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A Somali American who came to the U.S. as a refugee is now helping chart the future of her state as an elected representative. Mohamud Mascadde sat down with Hodan Hassan for a one-on-one interview in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in this story narrated by Salem Solomon
LanguageEnglish
Transcript/Script English
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((PLAYBOOK SLUG: TV Somali Minnesota Representative - Salem, Mascadde
HEADLINE: Minnesota Lawmaker Sends Message of Hope to Refugees
TEASER: Hodan Hassan describes her journey from Somali immigrant to the US to state representative
PUBLISHED AT: 06/26/2023 at 11:15am
BYLINE: Mohamud Mascadde
WRITER: Salem Solomon
DATELINE: MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA
VIDEOGRAPHER: Mohamud Mascadde
VIDEO EDITOR: Salem Solomon
SCRIPT EDITORS: KEnochs; Reifenrath
VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA Original.
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT: 2:13
VID APPROVED BY: KE
TYPE: TVPKG/RADIO
EDITOR NOTES:
((INTRO))
[[A Somali American who came to the U.S. as a refugee is now helping chart the future of her state as an elected representative. Mohamud Mascadde sat down with Hodan Hassan for a one-on-one interview in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in this story narrated by Salem Solomon.]]
((NARRATOR))
Like thousands of others during the start of Somalia’s civil war in 1991, Hoda Hassan fled her home country and sought safety in neighboring Kenya’s Dadaab refugee camp. Although she was away from the fighting, dangers persisted.
((Hodan Hassan, Minnesota State Representative)) ((Female, in English))
“I was a little kid, but I remember [as a] refugee being really, really hard life where you have no safety, no security, you have no control over your life, and your food and your income comes from the UNHCR and the monthly rations that they provide. There are no jobs. At the time there was no school.”
((NARRATOR))
She immigrated to the U.S. more than 20 years ago, ultimately settling in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she earned a master’s degree in social work and public health and began a career as a mental health practitioner and educator.
((Hodan Hassan, Minnesota State Representative)) ((Female, in English))
“America gave my family and myself a chance to get an education, a chance to design our life and destiny, and plan our future plans. Because of America is the reason why I am a state legislator today, because we had a chance to go to school. We had a chance to work hard. We had a chance to rebuild our life."
((NARRATOR))
In 2018, she ran for state representative in her district south of downtown Minneapolis. Now in her third term, she has found that she can make a difference in the lives of newly arriving immigrants through legislation.
((Hodan Hassan, Minnesota State Representative)) ((Female, in English))
“I am the chair of Workforce and Economic Development, and one of the things that we passed was a program that supports Ukrainian refugees, Afghanistan refugees, people who are coming to the state of Minnesota to help them resettle, find a job, get training if they need learn English.”
((NARRATOR))
Hassan believes her story is proof that America is still the land of opportunity.
((For Mohamud Mascadde in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Salem Solomon, VOA News.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Embargo DateJune 26, 2023 10:46 EDT
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English