A day before the start of autumn, I pulled into the parking lot of Udder Heaven near Bar Harbor to get my favorite ice cream – a scoop of Moose Tracks and a scoop of coffee together in a cone. I was sad to discover, however, that the shop had closed for the season. Disappointed […]

Encouraging the active participation of Maine’s minority communities in both urban and rural farming and gardening endeavors can serve as a powerful tool to help them overcome cultural and economic barriers. A significant portion of Maine’s immigrant population arrived with deep-rooted agricultural expertise, shaped by generations of traditional farming practices. However, their migration to Maine […]

When Mainers struggle to pronounce my name correctly, some might assume I’m annoyed by it. The truth is, I’m not annoyed at all. If anything, I occasionally find amusement in how people react when they accidentally mispronounce my name. In those moments, I try to put on a smile to reassure them that it’s perfectly […]

The journey of an asylum seeker is one filled with peril and risk, spanning continents, difficulties and, often, traumatic events. From the turmoil of their countries of origin to the looming threats of persecution, violence and detention, these people embark on a perilous quest to find safety in our towns and cities. Despite the complexities […]

This summer has become a summer of resistance for me. I’m exercising that resistance by camping in Trenton and hiking at Acadia National Park. For Black individuals and immigrants in the state, the march of neo-Nazis in Portland in April continues to cause distress and concern. The Nationalist Social Club march, demanding protection for the […]

We need to address the lack of sidewalks in the Yarmouth, Falmouth and Cumberland areas. As an enthusiastic runner and cyclist, I have come to cherish the beauty of our communities, but I am deeply concerned about the safety risks I and others face when navigating certain routes. Specifically, I often find myself doing long […]

The U.S. Supreme Court’s termination last week of affirmative action in college admissions is a devastating blow for Black immigrants pursuing the American dream. It undermines the need for a support system to aid Black and minority students who have hopes of reaching their highest education potential. Having personally experienced education in both Maine and […]

June 20th marks both my birthday and World Refugee Day. I intentionally chose the date of my birthday to avoid being swept into the United Nations’ automatic birthday assignment of Jan. 1 for all refugees. Even after an extensive asylum interview and my specific birthdate request in 2011, however, my refugee papers and the so-called […]

Maine, our beautiful state, has so much to offer, especially when you learn about it from those who have been here for a long time. The end of May brought forth sunny days and warmth, and I decided to visit with some lifelong Mainer friends. In addition to lobster dinners, we had pancake breakfasts drenched […]

Looking back on my nearly nine years of living here, I find myself reflecting on the profound experiences that continue to shape my journey. Settling in Yarmouth, Maine, after fleeing the civil war in Somalia marked a hopeful beginning. On one of those early days, I wandered through the streets of my new town, my […]