[ad_1]
Mohamed Musse completed his bachelor’s degree in psychology at SDSU this year. This is an amazing feat for someone whose life is full of uncertainty.
He was born in the Kakuma refugee camp in northwestern Kenya, which was founded in 1992. He is Somali and his family is from East Africa. He came to the United States in 2000 when he was only 2 years old, accompanied by his mother, brother and sister. Today he lives in “East Diego”, better known as City Heights.
Somalia has seen three decades of political instability and civil war. Famines, floods and droughts led to huge refugee migration. According to the Borgen project, more than 2 million Somalis live outside their country. Refugee camps are considered temporary residences, but many have lived there for decades in confined spaces and often under tents. It is estimated that the US population of Somali refugees had reached around 150,000 in 2015.
City Heights is home to one of the largest Somali communities in the United States, an estimated 10,000 people. Musse prides itself on its culture and community. “I want to… want San Diego to know that City Heights, my community, is not what they think they are. I want them to come and see and feel it. I want them to know that everything we try is tough and if they put the resources in the community it would be nice. I want them to know that we are not dangerous, we are not crazy, we do not use drugs and there is still hope in our community. “
He is a role model for the youth and lifts the spirits of many. He attended Crawford High School, where he believes more than 50 languages are spoken. He sees his community as a community that strives for education and economic success, but needs support and resources for this. “You’d think Crawford High School had an ESL program to help us, but they didn’t. We had to help ourselves. “
Musse attended San Diego City College and earned an associate degree in communications and moved to SDSU. He plans to do a Masters in Consultancy and later in life wants to become Mayor of San Diego. These are high goals that he would like to achieve with heart and soul.
He said he believed he was gifted with a spirit of compassion and love for others. He has learned many lessons along the way through his volunteer work in the community and sees himself as a public figure that the community can rely on. “I am a mentor, a big brother, and a trusted family member and role model for younger children from all cultures living in my community.”
Mohamed works as a youth basketball trainer at the YMCA and is a mentor at the United Women’s of East Africa organization. “U of East Africa started as a group of women building a program. There was no one to help us in the community; we felt overlooked. Sahra Abdi took the time to do this program for children and everyone else by bringing resources, food, monetary aid, health services and study aid. You got involved to help the community, ”said Musse.
Adjusting to a new world is tough and takes courage. “I think we should keep our cultures but be united as a nation,” he said. “The Somali community is a family. We all consider ourselves brothers and sisters. “
Musses’ motivation comes from growing up in a low-income family and not always leading. Nobody told him to stay in school or graduate. “To be honest, it was super tough. I didn’t want to go to college or do the things I do now, but my mom came to America for a better life. I want my mom to be able to say my son came here and he had a better life. My mother is my greatest inspiration. Without them I couldn’t stay on course. “
He said he felt his community is often misunderstood and misnamed. “We are always referred to as violent and are only viewed as statistics, so I need to step up. … I want to erase the negative thoughts and bring positivity to the community. Whether people like me or not, I do what I can to strengthen my community. “
Sahra Abdi of United Women of East Africa says her organization has started helping women transition. “But then there were the boys, so we helped the boys. Mohamed works with the youth, especially the men, to encourage them to move forward. Mohamed helps to inspire the youth. He is a strong positive role model.
“Mohamed makes us proud. He is great and will do great things for the community. “
About this series
Beatrice Zamora is a local writer, community activist, and retired community college educator who serves on the UT Community Advisory Board. She is also a leading dancer in the Danza Azteca Chichimeca tradition, an indigenous dance of Mexico.
Someone San Diego Should Know is a weekly column written by members of the UT’s Community Advisory Board about local people who are interesting and noteworthy because of their experience, accomplishments, creativity, or references.
[ad_2]
Source link
