The Swahili word for a Somali-raised in Kenya is “sijui,” which translates to “I don’t know.” “It’s kind of complicated,” explained Sahra Ahmed, a senior Biology major and Honors Program student at UMB, “but if a Somali was visiting Kenya and tried to talk to a Somali raised there, they wouldn’t really understand each other.” Ahmed then laughed, “I have always been confused about my identity!” Ahmed herself would have been labeled “sijui.” “I speak better Swahili than I do Somali.” When it comes to identity, Ahmed continued, “The first way I identify myself is not as a Somali or Kenyan. The first way I identify myself is as a Muslim.” In 1998, Ahmed left Kenya and headed to the United States to go to college. She chose the US because she had three siblings already living here. When asked why she chose UMB, Ahmed stated, “I read that UMB is a diverse school. What I read was really true-the diversity is true to word and I have managed to forge some really good friendships.” Since Ahmed arrived to UMB, she has done her part to foster UMB’s diversity. “It is really important to me,” she stated. Upon arrival, “I used to pray in random classrooms around campus until I met a fellow Muslim student in my Psychology class who told me about the prayer room for Muslim students in McCormack.” Ahmed soon learned that a small organization of Muslim students existed on campus. When invited to attend a meeting, Ahmed recalled that “people were going back and forth saying that we need this, we need that, and at the same time people weren’t doing enough to achieve it. Activity would be required by the people, but I felt that nobody wanted to be active.” Upon witnessing the lack of organization, Ahmed reminded herself of what Gandhi once stated: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” The following semester, Ahmed sat on a board of three and created the UMB chapter of the Boston-wide Muslim Student Association (MSA). Within one year, membership at UMB reached 150 students. One of Ahmed’s main concerns was the under-representation of Muslim women, particularly at the Friday prayer services, or salat-ul-jumma, at UMB. Previously the attendance of women was zero. Because of Ahmed’s encouragement and determination, at least 10-12 women attend the Friday services weekly, making up about 30 percent of the total attendees. “It is really rewarding,” stated Ahmed, “especially because now we get to spend a lot of time together while on campus.” Ahmed added, “At UMB, I don’t feel left out-perhaps at another school I would have.” Ahmed will be graduating from UMB in the spring and plans to pursue medical school, “Insha Allah (God willing), I would like to be a pediatrician. I really like children a lot.” When asked if she plans to stay in the United States, Ahmed responded, “I want to go back home.” After pausing, she continued, “Yeah, insha Allah, I will go back soon, I just don’t know when. I really do like the US-I don’t always support what they do-but this country provided me with an opportunity. If I had to do it all over again, I would definitely choose UMB.”