Unity of Sisters
Finding Our Voices
through
Poetry, Storytelling and Dialogue
Sponsored by
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 teachers 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 [email protected]
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Participants
Ayan Ali
Hawa Ali
Shamsu Rage
8
9
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
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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
6
7
Ayan Ali
Active
Young
Hello
Athletic
Hello my name is Ayan
Nice
I am beautiful and smart
I am a happy little girl
I am proud of who I am
Cute, Good Ayan
I am a lovely girl
I like to watch movies
I am a cute girl
I wonder why my sister is crying
I hear the baby crying
I am very funny
I am 14 years old
I see my Mom and Dad and sister
I want it to be over
I am proud of my religion
I am proud of what I do
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
8
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
Happy
I am a hero
I pretend I can fly
Active
I feel safe
I touch the earth
Wonderful
I worry if I’ll mess it up
Almighty
I cry out when I do things wrong
I am a hero
I am a flower
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 touch the blue sky
I wonder if all my questions will be
I worry if all my questions won’t be
answered
answered
I hear myself asking questions
I cry out when I don’t get answered
I see people answering my questions
I am a curious girl
I want to know all the answer to my
questions
I understand life is hard
I am a curious girl
I say when all my questions will be
answered
I pretend I know everything
I dream I know everything
I feel confessed
I try to answer my own questions
9
Sunshine, because my name in
Shamso Rage
Arabic means sun
Hilarious
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.
Nimo Layli
Athletic
Marvelous
Silent
Optimistic
I Remember…...
Nice
The first Day of school
Intelligent
I was nervous
I didn’t know anyone
Mighty
Everyone started to look at me
Open
They said “Hi”
I am a student
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
10
Shukri Abdulkadir
Sweet
Happy
Unique
Kind
Righteous
Important
I am a student at Huntington Middle School
I Am a Super Hero
I am a super hero
I wonder if I could fly
I hear my fans shouting
I am an airplane
Flying through the beautiful
Sky
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
Seeing the white flowing and
fluffy clouds
Seeing the brightest sun
Flying through the wind
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
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.
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Saadiya Layli
I Am
I’m special for a family
I remember…..
I remember the day that I was
coming to the USA
That day was the worst day I
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 an Honest Girl
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
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
Special
Adventurous
Active
Different
Interesting
Young
Amazing
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
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Farddus Berhan
Funny
I AM
Amazing
I’m so sad because my phone is broken
Romantic
I’m very sad because I come from Sudan
I have 2 sisters and I miss them
Dreamer
Different
I’m so happy because my mother was sick
she is fine now
Unique
Special
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 want to go pray in the Masjid
I am happy when I help people
I am very happy with my family
I am in Love
I am a loving girl
I pretend I can read the Quran
I am the cook for my family
I feel so sick
I am the only girl in my home
I touch my foot
I am happy with my family
I worry about myself, my family
I am nice with my brothers
and my friends
I am funny with my friend
I cry out when I am so sad with my brothers
Thank you for any thinking
I am a very funny girl
I am very funny with people
I understand my teacher when they are
talking to me
I am feeling sick
I say everything to my mother I feel about her
but I’m going to school tomorrow
I dream about my sisters because I miss them
I wonder if I am going to get better
I try to be happy but I can’t
I hear my heart it is going so fast
I hope my sisters are coming to America
I saw my friends yesterday and I was very
happy with them
I am a beautiful girl like anyone.
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I remember…...
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”
nk
Tha
you
Sakina Adbul-Malik
Special
Adventurous
King
Interesting
Nice
I Am
I am a Muslim woman
I am in transition…..
I am a wife and mother
I am an educator and seamstress
I am searching…..
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Dung Nguyen
I Remember
Dynamic
I remember when I came to America
Understanding, I can understand what
my friends are saying now
I saw snow
Nice, I am so nice because,
That is why it was the first time I saw snow
In my country , we don’t have snow
I do something in the snow
I help my friend
I say to my sister “snow is so cool”
Girl, is beautiful
I think of my best friend back in my country
and the world needs the girls
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
Quyen To
Queenly
I Am
Unique
Young
Excellent
Nice
I am a daughter
I am a sister
I am a student
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Sadiya Sirat
I Am
Special
Active
I am Sadiya
Dynamic
I am a daughter
Incredible
who was raised
Youthful
by a king and queen.
Amazing
I Remember….
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
Maryan Dubar
Sofia Jabril
Sorry
Mother
Over
Accomplished
Father
Respectful
Intelligent
Young
Active
American
I Am
Nutty
I am a mother
I have 10 children
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Ellen Blalock
Body and Mind
I Am
I was a silly child
Many experiments
I am out of my body
My dolls fought and lost war games
and out of my mind
against plastic soldiers.
I am in the wrong place, wrong time,
repeating wrongs and smiling tears
Burning down my bedroom
doing science experiments
Chewing on my toe nails waiting
I am attached to a body
I am a hidden in a limited body
I am magical, I can turn into a monster,
for dad to home come
Sitting in the dark hallway.
a snake and a lizard
My mommy
I am not my mother
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
Eyes
Listener
Longing
Electric
Nuttie
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
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Farhiya Abdullahi
I am a Perfect Girl Who is Respectful
I Am
Hi, my name is Farhiya
I am a perfect girls that is respectful
I am beautiful
I wonder if I’m gonna be a teacher
I am funny
I hear kids yelling out for me
I see kids working hard
I have my own personality
I want respect from the students that I teach
I have 4 sisters and 5 brothers
I am a perfect girl who is respectful
I am proud of my religion
I follow my parent’s direction
I pretend that I could fly like a bird
My mom buys me anything we want
I feel happy because my students are working hard
I touch the blue sky and the pretty clouds
I am a sweet girl
I am a movie star
I worry if I’m gonna fall from the sky
I like my parents
I cry out when I’m sick
I am a girl that flies and a perfect girl that is respectful
I have 4 cats
I hate dogs
I understand that humans can’t fly like a bird
My favorite colors are hot pink and neon
I say “I believe if I could fly and touch the sky”
I have my own room
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
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
Isir Farah
I am a little girl that grew up so fast
I eat healthy foods
I love shopping
I like to be organized
And came from a country
I am a hard worker
that is hungry for peace
I’m passing every class
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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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Coumba Koundoul
My name is Coumba
My name is Coumba
I like to speak English
I want to talk to my doctor,
my friend, my neighbor and my teacher
I Remember…….
I remember coming to America in 2007
I am a business lady
I sell things
Because of my family
I help my family
I came with my children
3 girls and 3 boys
I came from Mauritania
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 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 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
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Sahra Maow
Melina Abdalla
I Am
I Am
I am a star
I am a strong girl
I have 2 children
I am a beautiful girl
Abdirahman is my beautiful baby
I am a smart girl
I love Syracuse in the summer
I am very fun
I like my farmer’s market
I am happy with my family
I like my beautiful clothes
I love my family
with bright colors
I have 3 sisters
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
Ramzan Be
I Remember….
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
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Istarlin Dafe
SAD
The time that was my first day
of School
HAPPY
I did not speak English
The time I first
spoke English
I Am
I Remember…….
FUNNY
HAPPY
I wanted to use a pen
I am cute
But I didn’t know how
I am a strong girl
to say pen
My Friends are nice to me
They give me candy
Hi my name is Istarlin
I am from Somali
My teacher laughed
It is funny to say something
I am a sweet girl
I am a teacher
A Girl
I am a good worker
I am a movie star
I am a girl
I like to dance
I wonder that we will get a passport
I love to dance
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 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 understand that math is hard
I say to my Mom it is okay for you to be a Doctor
I love my dad
I love my family
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
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Fasika Zewdle
I Remember…...
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
Sudi Ali
I Remember…..
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
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Shushan Mohammed
I Am
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
“My Hope”
If his creation is this much beautiful
I am a girl who always prays
I wonder how much beautiful he is
I wonder about all creatures
I always will appreciate his creation for ever and ever.
I hear all the creatures’ praising God
I remember…..
I see people doing sin and
not respecting their parents
I remember happy memories with my friends
I want everyone to be good
I was 13
I am a girl who always prays
It was the happiest time in my life
All of us playing and running,
I pretend to preach God’s word
Laughing in the grass and flower covered garden
I feel happy and blessed
Playing with the water
I touch my beautiful bible
I remember hiding from our parents
I worry about the homeless, poor and widows
I cry out to God to help them
We didn’t want to go home
I remember one day was like 1 second for us
I am a girl who always prays
Our love was like flaming fire
Here comes the bad day…
I understand how people feel
I say love each other
We were to meet everyone
It was the day to say good bye.
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.
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Jaleelah Muhammad
Joyful
Farhiya Abdullahi
Actively Amazing
Laughs a lot
Fun
Energetic
Art
Entertaining
Respectful
Loyal
Happy
Athletic
Immigrant
Happy
Young
American
I am a mother of 12
Muna Ismael
I remember…...
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
25
Rukio Abdulkadir
I am a star
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 remember…….
I remember when I was coming to the U.S.
I slept on the first plane
And the second plane
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
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 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
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
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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
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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
28
Fatuma Diriye
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
29
Remember
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
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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 Remember…..
I Remember I was in an ocean
I went to the deep
And could not get up
I see the sky
I want pizza for dinner every night
I am a beautiful girl
I remember I punched a girl in her face
The girl punched me back
I kicked her
I pretend that I can fly
Then she told the teacher
I feel the clouds collide
I touch the blue white sky
I remember she said a lot of bad words
I worry about my job.
It was the first day of school
I want to be a teacher
She started picking on me
I cry out when people take my stuff
I am a beautiful girl
She told me to go back to where I came
from
I told her NO!
I understand when people talk to me
I say whatever I want to say
I told her this is not where
you came from either
I dream about my family
I try my best on my tests
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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
I am from Somalia
I am proud of who I am
I cry out when something happens to me
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 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 pretend I don’t need anything
I try to pass my regents
I feel so sad
I hope to graduate
I touch everything with my heart I worry
about my family in my country
I am from Somalia
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Alani Dirie
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 Remember…..
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
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.
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Merhawet Kidane
I Am
I am happy
I am sun
I wonder about camels with their long necks
Amina Farah
I hear animals and elephant sounds
Story of My Life
I see my family
I want to be a doctor, a veterinarian
I am happy today
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 pretend to fly in the sky
I feel excited
I touch my dreams
I see my beautiful family having fun
I want to pass my regents
I am a girl who can express herself
I worry about my country
I cry out for peace to the world
I am a flower
I pretend that I have all the power I need
I feel brave
I touch my dreams
I understand my friends
I say to my brothers to sleep
I dream of the best food
I try to speak English
I worry that my dreams
will never come true
I cry out when I see someone crying
I am a star
I hope for peace in my country
I am blessed
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
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Nasro Dafe
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
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
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 35
Fartun Abdulkadir
I Remember…...
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
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
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Yasmine Abdirahraman
Its not Fair, It's not Fair
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
I Remember……...
I remember the first day I had to wear
I remember asking my mother
a hijab, It was the third grade
“Why do I have to wear this?’
I complained to my mother
She said “ We are Muslim and you have to
wear it”
“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
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
The eyes were staring
I remember it felt strange to cover
my hair and shoulders
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Stories
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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
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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!
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In association with:
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
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