The Heart-Wrenching True Story of a Young Somali's Journey to Citizenship

In this episode, we speak with Abdi Iftin about his incredible journey from Mogadishu to the U.S. Abdi is the author of the bestselling and award-winning memoir, 'Call Me American: The Heart-Wrenching True Story of a Young Somali's Journey to Citizenship.' His compelling narrative has been featured on platforms like CNN, NPR, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and an episode of "This American Life." When I first encountered Abdi's story, I was immediately reminded of David Foster Wallace's parable from his renowned commencement speech at Kenyon College, where two young fish are swimming and are questioned by an older fish, "How's the water?" only for the younger fish to later wonder, "What the hell is water?" Abdi's journey from the war-torn streets of Somalia to the United States starkly contrasts the environments and realities people from different parts of the world experience. Iftin's tale is a testament to resilience, survival, and the pursuit of the American dream against the harrowing backdrop of civil war and terrorism. For me, his story underscores the importance of recognizing and valuing the unseen, often overlooked aspects of our surroundings—the 'water' in which we swim. Host: Brent Franson, Founder & CEO, Most Days Guest: Abdi Iftin Music: Patrick Lee Producer: Patrick Godino