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Yusuf Hussein

For the longest, I have always dreamt of making a significant impact in my community.

Values such as love and concern for other people have always been my driving force in life. I

have always believed that the world has an endless string of possibilities if only we were bold

enough to explore. Going to college means a lot to me as a person coming from a less fortunate

background. A little bit about myself is that my family and I fled from our home due to a civil

war in Somali. For the most part of my life, I have been exposed to discrimination and

oppression for who I am as Somali Bantu. I was born in Kenya, but my family immigrated to the

United States in august 2004. At that time, I was three years old, but I'll admit that it is

challenging to be a Somali Bantu in any part of the world due to lifestyle differences. I consider

living in the United States as a clear blessing. My siblings and I have experienced how vital

resilience is in an individual's life. Being the third oldest in my family, this will be an opportunity

for me to kill two birds with one stone – acquire education and act as a noble leader for future

generations in my community.

I’m glad I came this far and ain’t ready to give up. Like hero Chadwick Boseman once

said, “The struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose”. I am a sole

believer in that and once I overcome this challenge called college I will then have found my

purpose. One thing I've learned about myself this semester is that I always stay true to my goals.

I say because as college students we tend to forget what we are actually here for. This is more

than just getting a degree and having a well-paying job. I see things as longevity meaning I'm not

only doing this for myself but, for those who come after me. With that being, said my goal is to

enhance my entrepreneurial skills and, in the long run, use them to change the business culture in

my community. I deliberately plan to share from the perspectives of students from other parts of

Yusuf Hussein

the world and, in the process, broaden my understanding of different aspects of business and life

in general. I will then carry my knowledge and experience back to the community with the hope

of convincing them that there is always a different way of doing and managing a business. I hope

to improve the entrepreneurial capacity within my community. People will be better at running

their businesses, and naturally, the living standards will improve. Having been brought up in a

society where sharing was a virtue, I have grown to believe that no man is an island. People must

learn to share if at all humanity is to survive. This is just the beginning of a new chapter.