Somali growth key in outreach effort
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
 Abdikhayr Soofe, 31, praises Columbus' opportunities and welcoming view on immigrants. |
"The more multicultural the city is, the more successful it is," said Abdikhayr Soofe. "Look at New York and other major cities in the U.S.
"Immigrants and different cultures are very good for the economy, very good for our society. They make us grow intellectually."
Soofe recently joined the city's Community Relations Commission and replaces Abdirizak Farah, the city's first African outreach coordinator who recently joined the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Mayor Michael B. Coleman hired Soofe to join Guadalupe Velasquez as part of the city's New American Initiative. Soofe's salary is $46,600 a year.
Soofe, 31, of the Northeast Side, had worked in the Franklin County Clerk of Courts office under John O'Grady, where he worked as an interpreter among his regular clerk duties.
Soofe most recently worked as a compliance officer for Accessible Home Health Care of Columbus.
Somalis make up the largest percentage of African immigrants in Columbus. Population estimates vary widely, from 15,000 to 40,000.
The city also has a growing population of immigrants from Ghana, Nigeria, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone. Some struggle with the language. Others face job and housing barriers, sometimes because of discrimination, said Napoleon Bell, the city's community relations director.
Soofe, who has lived in Columbus for 11 years, said the city remains a good choice for him because of the opportunities here and also the city's attitude toward immigrants, he said.
"Columbus' mayor publicly said, 'We want you to be here,'" Soofe said. "Even those in refugee camps already know about Columbus."
Soofe has written columns for a local Somali newspaper, The Somali Link. Mahdi Taakilo, who runs the paper, said Soofe is good at bringing people together.
"Columbus needs more like him," Taakilo said.
Hassan Omar, who leads the Somali Community Association of Ohio, said Soofe needs to work with the entire Somali community.
"We need somebody to heal the wounds," Omar said.
He said he wants to see Soofe help connect Somalis to community resources and work to promote job growth and economic development.