending to these ongoing shootings. When will we call out "enough is enough" and confront those who are responsible? The killers are non other than Somali fellows. Today is the day, as suggested time and again to wake up and get involved with the community. Get out there and empower these youth who have turned to drugs and violence as a means to escape poverty. Get out there and do something, let's not hide behind our textbooks and use the mentality that "if I stay away from cedar, then I’m cool." That's not necessarily true because this young man only came to Cedar to give back to the community, today it was him and tomorrow it could be you.

Please take this as a reminder that tomorrow is not promised for anyone of us. Let's take advantage of each day as if its our last. Let's stop being selfish and careless and start thinking about life after death. Whether your in cedar or not, you won't be able to escape death.

When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, then we truly live life. May Allah show mercy to all those affected by these killings. Pray that and always know that there is always hope despite fear and uncertainty.

I urge you all to join and work with organizations such as SYNC to get involved in the process of cleaning up our streets. They can't do it alone without the help of us, for the job of bettering our community isn't for just a few, but a responsibility that many have failed to do.

Let's be PROACTIVE rather than REACTIVE when something tragic happens...

One People, One Nation, One Language, One Religion, One Culture!

Therefore, there shouldn't be any room for division.