- My name is Cani Adan, and I am from Somalia.

I flee from my country because of a threat to myself.

In Somalia, I came from a small city called Hudur, and I was running a non-profit organization back home called CPHR, Center for Peace and Human Rights, and I was advocating girls go to school and empowering also women.

And there was extremist organizations in our area called Al-Shabaab.

They didn't like what I was doing.

When the threat come to my way and a lot of my friends get killed, we did not prepare a lot.

Actually, we have not been thinking in America back then.

We have been thinking in Europe somewhere that we can have peace, and we just make a deal with someone.

Okay, we just wanna be out, we just wanna be safe, right?

Then I came a neighbor country called Kenya.

I spent four months in Kenya.

Then I came to Latin America in Brazil again.

Then from Brazil, I went through the Colombia, the Colombia jungle, I was in four nights and four days working in the Colombian jungle.

Then on my way to Panama, then Panama to Costa Rica, Costa Rica to Nicaragua, Honduras, and El Salvador, Mexico, Texas, through the Texas, I came in the country in 2015 when President Trump was almost getting elected.

It's kind of scary time where people are like, "Oh, the people's gonna get deported."

And all that.

So yes, I was one of those who came in the country as illegal, and I go to a detention center.

People when they just come in, they just cannot just walk in the community.

They have to verify who they are, where they come from.

I end up going to the detention center for 40 days.

I get something called a credible fear, where they have to make sure the story that I'm telling is true.

Then I get that, whoever get a credible fear can make out an appeal.

Then they transfer me another detention center in New York, detention center and in Buffalo.

And I spent that a couple weeks.

Then for my understanding, you know, I have a cousin in Fargo Moorhead area, so I have that address in writing, and I thought when I make out, someone will, you know, go with me all the way down to Fargo.

I have no idea where is New York?

Where is Fargo?

Right?

My way coming here, I came with a train then, but it's kind of weird for me.

This train is going one side day and night, and I was like, "This is not one country.

"Am I going back to Somalia?

What's going on?"

Then finally I met there in Fargo.

My cousin was waiting me right there, and that is how I met.

And I have been waiting to get my asylum approved since 2015, and I just get approved, 2024.

Getting to America, I mean, it was new country, new culture, new weather, new people, everything was different to me, but I was so excited to be a country where I can do whatever I want.

Like I said, back home I was running a non-profit organization.

This is my skills, helping people is my thing.

And that's why when I start Googling anywhere that I can volunteer.

That's where I get a number of the organization in the area called Afro-American Development Association.

Then I just walk in, I ask them, "Hey, I just wanna volunteer, I just wanna be helpful."

And they're very welcoming, they're welcome me, they say, "Welcome."

I was opening the office from eight to five.

I was there helping people.

So I was coming home tired, feeling like, yes, I did something.

How many people I helped today, I don't care if I get paid or not.

I am a man of work, I really wanna help people around me, I wanna feel that my time, my ability, my energy is fruitful for the people that I live with.

Now I am a founder of New Roots Midwest, it's another organization.

Also I am the district liaison for Moorehead Area Public Schools.

Fargo-Moorehead is home now.

This is my home.

My family's here, I am here, I am here for a long time now.

I still consider myself as a new American, but I am a Mooreheadian now.

(peaceful music) And my long-term is I wanna be in this area for my life.

I found this area community that loves one another.

People that come together one another.

Doesn't matter where you come from, who you are, we all come together in the streets, parks, celebrating for our differences in cultural events and all that.

So I believe I found new home.

- [Announcer] Funded by The Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund with money from the vote of the people of Minnesota on November 4th, 2008.

And by the members of Prairie Public.