When Omar came to the United States at the age of 12, she had no idea how much her life would change. Having lived in a refugee camp after warlords tore her country apart, moving to Virginia in hopes of a new life, and finally arriving in Minnesota, to say her life has been one of ups and downs would be more than an understatement.

But like many of the most remarkable people, Omar does not dwell on the difficulties she’s experienced in her life, but instead, strives to do something about it. As a first generation Somali living in Minnesota, her life is by no means easy, but after talking with quite a few young Somalis in Minnesota, her narrative and driving spirit seem reminiscent of something greater than herself––an untold attribute vital to her story, and hundreds of others. “I’ve found my voice, and so has my community––it’s time we use it,” Omar said.