The Grove Guys
A group of guys, having conversations about our experience and lives. As we discuss what it is to have compromise on (social, political, and cultural) issues. Starting in the roots of community.
The Grove Guys
A Conversation With Council Men Omar
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The Grove Guys talk to Grove City council men Mohamed Omar. He shares his experience and chats with the guys about his journey.
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And we're here. Grove guys hanging out in the grove. You've got John, Chad, Ron, and Steve. And then we also got a fifth Grove guy with us. We got Mohammed Omar here. Really? No one's coming here. Okay, cool. Councilman. Council. Mohammed Omar. There we go. People outside do the late now. There we go. Thank you. Thank you. Okay, so we thank you. Um, yeah, but we're just here to talk to Mo and get to know him a little bit better. And so, first and foremost, Mo, thanks for coming on.
SPEAKER_01Of course, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Thank you for having me. Yeah, sure thing. Um, so let's get into it. Who who is Mohammed Omar?
SPEAKER_02That is a very heavy question.
SPEAKER_06All right, so let's let's let's break it down then. Let's break it down. All right. So you are the son of immigrants, and where did your parents originally immigrate to? Where did you grow up?
SPEAKER_02Um, so my parents are originally from Somalia. Uh they immigrated to uh Maine, okay, Portland, Maine, uh in the late 1990s. Um, I believe around yeah, 1999. Uh my mom gave birth to my sister, and then when she was about three months old, they immigrated to the US. And I'm a 2000s child. I was born in 2000. Okay, nothing wrong with that. Born in Portland. We were there for a couple years and ended up relocating to northern Kentucky. Um so I did most of my childhood out there. My father lives in Grove City. Um I don't know if it's common, but you know, African parents tend to split. And you know, they they raise their children together, but they uh when there's issues in the household, they typically split. Um so my dad was in Grove City, my mom was in northern Kentucky, so I kind of spent my childhood in between the both of them. Okay. Um and yeah, I went I went to college in Northern Kentucky. I went to Northern Kentucky University, got my bachelor's there. Bachelor's in uh journalism with a minor in pre-law. Okay. Um and then I went to uh after I graduated, I moved officially back to Grove City and went to get my master's from Tiffin, and I've been here since.
SPEAKER_06So most of your early childhood education was in northern Kentucky then?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_06Okay. And what was that like for you being the you know and I I asked that question because the rest of the Grove guys, we don't know what that experience is, but what was that like for you being a son of an immigrant, you know, who probably was the only one that spoke really good English? Not trying to disparage your parents at all, but just I figure that English is their second language, if not like third or fourth or something.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Uh it was definitely interesting. You know, when when you're growing up in Western culture and you're not you have been exposed to uh your roots or you know, original nationality, you don't really know what the difference is until you are either taught or you go out the country back to your motherland and you experience it. Um I never went back to Somalia, so I never actually got exposed to the culture back there, but my mom did a really good job at making sure that we still had our culture from a very young age. Um, so being in Maine, it was a lot different. It was a much different experience from being in Northern Kentucky. I will say Portland uh is a lot more diverse than Northern Kentucky is. Portland is in a way a city that welcomes immigrants and refugees. Uh and the diversity showed in our schools and the classrooms for elementary school, I I do remember uh it was a lot more diverse. I had teachers that looked like me. People get shocked when I say that I was born in Maine because like who lives in Maine? Um but uh it it it was shocking. So then I came to Northern Kentucky and the experience is very different.
SPEAKER_06Um is And then what age were you when you moved to uh roughly?
SPEAKER_0213, 13.
SPEAKER_0613 is okay.
SPEAKER_02Um and it it was very different. And it was different to the point where we my subjects and I in a way experienced like culture shock where we were so used to being around people that looked like us, people that speak spoke similar languages. Um, and then we came to Northern Kentucky and all we saw were was just land and and white people, white people and cows, like literally. Um it was it was a different experience. Um just being in school and not seeing people that look like you. Um Portland was really known for its Islamic center. Um so to be able to go and practice your religion um uh at a predominantly Somali mosque was uh a very good experience, but we didn't really have that in Northern Sakhi. So that's why I came out to Columbus and Girl City a lot because it's a lot more diverse over here and it kind of reminded me of where I was born. Uh so to be able to come here, spend time with my dad, but then also be a part of a bigger community that had a lot more representation. Um, I think that's why I really levitated towards Girl City and West Columbus.
SPEAKER_04Um yeah, so I think it's saying something when Grove City is the more diverse, more diverse place.
SPEAKER_07Yeah.
SPEAKER_04So, you know, I it it just goes to show we we're a little jaded because to your point, uh the communities kind of stay together, right? Like there's there's uh safety and familiarity with people that look like you and speak like you. So uh I I know in the events that I've been to in the Islamic Center or uh just the Somali community in general, it's very much uh tribal is the word I want to use, but I don't I don't mean that in a disparaging way. But like they they're familiar with each other, right? They have their own kind of rules of engagement and uh their common practices, right? And and as somebody who's not used to that to um or experienced with that, maybe it can be pretty um, I don't know, it it's shocking, right? A little bit, right? But I can only imagine that the that the opposite is true, and especially if you're in northern Kentucky and there's there's really nothing around to get that kind of feeling of familiarity. I mean, that had to be a real shock to your system.
SPEAKER_02Oh, yeah, for sure. Um, and it took a while to even adapt to that, uh, which is why I think I was so quick to get out of there, to be honest.
SPEAKER_06But and especially like during the middle school, high school age, yeah, in the years. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um, and the racism over there is like very prevalent. It it shows in the education system, you see it in the with the justice system, you see it just going to a grocery store, um, you know, a young black man uh with siblings that are wearing the headscarf in Boone County of all places. Like it just wasn't accepted.
SPEAKER_06How many siblings you mentioned an older sister, so you're number two. How many in total?
SPEAKER_02So there's eight of us total. Okay. I'm the second oldest. Um my age range is from so 27 to 11. Okay. Okay. After my younger brother, who is just turned 17, my little sister's eleven. So there's a little bit of a gap in between. Hey, sometimes I don't know. But the rest of us are back to back, like my sister just turned 27, 25, 24, 23, 22, 20, 17, 11. 11, yeah.
SPEAKER_04Um yeah. So Mo, what's the what's the thing that brought your mother to the Northern Kentucky?
SPEAKER_02So you know, interestingly, one thing about immigrants, and and this is this is just based off a conversation that I have had with my mom. Um when you're fleeing a war-torn country, a lot of times you're in that fight or flight mode, right? Or really survival or flight. Yep. You know, you want to get out of that. Um, so they were very fortunate enough to not only uh have an opportunity to leave uh Somalia at the time, um, but she was also fortunate enough to leave with people that I mean, my dad that she is married to, um, her siblings, like people that she knew growing up. Uh so going to Maine, Maine wasn't just like a first pick. Maine had people that they were comfortable with, people that they knew, people that had immigrated there years before that they were comfortable and and already had that connection with. But when they when they eventually immigrated, they were you know being welcomed by people that they had that connection with. So similar, even years later, with us moving to northern Kentucky, there were people here that my mom knew from back in Somalia that had told her all these great things. She would come out and visit every now and then. Um, so it was it was like uh you came to the land of opportunity, but where really is your land of opportunity, like making sure that you find your place. Um, because as as great as Maine was, um the city was changing a lot, especially for young people. Um it just wasn't safe. There were a lot of issues with uh drugs and police violence. Um, so she just wanted to get herself out of that. I and I feel like, and she's expressed to me that you know it it in a way reminded her of that uh survival or flight, you know, leaving a war-torn country, now you're coming here for opportunity, but then there's all these other issues in the US, this this land that you're supposed to come to for um uh to protect your family, to get new opportunities, business, all of that. So it was like, how could I protect my kids and get myself and my children out of this? So she thought Northern Kentucky was the safer option. She moved over here. Everywhere you go has issues, like everywhere. Um, so now it's our us growing older and you know, being in our career field and graduating school and college, um, she's now able to let us just like take a step back and just you know, you don't have to be in that that mentality no more. You have been in this country long enough where you can be comfortable, you are an American, like enjoy your life here. Um so there's basically been a huge transition. I think that move is what started that for her.
SPEAKER_06And did she always, did your parents always push you you all to go to college and to like get the education and to move forward, or is that like was that a family value for you?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I mean, for sure, when I was younger, like the education was like the number one thing. Every Somali mom wants her child to be an engineer, a lawyer, a doctor. So for her, it was like I mean, I don't know if that was much about the thing. Um and I I was always the hothead growing up. I don't know if y'all can tell, but you know, she she knew it was gonna be something. Whatever it was gonna be, it was gonna be something. So um education was very important. Like my brother, let me tell you.
SPEAKER_08We appreciate you a lot.
SPEAKER_06Ron, say that again.
SPEAKER_08I said we appreciate him a lot. Oh, yeah.
SPEAKER_02He um what was I saying? Um, okay, back to my thought. The uh education was very important for us. Like every morning, getting woken up two hours early before school even started. I'm like, could I just get 30 more minutes? No, but that was my childhood. Yeah, you know, getting woken up early, make sure you go to school, getting signed up for every after school program, um, making sure that we were in sports. I played soccer and basketball a lot growing up, um, and you know, just to give us things to do. Uh my grades were good, but I was still in the summer school program. I I don't know why, but you know, just making sure.
SPEAKER_06Um, but just because it seems like education was a priority, and that's kind of what I was getting at. I was just like, you know, it is it a prior is it a priority for you? Um for sure, yeah.
SPEAKER_04I feel like this this goes back to the when we talked about uh women in the workplace, right? It's the same kind of thing. Like, of course, there's opportunity, but when you're a minority, especially an immigrant minority, you have it's not good enough to be as good as everybody else. Like you have to be 10 times better to get the same job. Not fair, but that's that's the reality, right? So I think his mom knew that and and you know push pushed accordingly. Yeah, sad but sad but true. That's that's how it works, right?
SPEAKER_05Or she may have just been like, I don't want these kids in my house. Go do after school program, right? Maybe I don't know. Give me time. Right. But like it was that with the intent to make sure that her kids will be successful in the future.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, for me, like my father didn't go to college. A lot of his time in the US has just been work, work, work, plumbing, you know, like all these different jobs. Um, so for me, it was like, I have to do this, like I have to get an education, I have to go to college, I have to get a degree. Um, I'm the first in my family to get a bachelor's degree. I'm also the first in my family with a master's. Um, and a lot of it was about making sure that I didn't only like I when I was in school, I was doing it for my family. Like I'm working hard for my last name, not my first, right? And making sure that um at the end of the day, that this family legacy means something, and we're gonna work hard to prove to ourselves that we can do it. You know, if we struggle as children growing up, we're gonna make sure that when we're older, that we're gonna support each other and we're gonna make it.
SPEAKER_06Um and well, that's that's the American dream, and I think that's why even any immigrant would want to come here because that is the dream. Do better than your parents did. And you know, standard.
SPEAKER_08And did you feel that immense pressure being the oldest son as well?
SPEAKER_02100%. Um it's like if my my younger siblings look up to me and to be able to have them watch me go through college, um, go through my master's program, get elected to office, like I I just I I get that feeling in our interactions, like our conversations, just checking in on one another, like they're happy. Um, just like I'm happy for them. Like my brother, my younger brother goes to the college that I graduated from. Yeah. And that to me means the world, like to know that he is pursuing his dreams. And um, and if it wasn't for um him being able to visualize somebody older than him, his brother um going to college and pursuing the education, I don't think he would have, you know. And then I have other brothers that decided not to go to college and are pursuing other paths and and you know, investing in these types of businesses and whatnot. Um, and I think that's also good too, right? Because I grew up in a community where you started with a friend group, you finished with that friend group. You go to school with your friend group, you go to Duxie. We call Duxie Islamic School in Somali. Um, these are people we were spending a lot of time, you know, with the same people. Yeah, and um it was interesting because the older we got, we kind of all separated. And I watched some of my closest friends start doing drugs. I saw I watched some of my closest friends getting arrested and making very poor decisions, and seeing that, I'm like, that cannot be me at all. Um, and it's unfortunate, but I just had to take a different path.
SPEAKER_08Well, Mo, you being younger and I'm also taller than you, let's establish that I I still look up to you though. You know, even even that, I'm just saying you you are a phenomenal young man that I appreciate tremendously, and and somebody that I appreciate in a variety of ways, and I'm just I'm so glad to be counted as somebody that is your friend because you are a just tremendous just an all-around great human being.
SPEAKER_01Oh, thank you, Ron.
SPEAKER_05Well, and I think a lot of people in the community actually look up to you because you're the voice that they've always wanted, and you're not scared to say what everybody wants and and what you want too. Um, and I there's a lot of people in this community that look up to you.
SPEAKER_02That means a lot. You know, it's interesting because I I get that a lot, especially after all this craziness surrounding my apologies. Um realizing I'm not talking louder, the thing is louder. But uh I don't know why I told you. You're fine. You're fine. Hearing that more often, especially after all the conversations surrounding the data center, um, it's shocking to me because I'm just this regular kid that got elected to office, right? And all I'm doing is fighting for what we all want, right? And and fighting for what our community wants and the representation that we so heavily needed before joining council. Um, so for me, when I hear stuff like that, it's surprising because I deal with imposter syndrome real bad. Like, like I'm being so honest. Uh I'm I convinced myself that you're young, like, are you even supposed to be doing this? Like, I sit in room sometimes and I look around on the younger person. I'm like, am I even supposed to really be here? Um, and then the other day I um was scrolling through uh Instagram and I saw a post that said, uh, y'all are fighting to be in the same friend groups while I'm sitting in rooms with your grandfathers and your dads. Like that that that was and it resonated and it couldn't have come at a better time, but um it was shocking. So hearing that makes me think like, I don't know, maybe this is what's meant to be happening.
SPEAKER_08I would agree, I would agree with you because to me, seeing someone that you know supported, you know, the current administration in the best way that I can just put that, um, you know, saying that you should run for other types of offices is encouraging to me because it it shows that they that they see that you are not just, you know, some somebody that's just out there, you know, trying to do something for yourself. You are there for the people that you, you know, for your constituents, but not just your constituents, because I am I am not in your ward. I'm in I'm in a different ward than what you were elected to, but I feel like you represent me. And I feel glad to be able to speak to you and to communicate with you, you know, especially as you share the thoughts and the you know the the perspectives that I have, you know, and and it's it's encouraging. And and so I give so much kudos and appreciation to you in every way that I can because you just do such a a phenomenal job of of being a councilman. And thank you, you know, and everybody appreciates that because I think everybody across the political spectrum has seen that you know what, here is this guy that's not just here to you know represent you know ward five. He's here to listen and inquire about what all of us in Grove City, you know, hold to. And that is that is valuable because I feel like that people want to have a voice, and you give people that voice. And and that is that's huge for me, is to be able to have that voice that I feel like I didn't have before.
SPEAKER_06There you go. And on that note, I'm I'm Steve, before you I'm also go ahead.
SPEAKER_04Just just real real quick note, I'm also in Ron's Ron's ward, and uh I signif I significantly feel exactly what Ron's talking about as far as not being represented by our own uh ward representative. So I yeah, I could I couldn't agree more, but I can I can only imagine Mo with that imposter syndrome stuff. I mean, it's a it's a real thing, right? Like I even I feel it in in things that I do sometimes, but to have that and on top of that be in the world of politics where people will say things to you, but you never really know if they mean it or if it's a sideways thing to try and get to something else, like there's always an angle, and just oh man, I can't I can't fathom what it's like. Can't fathom.
SPEAKER_06On that note, let's take a quick short break and we'll be right back. How's it going, everybody? Just real quick, let's have you all check out the groupoveguise.com, our website that has launched. We're trying to get it growing, we're trying to get it out there. You can introduce topics to Us, you can email us directly. You can learn a little bit more about us as the hosts. Well, once again, that is thegroveguys.com. Check it out. And we're back. So when we left off, we were talking to Councilman Omar about his experience growing up. But I think we want to dive a little bit more into the other four Grove guys are white men here in America. But Councilman Omar is a Somali, son of a Somali immigrant. He is a black man and he is a Muslim. And that is a completely we were talking about culture shock before. That is a completely different experience than what we had here. Um so how have you experienced male culture and masculinity for yourself?
SPEAKER_02I think what comes to mind as soon as you mentioned that is mental health. Okay. Um growing up in the Somali household, or just in the Somali community in general, or even being a black man, uh as a man, you're not supposed to talk about your mental health. You're not supposed to talk about how you're feeling when you're feeling mad, sad, angry, frustrated, whatever it might be, um, that you're just supposed to keep that in and and deal with it. You know, find an outlet, go play basketball, go play soccer, or you're you're mad, go outside, go for a walk. Uh so it it really went from being, in my opinion, I think earlier, early on, it was it was somewhat of a uh important topic that got turned into a taboo. You know, like, oh, we don't talk about that. Or you're dealing with mental health issues, you're feeling depressed, uh, you have some sort of illness. Figured out. Yeah, like so uh I I recall just thinking back, hearing a lot of that growing up. And I think that has had an impact on me now because I don't like to I I keep it very surface level. I don't like to talk about my emotions, my childhood. Like I never, this is a special occasion, but right, and you showed up to talk with us. But I I never like I you would never catch me on a regular day talking about you know deep stuff, like stuff that I wouldn't ever bring up, you know, even to my my close friends. Um and I think growing up in a culture where mental health was looked at looked at like a taboo, especially being uh a black man, I think that has played a huge role. Uh and I think for me, it I it it has resulted in me looking for different outlets, like whether that's through writing, whether that's through, you know, going for walks. I like to go for walks. Count being on council has been very stressful. I try not to show it, but it's it's been a journey. Um, so I I like to go for walks. You ever just see me at uh Beula walking around? I'm clear my mind. Uh so don't talk to them. That's right. That's right. Uh but it it's it's been an interesting journey. I I try not to carry that with me, you know, even talking to my younger siblings who are also young black men. Uh there's five boys, three girls. Okay. Uh trying to break that that culture, you know, even through our conversations, our interactions, talking about their mental health, you know, how what what is what is what are you feeling? How are you? Are you okay? You know, we don't hear that often. Uh so really trying to continue that and and make sure that they have that instilled in them, but also pass that on to the next person.
SPEAKER_06Was that passed on to you from your dad or from another from somebody else, or is this just something that you've decided I'm doing moving forward?
SPEAKER_02Interestingly, so my sophomore year of college, I uh joined a fraternity. Okay. Across into Five Beta Sigma Fraternity Incorporated. Um, and it's one of the Divine Nine uh Black fraternities, uh part of the National Panalytic Council. And that was really the first time that I had people around me that actually cared about how how I was doing mentally. Um and it was a long journey to Sigma Land, but when I made it, you know, it it really that brotherhood that we hear about often when fraternities actually existed, where this wasn't just oh, you're in a frat, party, have fun, but yeah, it was the brotherhood aspect was very important.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, you found your community.
SPEAKER_02My community, and that's right. I think that that to me was a bit shocking because I never was exposed to that before, but to have other black men making sure that this black man was doing okay mentally, it meant a lot to me. Uh, and I I tried to carry that with me um up to this point. Uh, but I my junior year of college, I I brought in a line of Sigmas and passed that on to them. And so that was really my first time.
SPEAKER_06And was that fraternity exclusively Somali, or was it just all black men of all different Yeah, it was black men of all different backgrounds. Okay, okay, awesome.
SPEAKER_08So so here's a question that I have for you, Mo. Because I try to do the best that I can, but I can't as as as a white guy, okay, what can I do? What can we do? Because all the Grove guys are all white guys, let's establish that. What can we do to support you? And what is it that we can do to be able to uh to establish and show that we have that support for you? Because we want to be able to, you know, to promote you, to support you, to be there for you, but I think sometimes it's lost on us because we don't know. So what is it that you feel as though we can do to help you, to support you?
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's a very heavy question. But I think for you to even recognize that is a starting point. Um, and and I think education is very important. I always encourage people to do their research. There's so many issues that people deal with. So many, um, especially people that don't fit the majority, uh, whether that's race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, like there's so much division in this country. Um, and the first most important thing is education. You know, educate yourself on these different topics um because you will never understand my experience because you're not living it, but you can only go based off of what you learn through research, through conversation, through engagement. Um, and I I will say, like, for the Grove guy specifically, like being able to know each of you personally and spend time around you and build a connection, you guys are doing the work, you know, showing up in the community, organizing, not just for yourself and for your families, but also for you know, other communities that may not have that representation or may not be able to come into Grove City Council and advocate against a resolution in support of ICE, right? Um, so to have a white man step up, a pastor at that, step up, a reverend, you know, step up and and advocate for marginalized communities is huge, right? Um, and and that advocacy, you know, whether it's received or not in that moment, it leaves a very lasting impact. Because now, as the first Somali City Councilor on City Grove City Council and in the state, like to know that there are people in my community who are willing to go to bat, who are willing to advocate, who are willing to speak up, that makes me feel more comfortable right then and there in my position. Right. So it that it lets me know that moving forward, any attack on me for the color of my skin, my ethnicity, my culture, whatever it might be, I have that support in the community. Um you're doing it.
SPEAKER_08Well, just know that we we are here for you. And yeah, you know, and that's one thing is that you know, being being a a a Christian pastor, and you know, you being my Muslim brother, it is a tremendous thing for my life to have you there to be in my life. And and it's it's something that I will stand up for and I will stand for and and I will support, and you know, we will bridge that re quote unquote religious gap that we have, you know. And and I just want you to know is that no matter what it is, is that you will have me in your corner always. And you know, you'll have all of us, all of these guys that are here right now, you will have us in your corner. Absolutely. You know, it does, and that's the thing, it doesn't matter what our quote unquote foundation or beliefs or you know perspective that we may have, we all have that that connection, that community together to where we all have that focus towards you know, having that in-game of of of being together.
SPEAKER_06And that was the point of this podcast. That was the point of you know even starting anything and doing everything and having Mo on is just how do we how do we show that community, how do we show that connection, and how do we, you know, to quote you Mo, how do we do that work? We invite you to come in, you you know get to know us, we go out and get ice cream together. Like we do all link, you know, and even after city council meetings, you'll come and get tacos with us when we go. Like you don't have to do that.
SPEAKER_01All right, I could be F links. Oh okay.
SPEAKER_04Hey, uh let me let me just bolt on that you know I appreciate you saying that we're doing the work, but I but I also want to call out that that you make it easy to do the work too.
SPEAKER_08Absolutely, right?
SPEAKER_04Like I mean, you've invited us into uh the Somali community in some cases, right? We we've actually gone with you to see some of the events and that kind of stuff. That that means a lot. I mean, it's like I said before, it's it's a strange world for for me, I can only speak for myself, but but when I uh go to to one of your things, it it's a it's different, but I appreciate getting to see it from the inside. It it gives you an appreciation that you can't get from somebody telling you about it, right?
SPEAKER_06Right, right, or even reading it online or an article or something like that.
SPEAKER_08That's right. Being invited to somebody's intimate aspect of who they are and what their culture is, is a huge thing to be able to be invited to within that.
SPEAKER_05Right. And the funny thing is it's not like you're invited, and people are like, oh, that's that's somebody that Mo brought over in the corner. They all come over, they talk to you. I mean, it's you're all of a sudden part of the community, you know?
SPEAKER_08Yeah, so we had a I have so many new Facebook friends, Mo, just because of that connection. Just established that. And I appreciate that fact, you know. You are you are that connection for for us and for for many of us, and we appreciate that and are thankful for that.
SPEAKER_04Yeah, yeah, and I think that's an important, an important part that we miss a lot when we talk about uh the differences in cultures is that it takes takes a somebody has to be the bridge, right? Like if we really want to understand each other, somebody on one side has to grab the hand of somebody on the other and build that bridge. Yep, yeah, right? And and you've you've really uh I think stepped up to that charge. Um 100 probably probably another case where maybe that wasn't intentional, maybe it was intentional, I don't know. But it I don't know that it's always intentional when you do it, but it is meaningful, right? So uh, you know, keep keep building bridges, my friend.
SPEAKER_08Yeah, that's right. Know that you got this big old white guy that's gonna be in your corner at every step of the way. I'm not not being as big as a white guy as I used to be, but but you know, but I'm I'm I'm their brother. I am I count you as a brother, and that's that's the that's the important thing. And I know that all of us, you know, all of the Grove guys count you as a brother. All four of us, yeah.
SPEAKER_05Right. Well, and I think with what you're doing with City Council and you're listening to the people, you're bringing stuff forward that the people want, um, you're building that community, a bipartisan community, which is really strange because in Grove City that's not that doesn't happen. Um but you're you're putting stuff out there that like no matter what side you sit on, they're like, no, we all agree this is this is what we need.
SPEAKER_06Yeah. And interestingly, no, no, you're you're fine, but oh like well, how did that start? Like, what started your journey to say I'm gonna sorry, just tell the people how did you decide I'm gonna run for council, I'm gonna I'm gonna do this.
SPEAKER_02You know, going to council meetings and sitting through those very long meetings, and I I I think it's fun being on the other side of the dice. So maybe y'all might have to join me, but um sitting through those meetings and being the only person of color at times in the room, aside from um Mr. Wilson, uh who's appointed as council, it it was very challenging because I would go to different parts of Grove City, I would go to the parks, I would go to the grocery stores, and I would see so much diversity. And I felt like, why is that not reflected here on council? Why are we not represented on city council? You know, and and to me that was a huge problem. Uh and instead of talking about it, I'm a firm believer in don't just talk the talk, but walk the walk, right? And change starts with you. So if if there is an issue and you can do something about it, do it. Do something, okay. Mobilize people, talk to people, get people engaged and do something about it, right?
SPEAKER_06Yeah, not the only person that has said do something here in Grove City.
SPEAKER_02Um so I decided to run. And you know, I before running, I had a lot of conversations with people in the community, Steve being one of them. Um, and you know, really got valuable input on um my campaign. And I think that's what really helped shape shape uh my my run. Uh and it was fun, very stressful, but you know, when you're putting yourself out there, you're gonna deal with all types of stuff and all types of hate and negativity, a lot of support. People really were so impressed by my age. I was 24 when I first announced my candidacy and um turned 25 during my campaign. Um, and people people were really impressed uh by that and never thought in a million years that a young person would run for council in Growth City. Never thought that yeah, because the stereotype is that they don't care.
SPEAKER_06Young people don't care, they're not involved in war there at but we do care.
SPEAKER_08And I will tell you that I am I am it is a huge pleasure that I got an opportunity to be one of your first um you know people to you know uh send and and and be a part of your your campaign to and I I Mo I just like you so much. I just I appreciate you.
SPEAKER_02I would be driving through Girl City and I would see Ron on his walk with my shirt on. Um but I just going back to my point real quick, it it it was a very interesting journey for me. Um, and when when I one of the things that I I remember telling myself during my campaign was whether I win this or not, it'll put a crack in that glass ceiling. Like at least for the next person, for the next young person, for the next Somali, for the next African-American, the next Muslim. Like, it will give marginalized community an opportunity to at least see themselves in that space. Right, it wasn't only the power of their voice. Yeah, the religion. It wasn't only um the fact that I'm first generation, it wasn't none of that. It was also for me, what was the biggest factor was age. Like, shout out to the council people, but they're old. I mean, like I'm not old though, but like, you know, yeah, yeah, and how are we making decisions for an entire community when we're not representing all voices? Right.
SPEAKER_05Well, and I I think it's important too. It's not just the voices. I mean, if you look at the other people on council, um they don't have the same financial struggles, housing struggles, anything like that that you may encounter at 25 or any 25-year-old. It's a whole different lens. It's right. When you have the means, you make decisions based on having those things. I mean, I remember being in one of the meetings and they were talking about, oh, somebody may need to pave over that gravel area. And I remember one council person was like, well, they may not have $2,000 to do that. Right. You know, but everybody else is like, well, they should be able to do it. That's what you need to do.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Right. And for that council person who said that, you know, like either they're aware of their community or they are speaking from experience, you know, and everybody's situation is different. So even just those different perspectives, it plays a huge role. Because now when we're talking about housing, when we're talking about affordability and access, like I'm not coming from the perspective of a white man that's been living in Girls City for 40 years. I'm coming from a perspective of a young black Muslim man that has experienced life in different ways that may not be what the majority has experienced. And that perspective puts value in the conversation.
SPEAKER_06And that's what a democracy is supposed to be. 100%.
SPEAKER_08And I feel like your voice is more of my voice than any anything else, you know. And we're uh if we could be complete opposites, we are complete opposites. I mean, I'm a white, I'm a white Christian guy, and and you're a black Muslim man, and and and even though that is the case, I still feel like your voice is speaking for me. And and I appreciate you at so many levels.
SPEAKER_02Community. And I think uh one important thing too is people just want to be heard. People just want somebody who's going to effectively listen to them and their issues and at least show that you care. It is 2026. The reality of this country is that people are struggling. Our federal government has not done anything to make the lives of people, everyday people, easier. We see gas prices, we see, you know, the price of housing, we see rent, we see our groceries, everything like it's through the roof. People are struggling and people need support. And we need people in offices that are willing and able to listen to people and advocate for the needs of everyday people. Um, not just your community, not your wife, not your neighbor, not your friend, but people that you may not always see, people that you might run into at the gas station.
SPEAKER_06Right, not the people that look like you, but the people everybody.
SPEAKER_05Well, and I feel I need to throw this out too. Not just the citizens, the people that are here on visas, the people that are illegally here. Um a person's a person. 100%. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02And it was interesting, like the conversations that I were had was having when I was running, and the conversations that I'm having now, being in my position, are drastically different. The other day I was at a store and I ran into this older lady. Um, and this is somebody that I I uh recall was, you know, in opposition to my campaign. Um was affiliated with individuals that spread a lot of hate about me and attacks on my campaign and me for for who I am. Um and we had a very good conversation. And this was somebody that was grateful for me being in this position, that voted against me, and um it was just so happy to you know say that she now believes in me and and what I'm what I want to do for Ward 5. And that is why I do it, right? And it's not about being the most liked, it's not about being the favorite, because I know, yes, I'm people might appreciate me now, but I might make a decision tomorrow that the public might not like. That's right. Um that that is what this is supposed to be. We're supposed to disagree on issues and be able to have those difficult conversations. Uh, so yes, you might see us on council getting into it, but there is value. Even, you know, just at our last council meeting, uh, we had a very good discussion during caucus. And I remember saying at the end of the meeting, like, this is what we need. We need more time like this to just talk as council without having all the public pressure, without trying to do it big for the camera. Like, this is what matters, this dialogue and back and forth is how great things happen. Y'all just have to allow it to happen.
SPEAKER_06Yeah, it's how you support your community. It's how you mo.
SPEAKER_08I am so glad for who you are. And I just want to appreciate who you are because you know what? The one thing that is for me that that feels void and negative is or are just not acknowledged are those that didn't vote for a person feeling like they're not heard because they didn't vote for that person. You acknowledge those that may not have voted for you or may not agree with you, or may not be fully one hundred percent in regards to what it is that you are standing for, but you acknowledge them, and that is that is huge. Just like you hearken back to the fact of you know, people just want to be heard, you to me make feel make me feel like people are heard always and and that is that is that is huge.
SPEAKER_06That's part of you know the job of a councilman if I'm being honest is to be you know you're not you're you're not on council for yourself. You're on counsel for not only the people ward five that you represent directly but all of Grub City. Because sure Ward 5 might have voted you in but there were other people in other you know wards that voted for you. Yeah that wanted you up there.
SPEAKER_08And I will say this and I'm I it's gonna probably come off negative and that's okay. I don't care. Do it I don't feel like my ward representative listens to me because I disagree with him but you have people that have disagreed with you that feel like they have a voice in your war. That are now coming back around yep and I wish I wish I had I wish that my ward representative would actually take the moment to listen and talk to me but he ignores anything that I try and say anything that I try and talk about well let well let's not disparage a guy that's not here.
SPEAKER_06Come on now.
SPEAKER_08I'm not gonna disparage but I I'm just okay you're starting to break up a lot Ron so it's getting kind of hard to hear I apologize what I'm trying to say is that I appreciate Mo for not just for making people who may not have I think we've lost Ron here.
SPEAKER_04Ron you you cut out there unfortunately so yeah let me just um go back to Mo brought up the fact that we had a conversation we had many conversations but we had the the first conversation we had about him running in that ward and it it was a very difficult conversation for me to have with him because I I know I've talked on this uh podcast before about my direct reports at at work being female and having conversations with them about you know the expectations being extra high etc etc this is this is the first time that I ever had to have that conversation about color or religion right so although it's for all intents and purposes the same conversation right like it's not it's not fair it's but it is the reality you're gonna have to overperform etc etc etc but that part of it uh I think Mo probably expected that part to be very blunt right I mean I I don't think there I didn't say anything that was a surprise um but I but I did say that he could win this thing but it would require that he go do the work right that that was the key to the whole thing right right we we had seen previously with uh Aaron Miller's run where he actually went and did the work. Now he withdrew before the votes were counted but if if you look at the vote totals the person that did the work would have run won that race had he stayed in. So I I knew that it was possible what I what I didn't appreciate enough at the time was how much of the work Mo was willing to do.
SPEAKER_06Yeah which for the record was all of it if I'm not mistaken.
SPEAKER_04He probably did more than what I would have expected to be reasonable to be very very blunt. So that was outstanding. Also along the way there there were a handful of times that um you know I would give him a little bit of feedback here and there. And then the then the next thing I would see is him taking that feedback right now I I'm not suggesting that I'm some kind of guru this doesn't have anything to do with me I'm what I'm suggesting is that he he knew what he wanted to do he was in it for the right reasons and he was willing to do the work. Right and he stayed for me right yeah for me that's what that's all I want yeah I don't need to agree with you on everything. We disagreed on the community center right right right we we had that conversation before I don't agree with Mo on everything. I don't want to be very blunt I don't want to agree with him on everything. If we all agreed this place would suck we'd be horrible it takes it takes discussion and compromise to find common ground that everybody can thrive in right and so I I really appreciate the openness and the honesty that that we have uh amongst each other uh in this group to be able to say this is what I believe and if you don't believe it that's okay yeah it's all right I'm gonna try to convince you I think I'm right but you should try to convince me too right that's how this works that's how this works and and at the end of it all we'll all vote and we'll make a decision and we'll move on with our lives but we but we know that we gave it our best effort and we did it with good faith. Right and I mean that's all I want.
SPEAKER_05Yeah and that's all I want to be the only one that's actually had those open forums to talk about those issues and say hey how do you feel about this not this is my plan this is what I want you to back me on but let's have a discussion how is this going to be best for everyone yeah um and and I think he's starting to get a couple other council members to to think that way about hey this is a community and and we need to hear what everybody's got to say um not just represent the way we think they want us to.
SPEAKER_06Yeah and to that end of just like you have those forms, you have those conversations with people and then Steve what you were talking about you then see when he's up there you know in council in chamber you see him taking that into consideration. Even if he doesn't fully go you know the Steve way he's taking in you know he's going oh yeah we did talk about that okay like yes this is this was an issue brought up this was something yeah you can see the gears turning if I can phrase it that way yeah it's a big uh learning process yeah oh yeah but you're but you're doing a great job I can only imagine I mean it's like drinking from a fire hose up there I'm sure uh but you you know the is it Mo is it empire hose uh something or like a water man yeah right I guess especially when certain people talk I'll just put it that it it can be yes let's establish that so uh you know I I think I I'm super proud of of what you've done I'm proud to have supported you this whole time uh I'm I'm I couldn't be more happy to call you a friend I mean that to be very blunt yep right so you know kudos to you and and by the way I I don't think so here's this is another thing that I think is underrated on a council it takes a special kind of person to be able to take feedback from a lot of different people which is your job as a council person and make a decision that you may not personally agree with but the but the community has told you that this is what they want.
SPEAKER_02Right do what's best for the community the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few or the one right right so less to listens to all of us I was elected to serve the residents of Ward 5 and the residents of Grove City and I'm not there with an agenda I'm not there to play a political game I'm there to serve the residents and that means listening to what the residents want. Now I might have a different approach on how to address an issue but that's where conversation comes in and being able to talk to people um on how best to address these issues because we ultimately want the best thing for our community and I'm I I yeah I mean I guess that's not an approach that's followed by everybody but it's a shocker isn't it hey we appreciate that you follow that because you are a tremendous young man.
SPEAKER_06Yeah thank you all right let's take a quick break and we'll be right back.
SPEAKER_00For the Vote Voice Vintage Car and Bike Show where residents are in the driver's seat to protect Grove City we'll have live music raffles food trucks and more show up and be part of the community and we're back so this has been a interesting and fun conversation here with Councilman Omar.
SPEAKER_02Very exciting oh yeah um so councilman Omar tell us an interesting factoid about yourself um interesting facts so when I was in junior year of high school I went back to Maine to a program called Chwonke. Chowonke it was a semester school I lived on a farm for four months they selected students from all around the country all around the world actually there was this one kid from Hong Kong and it was uh 47 of us and it was basically a school in the middle of nowhere it was up in Wiscasset Maine and we ultimately lived there became a community um talked about so much different things and I did so many things that I thought I would never do. I went kayaking for a week canoeing for a week zip lining um milking cows in the morning uh scooping cow manure manure getting chased by chickens right just call it fertilizer but people for people would never think that I lived on a farm and I always use that as a fun fact so there you go the other one was gonna be that I'm terrified of dogs but y'all already know that right I mean because you're part of our community especially John's dog Maya my my Maya's fine she's crazy but she's fine right but I I get it I get it she's exuberant she is I'm also looking around as I speak because there's a cat sitting right behind me. She could carry cats I'm not scared of cats but like I've never seen this one before it takes a little while to get sceptical skeptical she's probably just mad that you're cows is it like all four legged cows cows cows horses no what about that chicken right I was just thinking the chickens like chasing all animals that are that are fast and feisty. Yeah but you should be scared of the thing I mean chickens are dinosaurs guys let's let's just put it out there yeah they are dinosaurs that's true that's true but this was awesome I I'm so happy that I was able to participate in this conversation I just see this chicken like chasing though around the farm it was bad and then it was it was raining so I slipped on mud and the chicken was just fertilized or is it a I don't know or mud oh boy oh boy so glad but it yeah never again though you would never catch me on a farm now we know now we know all right well Mo once again we want to thank you for coming on and we appreciate you 100% glad you're our council member thank you for having me you know I always say this but the work is still being done we have a lot more that we need to do uh and to all the viewers at home if you're not doing anything about the craziness in this world do something about it yep and show up to us at a council meeting yep and thank you for being part of our community for sure guys we'll catch you next time thanks for listening John made that Steve's a lot community community come on hit the button hit the button hit the button there you go stereo to the button I don't know I don't know if you were hitting the button that many times or Steve was actually a little bit of both but since we're actually over now we're gonna actually end on this so everybody