Congratulations to all young people who graduated!

Like many of you, I attended a graduation celebration this spring. My nephew graduated from Johns Hopkins University finishing has last year of medical school. It was a joy to welcome my extended family to the Washington DC area and celebrate with them. Our grandfather was a medical professional who mixed indigenous practices and modern medicine, and I am proud to see my nephew carrying on this family tradition through his study of internal medicine. I am proud of my whole family’s educational achievements, including 13 additional nieces and nephews who graduated from high school or college!

From climate change, to preventing gun violence, to protecting our democracy, our youth are leading the way. I learn from them every day, and in this season of graduation, I humbly offer my own advice to the next generation.

1. Be yourself. Fully embrace your multifaceted identity. When I was younger, I really wanted to fit in. I did not always embrace the qualities that made me unique and have wondered if success was only achieved by being like everyone else. Afier the United States was attacked by terrorists on September 11, 2001, it became harder to be a Muslim in this country, but I am grateful that I fully embraced my Muslim, black, Somali refugee identify without shame. I found strength in embracing my multifaceted identity, even when it is complicated or unpopular. Life is full of "labels." Titles that are given, slurs used as attacks, and words that are earned. Our world will be better if you take the time to find and create the words that best express yourself.

2. Develop meaningful relationships. In 2012, when I moved with my young family to Minnesota, I did not know many successful people in philanthropy, politics and
   
   

government. One of the few people I had met was RT Rybak, the mayor of Minneapolis at the time. He had reached out to my family in 2010 when two of my cousins were murdered during a robbery. New to the state, I reached out to him and RT became a mentor to me. In 2013, he lefi the Mayor's omce and became President of the Minneapolis Foundation. I continued to reach out to him, inviting him to co-create impactful initiatives for the community and always seeking his advice. In return, he consistently invited me to important community discussions and leadership opportunities. When I started my own organization, he provided me omce space and support. A former vice-chair of the national Democratic Party, he also helped me meet influential people. Without intentionally developing relationships, like my friendship with RT, I can't imagine my pathway to serving in President Biden's administration.

3. Value your time to value your life. I encourage you to budget, invest and spend your time like it is an asset. I value my time - both time for work, time with family and time for myself - as investments in my future. In my Somali culture, there is a great spirit of hospitality and welcome, and people move at a pace that is slower and less punctual than the culture of the United States. The relaxed pace is a way of valuing time, and if your goal is for a casual life, you can embrace this! But, also remember there are only 24 hours in a day. Time is your most precious resource, invest wisely!

In this season of high school and college graduation, it is common to give gifis to our impressive young people–wisdom, cards, money, and presents. As I look at the challenges in front of us today, including the scourge of gun violence, I ask myself, how am I supporting the young people around me? What am I sharing with them?

When the Muslim Ban tested our American values, I moved from my work as a successful tech entrepreneur to enter public life. I sought to protect my four children from the cycle of hate and violence that displaced generations of my family. That’s it, that’s the heart of my story. I am working to build a future free from violence and hate for the next generation.

I don’t want to miss an opportunity to contribute to the greater good so I am using this moment to reflect on my roles as a husband, father, public servant, entrepreneur, and immigrant, and commit myself to actions that support democracy, now and in the future.