On January 18, 2013, Somalia's newly elected President Hassan Mohamud and members of his delegation visited Minneapolis, Minnesota to address the Somali-American community, home to the largest Somali diaspora community in the United States.  It was President Mohamud's first visit to the States. He arrived from Washington, D.C. where he met with President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Members of Congress.  Mohamud was joined by Somalia's first female Foreign Affairs Minister & Deputy Prime Minister, Fawzia Yusuf Adem.  

As soon as I walked into the Minneapolis Convention Center, I felt right at home as soon as I saw the huge crowd, long lines, and people buzzing with excitement.  It reminded me of the early days when Eritrea's diaspora held conventions and festivals to support our struggle for independence.  The popular EPLF musicians & activists would organize international tours and I remember we would all flock to the designated city for a rare sighting and celebration with our community members. It was that kind of feeling.  Reunions, rumors, families, children everywhere, teenagers trying to act like they're too cool for the event but clearly excited.  It's the heart of so many diaspora communities. I'm not Somali, and yet, I still felt like I could relate to that excitement.  Anyway, I digress....Here's my summary: