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First, You Have to Believe in Yourself
Deeqo Jibril
It has been a long journey for me to come to where I am now.
I am from Somalia. I had to leave because of the war there. I lived in a refugee camp in Kenya.
I came to the United States in 1991. I was 13 years old. I went through a lot, but it made me a better person. Many people helped me, and that makes me want to help others.
My children are my motivation. Every time I want to quit school, I think, “How am I going to tell my son or daughter that they need to get an education if I don’t have one?”
In April 2007, I attended a class to learn how laws are passed and how to advocate for issues. I realized I am somebody, and my voice is powerful.
To me, advocacy means speaking up for what you believe is right. Without advocacy, change won’t happen. Over the years, I have learned an important lesson about speaking up: First, you have to believe in yourself!
AFTER YOU READ:
1. Tell the author’s story in your own words. What is most surprising to you about her story?
2. What difference does it make to hear a story like Deeqo’s? How does it make you feel?
3. What stories do you and your classmates have of learning to believe in yourself? What digital tools could you use to share those stories? Try it! Visit edtechteacher.org/8-steps-to-great-digital-storytelling-from-samantha-on-edudemic to get started.
Deeqo Jibril attended the Community Learning Center in Cambridge, MA. She received a Citizens Bank/World Education college scholarship in September 2007. In 2021, she ran for City Council in Boston. She currently works as the executive director of the Somali Community and Cultural Association. We first published this story in Issue #26. Read an intermediate level of the story at changeagent.nelrc.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/First-You-Have-to-Believe-in-Yourself.pdf.