Call Me American by Abdi Nor Iftin

"As a child in war-torn Mogadishu, Abdi Nor Iftin learned English by watching action movies. When U.S. Marines landed to take on the warlords, Abdi cheered the arrival of these real-life American action heroes. Sporting hip-hop clothes and dance moves, he became known as “Abdi American.” But when radical Islamists took control in 2006, it became dangerous to celebrate Western culture. Instead, Abdi risked his life posting secret dispatches to NPR. As life in Somalia grew more dangerous, he fled to Kenya. In an amazing stroke of luck, he won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery, though his route to America—ending in a harrowing sequence of events that nearly stranded him in Nairobi—did not come easily. Now he is a proud resident of Maine and is US citizen. Abdi’s naturalization ceremony took place in Portland, Maine January 17th 2020. "

Author Abdi Nor Iftin discusses his book, CALL ME AMERICAN, his journey from Somalia to America, and how his perception of America has evolved. Read more about his work: https://www.callmeamerican.com/press