Sirad Shirdon Talk to a Somali-American anywhere in the US. Chances are high that they know of a child and/or children who are on the Autism Spectrum. Many Somali mothers have been impacted by a diagnosis, which is unfamiliar to many in the community, and have struggled in accessing resources, in large part due to…
Sirad Shirdon It’s clear that there is a stigma attached to disability in the Somali community. Some parents keep their children with developmental disabilities at home, fearing that if they’re in the public eye, they will be the talk of the community and the family will be looked down upon. This is not a…
Sirad Shirdon A few months ago, I met with a vibrant Somali mother who runs a community organization which serves newly arrived refugees. She expressed concerns regarding the lack of understanding newcomers had regarding their children’s medical conditions. One of her greatest challenges in serving refugees was in improving health literacy. She mentioned that there…
The Somali Literacy Project 