Unity of Sisters

Finding Our Voices

through

Poetry, Storytelling and Dialogue

Sponsored by

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Unity of Sisters

Through the North Side Learning Center’s (NSLC)

adult and family literacy programs, it has become clear

that women and girls are often the bearers and teach-

ers of culture, as well as the primary facilitators of

change, with their families and communities.

The goal of the Unity of Sisters project is to create

mutual cultural awareness; understanding; respect and

collaboration between African American and

African immigrant communities in Syracuse, in order

to help foster success and security in our shared

local communities.

Organizers

Michele Abdul Sabur

Jackie Warren– Moore

Janice Turner

Dr. Zaline Roy Campbell

Jackie Grace

Phyllis Hanesworth

www.facebook.com/unityofsisters

Email unityofsisters@gmail.com

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Ayan Ali 8

Hawa Ali 9

Shamsu Rage 10

Nimo Layli 10

Shukri Abdulkadir 11

Saadya Layli 12

Faddus Berhan 13,14

Sakina Abdul-Malik 13

Dung Nguyen 15

Quyen To 15

Sadiya Sarat 16

Maryan Dubar 16

Sophia Jabil 16

Ellen Blalock 17

Farhiya Abdullahi 18

Isir Farah 18

Jathiya Singleton 19

Habiba Bashir 19

Coumba Koumdoul 20

Sahra Maow 21

Melina Abdalla 21

Ramzan Be 21

Istarlin Dafe 22

Fasika Zewdle 23

Sudi Ali 23

Shushan Mohammed 24

Jaleelah Muhammad 25

Farhiya Abdullahi 25

Muna Ismaeel 25

Rukio Abdulkadir 26

Hamdi Farah 27

Roseya Be 27

Asiya Abdulkadir 28

Fatuma Diriye 29,30

Ayan Dafe 31

Maryan Layli 32

Halima Farah 32

Alani Dirie 33

Merhawet Kidane 34

Amina Farah 34

Nasro Dafe 35

Fartun Abdulkadir 36

Dahabo Dayli 36

Yasmine Abdirahraman 37

Stories 38

Participants

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Woman and Girls Making Societal Change Together!

To kick off the Unity of Sisters program, a group of more than forty women and teens from

Northside Learning Center and the Syracuse community participated in a community

discussion sponsored by Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority. The focused was on learning more

about each other, developing ideas on how to overcome separation barriers and how to

help each other and their families to be successful. The following are the recommendations :

How can we learn more about each other?

Coming together, introducing each other and be committed to one another by

trading phone numbers, traveling together and having dinner in each other homes.

How can women help each other?

Holding meetings once a month to share problems and experiences and information

to help one another. Working together to share internal and external problems as women.

Support each other as women, with children, education, and the Northside Learning Center.

How can Students be successful?

Having brunch with students, help them speak and read English. Mentor or pair with

a student to help with homework, to get college and career ready . Inspire them in what they

are doing by reminding them to never give up and keep trying.

How can we keep each other safe where we live?

Get to know the names and homelands of people. Work together and communicate

safe ideas. Be positive and speak and acknowledge each other. Look out to one another in

the neighborhoods. Find commonalities– we are connected!

Speak up, have courage and be Helpful.

Unity of Sisters project March 13, 2014 sponsored by Northside Learning Center and

Lambda Kappa MU Sorority, Xi Chapter

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The Unity of Sisters Organization group affiliated with the Northside

Learning Center (NSLC), thanks and appreciates the support of our

friends and community , the participants of the NSLC , the sponsors, the

funding from the Women's Fund of Central New York,

SCSD Parent Partnership Network and Lambda Kappa Mu, Xi Chapter.

Special recognition and appreciations to

Jackie Warren Moore

for

facilitating the poetry sessions and

Jackie Grace

for

facilitating the storytelling sessions.

Thank you Zaline Roy Campbell for your assistance at each workshop.

Without you all, it would have been impossible !

Michele Abdul Sabur, NSLC Board Member

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Poetry

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Ayan Ali Active

Young

Athletic

Nice

I am a happy little girl

Hello my name is Ayan

I am beautiful and smart

I am proud of who I am

I am a lovely girl

I like to watch movies

I am very funny

I am 14 years old

I am proud of my religion

I am proud of what I do

Hello

Cute, Good Ayan

I am a cute girl

I wonder why my sister is crying

I hear the baby crying

I see my Mom and Dad and sister

I want it to be over

I am a good girl

I pretend to be a mom

I feel so happy

I touch my baby sister

I worry if my Mom is okay

I cry out when I fall down

I am a good girl

I understand when I am happy

I say “I am so cute!!!”

I dream of my Mom and Dad

I try to do my work

I hope that I feel good

I am a cute, good girl

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Hawa Ali I am a hero

I wonder if I’ll save the planet

I hear people shouting HELP

I see the earth in need

I want it to be over

I am a hero

I pretend I can fly

I feel safe

I touch the earth

I worry if I’ll mess it up

I cry out when I do things wrong

I am a hero

I understand life can be hard

I say “I’m never giving up!”

I dream I am a hero

I try to fly

I hope I do the job right

I am a hero

I Am A Curious Girl

I am a curious girl

I wonder if all my questions will be

answered

I hear myself asking questions

I see people answering my questions

I want to know all the answer to my

questions

I am a curious girl

I pretend I know everything

I feel confessed

I touch the blue sky

I worry if all my questions won’t be

answered

I cry out when I don’t get answered

I am a curious girl

I understand life is hard

I say when all my questions will be

answered

I dream I know everything

I try to answer my own questions

Happy

Active

Wonderful

Almighty

I am a flower

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Nimo Layli

Nice

Intelligent

Mighty

Open

I am a student

Shamso Rage Sunshine, because my name in

Arabic means sun

Hilarious

Athletic

Marvelous

Silent

Optimistic

I AM

I am a young woman born in

Kenya and raised in America.

Somali is in my blood I am proud

to be whom I am and where I

came from.

I Remember…...

The first Day of school

I was nervous

I didn’t know anyone

Everyone started to look at me

They said “Hi”

They treated me nice

Snow

Me and my family were freezing

The first day of snow

We didn’t have jackets or shoes

Everyone went outside and fell

to the ground

It was raining and sunny

No snow in Somalia

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I am a super hero

I wonder if I could fly

I hear my fans shouting

I see villains

I want to save the world

I am a super hero

I pretend I am a hero

I feel happy

I touch the sky

I worry if I lose, I would not save the people

I cry out when I win

I am a super hero

I understand that if I do win for my fans ,

the villain won’t take over the world

I say that I am the greatest super hero ever

I dream that too

I try to save the people

I hope I am saving the people

I am a super hero

Shukri Abdulkadir

Sweet

Happy

Unique

Kind

Righteous

Important

I am a student at Huntington Middle School

I am an airplane

Flying through the beautiful

Sky

Seeing the white flowing and

fluffy clouds

Seeing the brightest sun

Flying through the wind

I Remember…..

I remember when I forgot to wake my

sister on the plane

I remember when I got in a fight for the

first time in my life

I remember when I went on vacation for

the first time.

I Am a Super Hero

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I am an honest girl

I wonder why some people don’t believe me when I am

telling the truth

I hear every lie but I tell the people to be as honest as I am

I see when some people are lying but I tell them to “tell the truth”

I want to be honest every second of my life

I am an honest girl

I pretend to be equal of every person in this world,

of course we are all equal

I feel like giving up sometimes but I try my best not to

I touch the sky with the truth

I worry about how people’s life will go when they lie to others

I cry out to help others

I am an honest girl

I understand how every lie decreases people

I say respect worlds every time

I dream about reaching my goals

I try best to learn from everyone in this world and learn different religions

I hope that the ones who don’t understand each other will understand someday, somehow

I am an honest girl

Saadiya Layli

Special

Adventurous

Active

Different

Interesting

Young

Amazing

I’m special for a family

I’m young

I’m loyal

I’m an educated person

I ‘m an amazing person because an amazing

parent gave birth to me.

I’m from a country where people are strong.

I Am

I Am an Honest Girl

I remember…..

I remember the day that I was

coming to the USA

That day was the worst day I

I had to ever go through in my life

That day I didn’t know the language

I remember the day that my mom

and dad had a fight

I couldn’t make them stop

I was really sad

I remember

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I AM

Farddus Berhan Funny

Amazing

Romantic

Dreamer

Different

Unique

Special

I’m so sad because my phone is broken

I’m very sad because I come from Sudan

I have 2 sisters and I miss them

I’m so happy because my mother was sick

she is fine now

I’m very happy because my brothers are here with me

I’m an amazing girl

My name is Farddus

I am so beautiful

I am happy when I help people

I am in Love

I am a loving girl

I am the cook for my family

I am the only girl in my home

I am happy with my family

I am nice with my brothers

I am funny with my friend

Thank you for any thinking

I am very funny with people

I am feeling sick

but I’m going to school tomorrow

I wonder if I am going to get better

I hear my heart it is going so fast

I saw my friends yesterday and I was very

happy with them

I want to go pray in the Masjid

I am very happy with my family

I pretend I can read the Quran

I feel so sick

I touch my foot

I worry about myself, my family

and my friends

I cry out when I am so sad with my brothers

I am a very funny girl

I understand my teacher when they are

talking to me

I say everything to my mother I feel about her

I dream about my sisters because I miss them

I try to be happy but I can’t

I hope my sisters are coming to America

I am a beautiful girl like anyone.

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I remember when I was a kid, I was very sick

Alhamduliiah, I feel fine

I remember when I was sick, my mother cried

When I see her cry, I felt vey bad

I don’t like my mother to be sad or cry

I remember when I was 4 years old

My father died while I was at school

I saw people crying

I asked my mother why, but she couldn’t answer

I asked her where my father is

She hugged me and cried

“ I don’t know anything”

I see my mother crying , but I don’t know why

I don’t understand anything

I was a kid

I asked her everyday about my father

The last day, she told me “ He go to Allah”

I remember…...

Thank you

Special

Adventurous

King

Interesting

Nice

I am a Muslim woman

I am in transition…..

I am a wife and mother

I am an educator and seamstress

I am searching…..

I Am

Sakina Adbul-Malik

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Queenly

Unique

Young

Excellent

Nice

I am a daughter

I am a sister

I am a student

I Am

Quyen To

Dynamic

Understanding, I can understand what

my friends are saying now

Nice, I am so nice because,

I help my friend

Girl, is beautiful

and the world needs the girls

I Remember

Dung Nguyen

I remember when I came to America

I saw snow

In my country , we don’t have snow

That is why it was the first time I saw snow

I do something in the snow

I say to my sister “snow is so cool”

I think of my best friend back in my country

I play with snow

The first time it see snow, I like it

Now, I so hate it

Snow is so cold

In my country I hate it

I want to see snow every time

I think I go to America

Everywhere is snow

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Special

Active

Dynamic

Incredible

Youthful

Amazing

Sofia Jabril

Sorry

Over

Father

Intelligent

Active

Maryan Dubar

Mother

Accomplished

Respectful

Young

American

Nutty

Sadiya Sirat

I am Sadiya

I am a daughter

who was raised

by a king and queen.

I Am

I am a mother

I have 10 children

I Am

I remember how happy I was when I was young

I remember how careless I was about the world

I remember how I thought the world was perfect

I had everything I wanted in my life

I remember how grateful I was for having people

who were there for me when I needed them

I remember how much love I got for being a good daughter

I Remember….

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Tears at the Bottom of the Storm

I am a little girl at the bottom of the storm

I wonder why the sharks are swimming in the clouds

I hear the quiet in my head crashing into the cries of help from my mouth

I see the horses galloping over baby cribs, crush, crush

I want my screams to formulate into songs of revolutions

I am that little girl at the bottom of the storm

I pretend I am the unmovable mountain

I feel the sides of the box that swallowed me up

I touch each side, first with fingers and toes till my tongue finds sweat

I worry my incubation will welcome death

I cry out for safety the songs of revolution, for joy, for shark eaters

and the mighty mountain to protect the babies

I am that little girl at the bottom of the storm

I understand insanity, the quiet in my head

I speak with tears and screams as baby bodies break under galloping hoofs until

I dream nightmares everyday till night, praying for comatose sleep

I hide in the clouds. The sharks and horses will soon find me by then

I hope to be the unmovable mountain

I am that little girl at the bottom of the storm

Ellen Blalock

I am out of my body

and out of my mind

I am in the wrong place, wrong time,

repeating wrongs and smiling tears

I am attached to a body

I am a hidden in a limited body

I am magical, I can turn into a monster,

a snake and a lizard

My mommy

I am not my mother

Body and Mind

Eyes

Listener

Longing

Electric

Nuttie

I was a silly child

Many experiments

My dolls fought and lost war games

against plastic soldiers.

Burning down my bedroom

doing science experiments

Chewing on my toe nails waiting

for dad to home come

Sitting in the dark hallway.

I Am

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Farhiya Abdullahi

I am a Perfect Girl Who is Respectful

Hi, my name is Farhiya

I am beautiful

I am funny

I have my own personality

I have 4 sisters and 5 brothers

I am proud of my religion

I follow my parent’s direction

My mom buys me anything we want

I am a sweet girl

I am a movie star

I like my parents

I have 4 cats

I hate dogs

My favorite colors are hot pink and neon

I have my own room

I am respectful

I am always honest to everyone

I love all my teachers even though they are mean

I love haters

I am creative

I am healthy

I eat healthy foods

I love shopping

I like to be organized

I am a hard worker

I’m passing every class

I Am

I am a perfect girls that is respectful

I wonder if I’m gonna be a teacher

I hear kids yelling out for me

I see kids working hard

I want respect from the students that I teach

I am a perfect girl who is respectful

I pretend that I could fly like a bird

I feel happy because my students are working hard

I touch the blue sky and the pretty clouds

I worry if I’m gonna fall from the sky

I cry out when I’m sick

I am a girl that flies and a perfect girl that is respectful

I understand that humans can’t fly like a bird

I say “I believe if I could fly and touch the sky”

I dream about the sky and dream about my ancestors

I try to remember but I can’t

I hope I remember them

I am a perfect girl that is respectful

Isir Farah I am a little girl that grew up so fast

And came from a country

that is hungry for peace

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Jathiya Singleton

Jammin’

I like all kinds of music

Authentic

I think everything about me is real

Helpful

I have 3 little people I always have to help

Imaginative

I have always had an active imagination

Young

I am going to be young as long as I live

Amazing

I am quite amazing

Habiba Bashir

I am a person with an open mind.

I think about learning

I want to learn to read, write and learn about the USA

And the whole world

I want to learn to speak English

I don’t dream about it

I want to learn to read to write

I want to learn deeply

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My name is Coumba

I like to speak English

I want to talk to my doctor,

my friend, my neighbor and my teacher

I am a business lady

I sell things

Because of my family

I help my family

I am from Mauritania

I love it because of my friends, my family….everything.

It is beautiful

Sometimes hot –No Snow

People are fighting

I am Coumba

I am Coumba Koundoul

I wonder about speaking good

I hear something good

I see people are good, I like Syracuse

I want and I like to speak English

I am Coumba

I pretend I am like my class and my teacher, I like the people in my class

I fell happy, my son and my daughter finished their classes. They graduate today

I touch my children and hold them close to me.

I worry about my country, my friends, my family in Mauritania

I cry for my brother, my auntie and my uncle

I am Coumba

I understand how things are good. I came here in 2007 not speaking

now I understand and speak English

I say I have good life.

I can speak with my friends, my teacher. I am a citizen

I dream for a good life for my children, 3 boys and 3 girls

I try to be a good mother

I hope to speak on the phone with my family in Mauritania

I am Coumba

Coumba Koundoul My name is Coumba

I remember coming to America in 2007

I came with my children

3 girls and 3 boys

I came from Mauritania

I want to speak English very well

I want to talk to my friend

Talk to my teacher

Talk to my doctor

I remember my family and friends in Mauritania

I remember my 2 brothers

My 2 sisters

My Uncle and Auntie

My friends

I Remember…….

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I Am Melina Abdalla

I have 2 children

Abdirahman is my beautiful baby

I love Syracuse in the summer

I like my farmer’s market

I like my beautiful clothes

with bright colors

I walk with my baby at the market

Manasa is my other child

She is very beautiful like a flower

I like to watch her play

I want to learn English, so I can get a job

I want to drive a car

I Am

Sahra Maow

I am a star

I am a strong girl

I am a beautiful girl

I am a smart girl

I am very fun

I am happy with my family

I love my family

I have 3 sisters

Once when I was 1 year old

It was a cold morning

My Mom wakes me up

She told me we were moving

To the United States of America

I wake up suddenly

I was excited

I’ve never been to the Untied States

That was my 1st time moving to a cig city, big state

Ramzan Be

I Remember….

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Hi my name is Istarlin

I am cute

I am a strong girl

I am from Somali

I am a sweet girl

I am a teacher

I am a good worker

I am a movie star

I like to dance

I love to dance

I love ice cream

I have my own house

I have two cats and

rabbit

I love pink, red,

yellow, orange and

purple

I love my room to be

pink

I love rugs

I love my mom

I love my dad

I love my family

Istarlin Dafe

I Am

A Girl

I am a girl

I wonder that we will get a passport

I hear a cat cry for help

I see people suffering for food

I want to be a cat and swage girl

I am a girl

I pretend I can fly

I feel I could cry

I touch, we are people so no bad behavior

I worry my mom is crying

I cry out for Sadness

I am a girl

I understand that math is hard

I say to my Mom it is okay for you to be a Doctor

I dream about movies and my Mom and Dad

I try my best to do things

I hope that my people are peaceful in Somalia

I am a girl

I Remember…….

SAD

The time that was my first day

of School

I did not speak English

HAPPY

The time I first

spoke English

FUNNY

I wanted to use a pen

But I didn’t know how

to say pen

My teacher laughed

It is funny to say something

HAPPY

My Friends are nice to me

They give me candy

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Fasika Zewdle

I remember the time of my first day of school

I didn’t make any friends

They said bad things about me

I didn’t speak any English

I ignored them

5 months later ...I learned English

If they said bad words

I will tell the teacher

It mad me feel sad

I Remember…...

Sudi Ali

I remember my family and friends in Somalia

Alhamdulillah

I remember the Quran when I was in Somalia

I remember the family house

It was yellow

I remember I was sad to leave

I miss them

I Remember…..

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“My Hope”

I am a girl who always prays

I wonder about all creatures

I hear all the creatures’ praising God

I see people doing sin and

not respecting their parents

I want everyone to be good

I am a girl who always prays

I pretend to preach God’s word

I feel happy and blessed

I touch my beautiful bible

I worry about the homeless, poor and widows

I cry out to God to help them

I am a girl who always prays

I understand how people feel

I say love each other

I dream about all my friends back in my homeland

I try to help people

I hope I will be a spiritual singer

I am a girl who always prays.

Shushan Mohammed I am like a star

Winking on the beautiful dark sky

I love and admire the nature

All the mountains

All the waterfalls

All the beautiful life under the oceans

I always wondered about the creator

If his creation is this much beautiful

I wonder how much beautiful he is

I always will appreciate his creation for ever and ever.

I remember happy memories with my friends

I was 13

It was the happiest time in my life

All of us playing and running,

Laughing in the grass and flower covered garden

Playing with the water

I remember hiding from our parents

We didn’t want to go home

I remember one day was like 1 second for us

Our love was like flaming fire

Here comes the bad day…

We were to meet everyone

It was the day to say good bye.

I remember…..

I Am

25

Farhiya Abdullahi

Fun

Art

Respectful

Happy

Immigrant

Young

American

I am a mother of 12

Jaleelah Muhammad

Joyful

Actively Amazing

Laughs a lot

Energetic

Entertaining

Loyal

Athletic

Happy

Muna Ismael

I remember when I was in Kenya

My mom’s brother died

He died in a war

He was fighting for his country

I felt sad when I heard

Mom was not crying

Because everybody will died

I was 6 years old

I was afraid that someone else in my family will die

I remember…...

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I am the bright moon that rises every night and lights the whole world

When the Ramadan people look at me to know it is Ramadan

Also when it is Eid

People go to have picnics and look at the moon in a romantic way

I am the bright moon that rises every night and lights up the whole world

Story about my Life and my Dreams

I am a star

I wonder if I will be an actor or director one day

I hear that I am good at acting

I see beautiful things, trees, buildings, people

I want to be a director or an actor

I am a star

I pretend that I am a singer

I feel brave

I touch my dreams

I worry that my dreams will

not come true

I cry out when my heart is broken

I am a star

I understand when people

are feeling sad

I say things I don’t mean everyday

I dream of having the best time of my life with my family

I try my best to get to my dreams

Rukio Abdulkadir

I am a star

I remember when I was coming to the U.S.

I slept on the first plane

And the second plane

And the third plane

I didn’t like the small planes

It smelled different than usual

I remember the second plane

It was in NYC

My family forgot me in that plane

Because I was sleeping

A woman came to me and tried to wake me

I thought she was waking me for food

I didn’t want to eat

She tried again

I still didn’t wake up

The third time , I open my eyes

There was no one on the plane

I got off the plane

My family was looking for me

I went with my family to the next flight

I was happy to be with my family

I remember…….

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Hamdi Farah

I am a person, I always dreamed to be

I am an explorer

I went to a lot of countries

I have seen a lot of different cultures

I am always what I want to be

I am proud of what I do

Roseya Be My Memories Moving to the United States

I Remember

I was born in Thailand

My family is from Burma

I Remember

My sister told my aunt she didn’t want me

Because no one would love her

I Remember

My sister and I go to a house that gives out candy

I was one years old and I fell down

My tooth was going to fall out

My mom didn’t tell my dad

Because my sister was going to get hit

My sister got hurt

My mom told me to get a string and pull out my tooth

I Remember

I was so sad

My sister was sad for me

28

Asiya Abdulkadir

I am Asiya

The kind of girl who seeks new things

The kind of girl who always learns more, earns more knowledge

I choose my ways, to be positive and never negative

I encourage people who have low self esteem

I treat people who treat me bitter, better

Khadija Abdulkadir

Muslims are Not Terrorists

I am a proud Muslim

I wonder what the world thinks of me

I hear voices calling me a terrorist

I see media call me a name and portray me and my community

I want to work to know who I am:

A struggling Muslim that is trying to be better

I am a proud Muslim

I pretend to ignore the ignorance

I feel obligated to teach the world the truth about Islam

I worry about our future as humans

I cry for peace

I am a proud Muslim

I understand why media calls me a name

I say I am a good listener and very respectful and

an open-minded Muslim girl

I dream to be a scholar

I try to be the best example of a Muslin I can be

I also follow my ruler maker,

prophet Mohamed (sala lahu almjni wasulam) May peace be upon him

I hope the world sees me for who I am

I am a proud Muslim

29

Let us be Loyal to Everyone

I am a girl who always wants to achieve her goals

I wonder how I could share my feelings and help everyone

I hear the noise of the poor people who live in the camps

I see the future coming my way

I want to help the world and show who I am

I am a girl who stands up on her feet and defends herself

for the sake of her people

I pretend who I am to be the best for everyone

I feel the emotion of how my community wants me

I touch up high in the sky and see the darkness of

the refugee camps

I worry about the others who don’t have shelter and

access to education

I cry out for the feelings of everyone

I am a girl who stands up on her feet and defends herself

for the sake of her people

I understand how people feel when they don’t have an education

I say something with my conscience that I don’t share with others

I dream to help my people

I try my best to stand for my people

I hope my dreams will become one

I am a girl who stands up on her feet and defends herself

for the sake of her people

Fatuma Diriye

30

Remember the God who created the Universe

Remember where your parents and your great, great parents are from

Remember your mother country, your land and your nation

Remember where your born and how your parents feel

Remember those people who live in Refugee camps for

more than 20 years

Remember those people who were born in refugee camps and don’t

know any history about their home country

Remember those people who fled from their country

and can’t go back to their country

Remember those people who don’t have freedom

that we have today in the United States

Remember those people who struggle in their daily life

Remember those parents lost their loved ones and their houses

Remember the dark time in the refugee camps

Remember the young teenagers who don’t have education

and can’t even write their names

Remember to show hands and help those people who need help

Remember to give your knowledge to those who don’t have education

Remember to be part of the agents who help the refugee camps

Remember

31

Ayan Dafe

I Am

I am a hero

I am a beautiful girl

I wonder why boys are annoying

I hear people talking about boys

I see the sky

I want pizza for dinner every night

I am a beautiful girl

I pretend that I can fly

I feel the clouds collide

I touch the blue white sky

I worry about my job.

I want to be a teacher

I cry out when people take my stuff

I am a beautiful girl

I understand when people talk to me

I say whatever I want to say

I dream about my family

I try my best on my tests

I Remember I was in an ocean

I went to the deep

And could not get up

I remember I punched a girl in her face

The girl punched me back

I kicked her

Then she told the teacher

I remember she said a lot of bad words

It was the first day of school

She started picking on me

She told me to go back to where I came

from

I told her NO!

I told her this is not where

you came from either

I Remember…..

32

I am from Somalia

I am proud of who I am

I wonder why I came here

I hear silly things when I come here

I see a lot of different people in America

I want to back my country

I am proud of who I am

I pretend I don’t need anything

I feel so sad

I touch everything with my heart I worry

about my family in my country

I cry out when something happens to me

I am proud of who I am

I understand everything of what the people

are telling me

I say my country is the best country I have

ever been in my life

I dream about reaching

my goals in my life

I try to pass my regents

I hope to graduate

I am from Somalia

Maryan Layli

I Remember…..

I remember the first day

I met new friends

They were thankful

I was scared to go into the classroom

My friends said "come”

I said “I’m scared”

“Don’t be scared’

“ People will not bully you”

“Don’t worry”

“Okay” I said

Then I went into the classroom

And I wasn’t scared

33

Alani Dirie

I Remember the

day I was 5years old

I remember that I was in school

I went outside to climb

on the trees

I then fell

I remember that I got hurt

I remember that I hurt my teeth on a rock

I remember the day I was in the hospital

I didn’t like it

I remember I got better and came back home

I remember that

I stopped climbing on the trees.

I Remember…..

I am a Girl Who Loves to be Free

I am a girl who loves to be free

I wonder why people have never stopped fighting

I hear kids enjoying for food

I see people crying for their freedom

I want to change the whole world in the better place

I am a girl who loves to be free

I pretend what I wasn’t there

I feel hurt inside of my heart

I touch the blood with my hand

I worry about other people who have no freedom

I cry out and pray for their peace

I am a girl who loves to be free

I understand how they are feeling

I sing please stop hurting then but no one looked at me

I dream of beautiful things

I try to help and let the let them free

I hope that our dreams come true

I am a girl who loves to be free

34

I am happy

I am sun

I wonder about camels with their long necks

I hear animals and elephant sounds

I see my family

I want to be a doctor, a veterinarian

I am happy today

I pretend to fly in the sky

I feel excited

I touch my dreams

I worry about my country

I cry out for peace to the world

I am a flower

I understand my friends

I say to my brothers to sleep

I dream of the best food

I try to speak English

I hope for peace in my country

I am blessed

Merhawet Kidane

I Am

I am a girl who can say anything

That’s on my mind

I wonder if I am going to please people

I hear sirens and wonder whose pain it is

I see my beautiful family having fun

I want to pass my regents

I am a girl who can express herself

I pretend that I have all the power I need

I feel brave

I touch my dreams

I worry that my dreams

will never come true

I cry out when I see someone crying

I am a star

I understand what people are feeling

I say things I don’t mean every day:

sticks and stones may break my bones….

I dream that I will pass my regents

I try to dream about me and my family

having the time of our lives

I hope to dream everyday

I am lazy

Story of My Life

Amina Farah

35

I remember when the moon

turned into black

I was night /day

My family and I went to Mosque to pray

I remember that day

All the people were crying

I remember all the things that

were going on

I remember when the moon comes back

Everything was normal

Nasro Dafe

I remember the day I came to U.S.A.

I went to school

I didn't speak any English

I didn’t know what people where saying

There was no Somali student

I was the only Somali girl in the school

I was not happy

I didn't know how to say bathroom

I tried to use the boys bathroom

All the boys laughed

I was like” what happened?”

A girl told me it was the boys bathroom

I will not forget that day

That day was funny to me

Let Us Stand for Justice I am a girl who is challenging herself in the difficult life

I wonder why life is hard and difficult all the time

I hear people shouting out with respect

I see people trying to compete with each other

I want to be something for the future, something special

I am a strong girl who can face any kind of struggle

I pretend I can see all around the world

I feel so sad, my people don’t have peace

I touch the heart and feelings of my people

I worry about my people because they have no peace in 23 years

I cry out every single night

I am a girl who left her country

but my heart never left my homeland of Somalia

I understand the people that I know back home

I say one day we will get peace

I dream that my hopes will come true

I try the best I can be

I hope to help everyone

I am a girl who fights for the justices of her country

36

I Remember…...

One time you look you in the sky

The wind will blow your hair

I remember

The time you get in trouble, The more you do hard things

I remember

I had to do the dished for 2 weeks

I remember

I had to clean my family’s rooms for 2 weeks

I remember

I felt so sad because I had to do the hard things for 2 weeks

I remember

When it was over I was happy

I remember

The lesson I learned from my mom and dad

Not to do bad again

I remember

My mom and dad were happy because I learned to be good

I remember when I used to get the goats, the sheep, and the donkey to the forest.

I remember when I used to hear the calling prayer five times a day, morning and night

I remember that I used to go to Islamic school with my friend

I remember that I used to write with a stick, black ink with wood

In the Islamic school

I remember I used to read the Quran everyday with my teacher and dad

I remember to wear an uniform in our school

I remember I was always in a hospital

Because of health and weather problems

I remember when that told us the stereotypes in the USA will kill us

And make us Christian

I was bad to go there

The kids will become bad in a different way

I remember when I was coming to USA , I was scared

We were all scared

Fartun Abdulkadir

37

Yasmine Abdirahraman

Its not fair, It's not fair

Today I have to miss my first field trip of the year

It's not fair

All my hard work won’t be seen

It’s not fair

That I have to stay home this very day

Why couldn’t it be tomorrow

Or the next day

It’s not fair

That I have to stay home for a dentist appointment

(Really, what kind of doctor calls at 8pm for a missed appointment)

It’s not fair

I said that to myself for the whole boring day

I am still mad right now

Its not fair that it had to be on this day

Its not Fair, It's not Fair

I remember the first day I had to wear

a hijab, It was the third grade

I complained to my mother

“Why is this important?

“Why do I have to wear this?”

I remember this first day I walked

into class wearing the hijab on my head

The eyes were staring

I remember it felt strange to cover

my hair and shoulders

I remember asking my mother

“Why do I have to wear this?’

She said “ We are Muslim and you have to

wear it”

I remember I said “ So, If I don’t where this , I

don’t believe in Allah or can’t practice Islam?”

I remember I wore the hijab from that day

forward

I Remember……...

38

Stories

39

Coming to America

Once upon a time, there was a large family that had to leave their country and

move to the United States of America. The reason they left their house is that

there was a war and suffering. They came so that they could have a better life.

They left on an airplane. The wanted to have a good chance for education

They had hardships getting along in the community . They did not know what to

do because they did not understand the language. They had a hard time getting

along with the people because they did things differently. They were from

different religions

They learned English. They were able to get a job to help their families here and

back in the homeland. New they have peace and freedom and can move

forward.

We thank the USA for all the opportunities they gave us.

Shukri, Ayan, Nasro, Saadiya, Fasika, Mrhwet, Shushan, Farddus, Monica

No Bullying

She tried to make friends by being nice and kind. Sabrina tried to play

games with them. And she tried to share stories. Sabrina listened to

their ideas. She even tried to give them candy, chips, and chicken,

The bullies started being nice to her because she didn’t fight back and

she showed them how to be respectful. Sabrina showed them how to

treat others...the way they wanted to be treated.

Hani, Dahabo, Habiba, Fartun, Istarlin, Coumba, Fatuna, Nimo, Sudi

40

Jathiya Singleton

I have not written poetry in 8 years. The reason is because I feel I lost the urge or inspiration

to write. In those 8 years I wrote a letter to my first child. I still feel guilty that I could not

find the inspiration to welcome my children in the world without something (words/letters)

dear to me.

I am Jathiya

I am always thinking

I am not always happy about my thoughts

I am happy when a good thought comes along

And won’t leave.

An Adventure between Kenya and Somalia

By Saadiya Layli

I was 4 years old. My grandmother took me to Somalia to visit. I was

born in Kenya. When we were in the car in the street, three big lions

came in front of our car. We stayed in the car for three days and three

nights because the lions would not move.

We did have much water to drink.

Then the lions moved. We started driving again. We got out of the car

and slept in the bushes. I got up to pee. Then an elephant came out.

Then we all got back in the car, again!

41

42

PRESIDENT: Michelle Mignano

VICE PRESIDENT: Bill Bullen

COMMISSIONERS OF

EDUCATION: Patricia Body

David Cecile

Derrick Dorsey

Maxwell Ruckdeschel

Stephen Swift

ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF: Sharon L. Contreras, Superintendent

Jaime Alicea, Chief Operations Officer

Kim Bradley, Chief of Staff

Jeremy Grant-Skinner,

Executive Director of Talent Management

Brandan Keaveny, Ed.D, Chief Accountability Officer

Laura Kelley, Chief Academic Officer

Suzanne Slack, Chief Financial Officer

The Syracuse City School District hereby advises students, parents, employees, and the general

public that it offers employment and educational opportunities, including vocational education

opportunities, without regard to age, gender, race, color, religion, marital status, sexual preference,

national origin, or disability.

Questions regarding this Title IX and Section 504 Statement may be referred to the building

principal or to the District:

Syracuse City School District

Attention: District 504 Compliance Officer

1025 Erie Blvd. West • Syracuse, NY 13204

In association with: