Somalis in Minnesota


Book Description

The story of Somalis in Minnesota begins with three words: sahan, war, and martisoor. Driven from their homeland by civil war and famine, one group of Somali sahan, pioneers, discovered well-paying jobs in the city of Marshall, Minnesota. Soon the war, news, traveled that not only was employment available but the people in this northern state, so different in climate from their African homeland, were generous in martisoor, hospitality, just like the Somali people themselves. The diaspora began in 1992, and today more than fifty thousand Somalis live in Minnesota, the most of any state. Many have made their lives in small towns and rural areas, and many more have settled in Minneapolis, earning this city the nickname "Little Somalia" or "Little Mogadishu." Amiable guide Ahmed Yusuf introduces readers to these varied communities, exploring economic and political life, religious and cultural practices, and successes in education and health care. he also tackles the controversial topics that command newspaper headlines: alleged links to terrorist organizations and the recruitment of young Somali men to fight in the civil war back home. This newest addition to the people of Minnesota series captures the story of the state's most recent immigrant group at a pivotal time in its history.




From Somalia to Snow


Book Description

From Somalia to Snow: How Central Minnesota Became Home to Somalis gives readers an invaluable insider's look into the lives and culture of our Somali neighbors and the important challenges they face. Designed with a diverse audience in mind, this book is a must-read for students, health-care professionals, business owners, social service agencies, and anyone who wants to better understand the Somali people. In providing a great understanding of Somali culture, tradition, religion, and issues of integration and assimilation, this book also focuses on why thousands of Somali refugees came to live in this cold, snowy area with people of predominantly European descent.




Somalis in the Twin Cities and Columbus


Book Description

In the early 1990s, Somali refugees arrived in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Later in the decade, an additional influx of immigrants arrived in a second destination of Columbus, Ohio. These refugees found low-skill jobs in warehouses and food processing plants and struggled as social “outsiders,” often facing discrimination based on their religious traditions, dress, and misconceptions that they are terrorists. The immigrant youth also lacked access to quality educational opportunities. In Somalis in the Twin Cities and Columbus, Stefanie Chambers provides a cogent analysis of these refugees in Midwestern cities where new immigrant communities are growing. Her comparative study uses qualitative and quantitative data to assess the political, economic, and social variations between these urban areas. Chambers examines how culture and history influenced the incorporation of Somali immigrants in the U.S., and recommends policy changes that can advance rather than impede incorporation. Her robust investigation provides a better understanding of the reasons these refugees establish roots in these areas, as well as how these resettled immigrants struggle to thrive.




Daughters of Arraweelo


Book Description

In this remarkable collection, fourteen Somali women tell their stories, sharing experiences of love, war, displacement, family, identity, and everyday life. After civil war broke out in Somalia in 1991, thousands fled and sought asylum all over the world. Many Somali women carried the responsibility for finding safe passage and new homes for their families in the wake of the war.




Accommodating and Educating Somali Students in Minnesota Schools


Book Description

This handbook for educators involved with K-12 students from Somalia is an invaluable guide to the cultural, religious, socioeconomic, and family issues that these immigrant students bring to the classroom. The authors present a sensitive portrait of the traumatic experiences that immigrant Somali families in the United States had to endure to reach this land of opportunity. In detailed description and realistic vignettes, teachers and administrators can gain a deeper understand of the behaviors and attitudes of Somali studentsand, thus, learn to create a successful educational environment for them.




Soo Fariista / Come Sit Down


Book Description

This accessible guide celebrates a vibrant food culture that crisscrosses national and regional borders, inviting all comers to relish comforting and flavorful meals, Somali American style.




Somalis in Maine


Book Description

Lewiston, a mill town of about thirty-six thousand people, is the second-largest city in Maine. It is also home to some three thousand Somali refugees. After initially being resettled in larger cities elsewhere, Somalis began to arrive in Lewiston by the dozens, then the hundreds, after hearing stories of Maine’s attractions through family networks. Today, cross-cultural interactions are reshaping the identities of Somalis—and adding new chapters to the immigrant history of Maine. Somalis in Maine offers a kaleidoscope of voices that situate the story of Somalis’ migration to Lewiston within a larger cultural narrative. Combining academic analysis with refugees’ personal stories, this anthology includes reflections on leaving Somalia, the experiences of Somali youth in U.S. schools, the reasons for Somali secondary migration to Lewiston, the employment of many Lewiston Somalis at Maine icon L. L. Bean, and community dialogues with white Mainers. Somalis in Maine seeks to counter stereotypes of refugees as being socially dependent and unable to assimilate, to convey the richness and diversity of Somali culture, and to contribute to a greater understanding of the intertwined futures of Somalis and Americans.




America Here I Come


Book Description

America Here I Come: A Somali Refugee's Quest for Hope brings you the moving story of Hamse Warfa. It is a heartrending narration of his escape from a civil war that ultimately claimed the lives of more than two million people in Somalia to his becoming a leading light here in the U.S. The author takes us back to his difficult life as a refugee in the camps in Kenya and the trials of adapting to life as a New American. The book is candid about the kind of challenges that new immigrants face seeking education and integration in the U.S. The cultural shocks that Hamse faces in the new land of opportunity are as funny as they are thought-provoking. Hamse is determined to make an honest and meaningful existence, and he openly shares what really goes on in the back of an immigrant's mind throughout the process.. Hamse's personal story is helpful for Americans to understand their neighbors (New Americans) and the intricate web of global affairs that often lead people to seek refuge in distant lands. Hamse talks of his struggle with education, partly for the feeling of alienation that he suffers in a foreign land, and second due to his poor language skills. But he confronts the language barrier and eventually gets the breakthrough he has always yearned for. He earns a bachelor's degree in Political Science from San Diego State University, and later Masters of Science in Organizational Management & Leadership from Springfield College. Currently, Hamse is pursuing his doctoral degree in Public Administration at Hamline University. Certainly, Hamse is no longer the naive boy of mixed identity he was close to 20 years ago when he first landed in the United States. This book is not an appeal for pity. Rather, it is a living proof that with persistence you can conquer the tallest barriers standing between you and your success. Today, Hamse serves as an advisor to philanthropy working with foundations. He also is an expert in peacebuilding serving as a board and executive committee member for Alliance for Peacebuilding, a global membership association of more than eighty peacebuilding organizations, 1,000 professionals, and a network of more than 15,000 people developing processes for change in the most complex, chaotic conflict environments around the world. Hamse is also a motivational speaker on conquering adversity, building resilience, and the importance of education and academic success for low-income children. America Here I Come: A Somali Refugee's Quest For Hope is both a memoir as well as a view on leadership for people in positions of authority both in private and public sectors. It is a must-read for students of political science, leadership, history, as well as immigration. For New Americans facing the challenge of integration and needing to redefine their new identity, this is the book you need to understand your situation better and chart your way forward towards success.




Call Me American


Book Description

Abdi Nor Iftin first fell in love with America from afar. As a child, he learned English by listening to American pop and watching action films starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. When U.S. marines landed in Mogadishu to take on the warlords, Abdi cheered the arrival of these Americans, who seemed as heroic as those of the movies. Sporting American clothes and dance moves, he became known around Mogadishu as Abdi American, but when the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab rose to power in 2006, it became dangerous to celebrate Western culture. Desperate to make a living, Abdi used his language skills to post secret dispatches, which found an audience of worldwide listeners. Eventually, though, Abdi was forced to flee to Kenya. In an amazing stroke of luck, Abdi won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery, though his route to America did not come easily. Parts of his story were first heard on the BBC World Service and This American Life. Now a proud resident of Maine, on the path to citizenship, Abdi Nor Iftin's dramatic, deeply stirring memoir is truly a story for our time: a vivid reminder of why America still beckons to those looking to make a better life.




Hmong in Minnesota


Book Description

Minnesota has always been a land of immigrants. Successive waves have each made their own way, found their place, and made it their home. The Hmong are one of the most recent immigrant groups, and their remarkable and moving story is told in Hmong in Minnesota. Chia Youyee Vang reveals the colorful, intricate history of Hmong Minnesotans, many of whom were forced to flee their homeland of Laos when the communists seized power during the Vietnam War. Having assisted U.S. troops in the "Secret War," Hmong soldiers and civilians were eligible to settle in the United States. Vang offers a unique window into the lives of the Minnesota Hmong through the stories of individuals who represent the experiences of many. One voice is that of Mao Heu Thao, one of the first refugees to come to Minnesota, sponsored by Catholic Charities in 1976. She tells of the unexpectedly cold weather, the strange food, and the kindness of her hosts. By introducing readers to the immigrants themselves, Hmong in Minnesota conveys a population's struggle to adjust to new environments, build communities, maintain cultural practices, and make its mark on government policies and programs. Chia Youyee Vang was born in Laos and as a child escaped with her family to the United States. An assistant professor of history at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, she specializes in the study of Hmong community-building efforts.