Ahmed Abdirahman, Director, Maine Muslim Community Center, Portland
“Due to civil war, I fled Somalia in 1991. When I came to the USA in 2004 as a multilingual young man, I believed that I would adapt to life in America easily. In reality, I found the transition very challenging. In Portland, Maine, I met many African immigrants who experienced language barriers and culture shock. The bitterly cold winter was my biggest struggle. I could not believe that the human body could tolerate such cold, and even after 15 years, winter in Maine is still hard for me. However, I found the people of Maine respectful and welcoming—because of them, Portland has become my second home.
After seeing the difficulties that Muslim immigrants face, a small group of friends decided to establish the Maine Muslim Community Center, which was founded in the summer of 2005. It serves the religious and social needs of the Muslim Community in the greater Portland area. The center educates immigrants about their new homeland as well as educating Americans such as police officers, doctors, teachers about Muslim culture—bridging the gap between diverse communities.”
Ahmed Abdirahman was born in Somalia in 1981. Due to civil war, he lost his father and two siblings. After fleeing Somalia, he lived in Kenya in a refugee camp until immigrating to the USA. In 2005, he co-founded the Maine Muslim Community Center, where he serves as Executive Director. He is a respiratory therapist at Mercy Hospital, and additionally works as a counselor, where one of his roles is to teach doctors about Somali beliefs and cultural norms.