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.