On April 19 of 2015, FBI agents burst into the Minneapolis home of 21-year-old Abdirahman Daud and arrested him. He was not alone: six other Somali-American men from Minneapolis were also detained by federal agents, all of them accused of trying to join or provide material assistance to the Islamic State in Syria. Suddenly this Midwestern city, which is a main hub for the Somali diaspora, with bustling malls resembling Somalia more than America, was on the map as a hotbed of jihadist recruitment.
Two months later, I relocated to Minneapolis to photograph this unfolding story, focusing on Somali youth as they negotiate the precarious balance between assimilating and preserving their culture, while being scrutinized as a leading source of extremism in the U.S.
Since 2015, I've explored this broadly by photographing the Somali community in their daily activities, conveying people's lives at home, their relationship with Islam, how they hang out, play sports, and go to school " all under the shadow of suspicion that they are plotting against their own country. Most recently, I've gained access to and begun to document some of the families and religious leaders of the men who were arrested, to shed light on what led them to that point.
With the recent proliferation of anti-radicalization programs, it is crucial to understand how the communities targeted by them actually live " and ensure that resources are not wasted on people who are not even at risk, generating suspicion where it does not belong. Many parents worry that if these efforts are applied too broadly, they could inadvertently fuel radicalization by alienating young people who wish to enter American society, not destroy it.
I returned to Minneapolis to continue this project two weeks before Donald Trump's inauguration. The president has portrayed Muslims in general, and specifically Somalis in Minneapolis, as a specific threat to national security. His immigration executive order and support for "Countering Islamic Extremism" initiatives in Minneapolis have shaken the Somali community here, while inspiring little faith that these steps will actually prevent radicalization.But now many Somalis have begun to stand up for themselves by getting involved in activism and local politics, running for everything from the Park Board to the City Council. My current work is largely focused on these efforts to engage in the political process and make the community's voice heard.
Ultimately, I hope these photos will demonstrate that the typical Somali is no less American than any other Minnesotan. Considering the ongoing national debate about accepting refugees, it is important to show that Somali refugees, in spite of myriad challenges, have become an integral part of the fabric of Minneapolis. As community leader Sadik Warfa put it, "We will not let these arrests define us. We will be defined by our successes and our accomplishments."
