My mother came to America for one reason and one reason only. The “American Dream.” What she didn’t know was the land we held onto… Read More
Holding onto your heritage: Somali traditions keep family roots intact while chasing the American dream
Tag Archives: Voices
Being a Minnesota sports fan means losing games but gaining perspective
My heart was broken on January 24, 2010. That was the day of the 2009 NFC Championship Game between my Minnesota Vikings and the New… Read More
Discipline and hard work pay off, one karate kick at a time
The jeers from the crowd were loud. My foe positioned himself across from me, calm and prepared. He was barely taller than me yet his… Read More
Long way from Togo: Adjustments to America prove difficult for young student
It’s been said that everything happens for a reason. Yet the changes in my life since I moved from Togo a year ago have me… Read More
Getting older means making religious choices for yourself
It’s Thursday morning and I wake up with the realization that I will be going to masjid later in the afternoon for dugsi. I dress… Read More
Being Muslim doesn’t have to mean less authenticity as an American teen
You probably think that I am going to write about my hijab, the difficulties I have faced in a predominantly Christian country, or some other… Read More
Crowning achievement: Leading by example means embracing your true identity
I never had an older sister. I barely had a mother. The only womanly examples I had in my life were weave and press-haired black… Read More
Surrendering to spiritual unknowns defines Balinese Hindu belief
Growing up in Indonesia, I’ve always heard stories about how there is another world that lives beside us. Another world that we can’t grasp literally…. Read More
Losing faith: Twists and turns of spirituality lead to plenty of questions
I grew up in the green-floored hallways of a Catholic school where my mother taught K through 5 Spanish, and still teaches today. We were,… Read More
Finding faith: Exploring religion as a teen means falling into the unknown
Growing up in Sacramento, Calif., I remember going to church with my dad. I’d dress up in cute little dresses and do my hair with… Read More
