Member Spotlight

Amin Mohamed

Diversity Council Education Assistant

Amin Mohamed is the new face at the Diversity Council.  Amin, a refugee from Somalia, comes to this part-time assignment through “Experience Works,” a nonprofit organization that places immigrants and older workers in positions where they can learn new job skills.  Salaries for Experience Works internships are paid through federal and state grants. 

Amin worked as a lawyer and a judge in Somalia for many years, but a different legal system and language barriers prevented him from continuing his occupation in the United States.  Amin’s goal through Experience Works is to become familiar with office procedures and administration in this country.  He hopes that his time with the Diversity Council will equip him for finding permanent employment.

The Mohamed family is originally from Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia.  Mogadishu is a city of more than half a million residents, smaller than the Twin Cities, but about six times the population of Rochester.  Amin describes Rochester, their city of choice, as “beautiful.”  The family brought six children with them to the United States. Five are now grown and the sixth a student at Century High School.

Amin is actively involved with the local Somali community. He leads conferences on problem solving, stressing peaceful outcomes, and on the need to gain knowledge of this country and American culture.

He also uses his writing skills in a variety of ways.  He writes for the Somali website and occasionally writes for and appears on the Somali TV station on Channel 10 at 9 p.m.    He has also written Somali songs, and is now in the process of writing two books. The books describe the problems the Somali people have in adjusting to this country’s culture and give keys to working out solutions. 

“Differences always exist. The United States is a country of immigrants,” Amin says.  He emphasizes the need to know the English language in order to understand life in this country.  The books will eventually be translated into English. 

1130 1/2 7th St NW, Suite 204 , Rochester, MN 55901 · Tel: 507.282.9951 · Fax: 507.282.9964 · info@diversitycouncil.org

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