“We don’t necessarily see a separation between global and local. Global is something that starts right here, right now,” said Kaya Şahin, vice provost for global strategies and international affairs, in his remarks welcoming Ohio House Representative Ismail Mohamed to campus on November 20.
Mohamed is one of the first two Somali representatives in Ohio and the only Somali-born lawyer currently practicing in the state. A graduate of Northland High School, he attended The Ohio State University and earned a bachelor’s in political science and a juris doctorate from the Moritz College of Law.
Mohamed shared his story and highlights from his legislative activities with an engaged audience at the Hale Black Cultural Center as part of the Office of International Affairs’ Global Leadership Series and coinciding with International Education Week. The event also was supported by the Center for African Studies and the Office of Outreach and Engagement.
Born in Somalia, Mohamed and his family were driven out due to civil war when he was five years old. They lived as refugees in Kenya and Ethiopia before seeking asylum in the United States when Mohamed was eleven years old. Mohamed’s family is one of many who have found home in Columbus, the second largest community of Somali immigrants after Minneapolis.
Inspired by his experiences as an immigrant, Mohamed has been a legislative advocate for minority opportunity in the state, backing initiatives to help immigrants obtain legal driver’s licenses, expand halal and kosher food options in educational institutions and promoting a law school enrichment grant aimed at helping “black and brown students get into the legal field.”
In addition to sharing his current legislative focus, Mohamed reminisced about his positive experiences as a law student at Ohio State. “Law school was a great experience because I knew I wanted to have a broader impact,” he said. The Moritz program allowed him to “go out into the community and do actual work,” helping individuals facing evictions and prosecution via free clinics.
Mohamed reflected on how important this kind of service-oriented servant leadership is for Buckeyes and for the larger community. “When you think about global citizen, what does that mean?” he posed. “It is someone who contributes to the well-being of the human earth. It doesn’t mean it has to be a globally significant thing; it could be helping out with an initiative that is local to you.”