Champions of Change
Mohamed “MJ” Jama is a high school senior at Ubah Medical Academy. He is an active youth leader across the Twin Cities representing the concerns and viewpoints of Somali American youth. At a time when the news headlines are filled with negative stories of violence and hate about young Somali American men, Mohamed Jama, through his leadership and charisma led a positive change to foster better relations between the Somali-American community and law enforcement agencies. Mohamed Jama is the co-founder and the first president of the dynamic Cedar Riverside Youth Council and has developed multiple initiatives encouraging youth success and integration. When the recent famine struck the Horn of Africa, Mohamed Jama and his colleagues conducted several awareness and fundraising efforts to help the famine victims in his native country of Somalia. Mohamed has been active in youth engagement initiatives and has participated in several youth engagement conferences organized by the US Department of Justice. Currently, Mohamed Jama is board member of several influential community organizations like the West Bank Community Coalition (WBCC) and Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP). He is member of the Minneapolis Youth Congress and also serves in the advisory committee for the Young Somali Advisors to the Minnesota Attorney General.