Apollo High School 2020 graduate Mariama Mohamed can’t stop smiling. She has just graduated from high school after immigrating to the United States from Somalia three and a half years ago. She’s justifiably proud of her achievement. Yet, finding herself and her voice along the way, she feels, is her greatest accomplishment.
As a shy freshman, Mohamed couldn’t speak English. School was a struggle for her as a student in a new country.
“When I first came here,” explains Mohamed, “I actually knew no English and had no background in education. So, I started my education journey at Apollo High School. The reason we picked that school is because we knew it could help us learn English. At first I really struggled, like really struggled. Especially, when you don’t know the language. It is very stressful.”
Her freshman year consisted of EL (English Learner) classes to prepare her for regular high school classes. Mohamed appreciates her EL teachers and credits them with much of her success. They supported her and made her feel safe. She says she wouldn’t be where she is today without them.
“I basically spent my freshman year … learning English,” says Mohamed.
She continued her EL classes, in addition to her regular high school classes, through her senior year. As her self-esteem grew, so did her capabilities. She pushed herself to take Senior to Sophomore (S2S) and AP (Advanced Placement) classes. By her senior year, she was admitted into the National Honor Society. She also passed the ACCESS (Assessing Comprehension and Communication in English State-to-State) test and no longer needs EL classes for her post-secondary education.
“It (S2S and AP classes) was a big challenge, but I was testing myself to see if I could actually do it,” says Mohamed. “Going from only taking classes to get me ready for high school my freshman year to taking college classes my senior year–it was such a big step. I did it. I graduated with a good GPA.”
When Mohamed was in her sophomore year, she began to join school activities. She was a member of WE ACT and Link Crew (a group of student mentors who assist new students) because she knows how scary being a new student in a school can be. She felt compelled to pay it forward and make new students at Apollo feel safe.
“I needed people to help me when I came to school,” remembers Mohamed. “I knew how stressful it is. So, I thought helping freshmen’s experience to be less stressful and more enjoyable [was important]. High school is fun.”
She joined track and the Nordic Ski team because she wanted to experience outdoor sports. She also joined GSA (Gay-Straight Alliance) which was the result of a pivotal moment in her life. A person very close to her “came out” to share that he was gay, and she knew joining GSA was the best way to voice her support.
Mohamed found her true voice at that point. She joined Communicating Common Grounds, an after-school group led by St. Cloud State University, that gathers with other local district high schools to discuss diversity topics.
“It was high schoolers coming together to create that kind of world peace,” says Mohamed. “I did that for three years. I loved it because it wasn’t just about Apollo High School. It was really interesting to see other people’s perspectives. Some of the other high schools there don’t have as much diversity as Apollo. It was just nice to have all of us come together, meet somewhere and talk about how we can create a world of peace.”
All of Mohamed’s high school experiences gave her an understanding of community activism. It’s a big part of her decision to become a therapist.
In the fall, Mohamed will attend the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) to major in psychology with the hope to double major in psychology and sociology. She wants to be a general practitioner, but especially wants to help people in the LGBTQ+ community the most.
“I really want to go into mental health because I want to help people who struggle with things like … feeling … they are not accepted,” explains Mohamed.
One of the reasons she is so passionate about mental health is because of her own experience. Mohamed grew up separated from her parents and was placed in one abusive home to the next. As a result, she went through a period of time when she struggled with her own mental health.
“People who don’t feel accepted reminds me of my experience,” shares Mohamed. “I know how that feels and I don’t want anyone else to go through that.”
Mohamed is excited to attend college. She plans to join an LGBTQ+ group on campus because she wants to continue her work with awareness and acceptance.
“I don’t want people to discriminate against me because they don’t understand my Muslim identity or black people,” says Mohamed. “I know what it feels like to not be accepted just because of who you are -because of your skin color, because of your religion.”
As Mohamed looks to the future, she sees herself as a therapist and an advocate for LGBTQ+, Muslim and black communities.
Finding her own voice has become integral to understanding who she is.
“Now that I’ve found my voice, I’m not going to shut it!” exclaims Mohamed. “I’m proud of how far I’ve come, but I also tell myself there is still a lot to learn.”
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