Meet Ayan Omar – a Somali American Educator Using Literature to Mentor Refugee Youth

Ayan Omar (or, Ms. Omar as her students call her) is a St. Cloud resident, writer and Somali American English teacher. She is also a wife, mother and TEDx speaker who migrated to the U.S. in 1993 as a Somali refugee. After graduating from St. Cloud State University, Ayan became a language arts teacher. She has lived in St. Cloud since 2005.

In this interview, Ayan talks about her experiences growing up in the South and in Minnesota, and the different experiences of Somalis in Minneapolis versus in St. Cloud. Ayan also talks about the unique ways Somali refugees experience racism, and the need for healing justice for Somalis, Muslims, and Black communities.

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