The Somali community is making huge strides to increase awareness when it comes to issues they face in their own community. Their aim is to make those outside their community aware of the issues affecting their native country, Somalia.
Influences of the Somali culture found in neighborhoods in Virginia, Maryland and D.C. seem authentic as though the Somali community began there. For individuals attached to their culture, it may be hard to divide their attention between America and Somalia.
"I classify myself as being an American and Somali by culture," Ilhaan Mohamed said. "My parents instilled culture roots and not to forget, forget the language. I always carry that with me."
This sentiment is something that 23- year-old Mohamed took with her when she got the chance to deliver a speech at the First Annual Somali Diaspora Youth Conference. She delivered an inspirational speech to encourage the youth in attendance to become leaders while embracing their Somali roots.
In August, the Somali community held the youth conference centered on bringing the Somali youth together to exchange their experiences to reach the Somali communities throughout America.
The conference included a panel of young Somalis with an audience of media, non-Somalis, and adult Somalis.
Within the crowd stood Chairman Ahmed Elmi of The Somali American Community Association who was joyfully listening to the video of the conference. His admiration of those future leaders sparked smiles and remarks.
As chairman of the association, Elmi volunteers in addition to helping other members finance the association's activities out of pocket.
"I've been volunteering since college and always knew I would continue," Elmi said.
The Somali American Community Association began after a meeting in a local parking lot to collect donations in order to help a Somali family pay for the funeral arrangements of their child.
"By word of mouth, we collected $5,000," Elmi said.
He said he called five people and told them to call five people and that is how The Somali American Community Association came to be.
In Somalia, 22 percent of Somali children attend primary school and one in five Somalis are illiterate.
The Somali American Community Association has tried to do away with this one of many statistics as Somalis make their way to America.
The association has created a Parent-tutor Connection program. The program sends volunteers out to tutor children and help parents if needed. The association began running this program, along with two others, for the last three years after realizing there were Somali women living in the U.S. for almost 15 years and could not speak English or read.
The association also reaches some other cultures in need of assistance as well. "There are Somali, Ethiopian, Senegal and African-American women in the program," Elmi said.
The Somali community, recently upset with the conditions of their native country, got together and started Save Somalia Humanitarian and Refugee Crisis Campaign. The goals of the campaign are: educate the public, engage the U.S. Congress, establish student clubs and partner with key institutions to appeal for help.
American Somalis dissatisfied and broken hearted by recent events in their country are yelling "Awareness!" to the top of their lungs.
Mohamed is a youth activist trying to stay active in the Somali community by working with the campaign. "I go around giving out speeches in schools and programs."
Somali community member Yusuf Aden referenced the actions of the other Somali communities within the U.S., identifying the Minnesota incidence, and the bombing of students in Mogadishu to state that he believes that every community is the same.
"Every community has [its] bad apples, but we try to focus on the good ones," Aden said.
The Somali community seeks to uplift and build continuing traditions.
The state of their native home has not been forgotten. Efforts will continue to be made to educate those unfamiliar with America's system, who need assistance learning how to survive even with a lack of skills.
The Somali community is a home of its own. It is fertilizing incite for other Somalis and non-Somalis by bridging communities through a Somali movement within the borders of America.
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