Hussein Interview

Rayshon minutes 0-5 Rayshon: As doctor Miller said to you before this is all about you. We are literally just here to hear your story and what not. So you can make this about you like, we'll ask you some questions and you can answer it as much as you want, you can be as vague as you want, it entirely up to you. So we'll just start off with some basics so start with your name. Hussein: My name is Hussein Rayshon Do you consent to being interviewed? Hussein: yeah Rayshon: alright awesome. Kurtis: and do we have permission you use your name in published portions of this interview? Like if you don't want your name to be on it please say. Hussein: Ughhhhh Kelly: Yeah we can use a fake name Hussein: Yeah just put John Snow on there Rayshon: That is fine we will use your story but, 00:01:00not your name if that is alright? Hussein: Alright Minute 1 Rayshon: So why don't you just tell us a little bit about yourself, you know where you are from? Hussein: Um im from Kenya, but I moved here when I was three years old so I basically grew up here. But I still connect with my culture so like my mom she, like I basically grew up from my area and so. I can talk like i can still speak my language, but there really is no need to cause I am always speaking english to people. Always translating for my mom and parents. Kelly: And what language do they speak? Hussein: Maay Maay Minute 2 Kelly: And were they forced out of Kenya or did they leave by choice? Hussein: I never really asked that question 00:02:00so.... Kelly & Kurtis: That's fine

Rayshon: Alright so you have been here since you were three. Are you from this area, like in pittsburg? Like have you lived in Pittsburg your whole life? Hussein: Yeah basically, cause I moved to Ohio at one point but I moved back a year later. Rayshon: So your from the city then. Hussein: (noods head) Rayshon: So um, can you tell us a little bit, um have you been to kenya in recent times? If you can remember? Hussein: Um, um no but I have flashbacks. At first I thought there was something wrong with me, I kept getting nightmares or something. I went to the doctors to get checked out it was just repressed memories, me as a kid. Minute three Kurtis: Do you have any favorite childhood 00:03:00memories of your home land? (static) Kurtis: That's fine I can't even remember what I had for lunch today

Kelly: Are there like holidays that you celebrate that are better, that are kenyan. That wouldn't necessarily be like American holidays, but maybe like traditions that your family has or things that they have brought over. Hussein: Um probably not, it won't be more Kenyan themed, it would be more of. Because Im from Kenya but my mom is from Somalia Kelly: Okay

Hussein: and my dad. I was born in Kenya that's where I was born, but my mom is originally from Somalia. If it was anything like, carried on it would probably be more a religious thing than traditional. More of a religious cause we 00:04:00basically adapted to, well I basically grew up to everything so. Where as people would see it Four minute Rayshon: And if you don't mind me asking, of course you don't have to answer. Um your religion what do you practice? Hussein: I am Muslim Rayshon: Ok.......So you kind of touched on it a little but is there something special that your family does? Not necessary like a holiday, but just something you know that you do that other families don't. Just because your from you know your African or just from Kenya. Just something special that you do with your family, in your community also. 5 minutes: Hussein: Um not really, 00:05:00because it not as of being special it's just as it, like as it not being the way other people do it. Or that's just, like you guys just don't understand because it's basically like, it just like your basically doing the same thing you just don't understand it. Rayshon & Kelly: Yeah Hussein: It's just. Me I see both sides of the story since I grew up here and I grew up so, everything is normal its that people see it in different ways. Kelly: Right Rayshon & Kelly: Mhm Kurtis: Does your family have any special sayings or expressions, that other families would have? Hussein: If you want to get cussed out All: (Laughter) Kurtis: See I had a grandma that was Polish and she had some. So

Kurtis 6-10 Minute 6- 7:05 Rayshon: So what's it like, I know I can attest. 00:06:00Growing up in a bilingual household where you're parents aren't necessarily good in English and what are the language barriers? What's that like for you? What's your take on that? How do you feel about that? Hussein: Well... my language barrier between? Rayshon: Do you ever get frustrated.... Not like necessarily frustrated but do you feel like there needs to be more effort in having your parents not being as strong in English as you are? Or having to interpret for them constantly?

Hussien: Not really since my family has been here for so long. I don't really know about that because when I was younger my brother was doing all that. But at this point, its like my mother would just need help with the easier things than 00:07:00the harder things with translation. But she can basically be living by herself. 7:06-7:25 Kelly: How big is your family? Hussein: Not big compared to other families. But pretty big, about 7 of us,Villagers were separated. Kelly: You were separated? Hussein: No were separated 7:35-8:25 Rayshon: Being with your parents and whatnot , do they prefer like, are they happy being in the United States versus where they were from? Or versus being in Kenya? Hussein: No, I actually hear my Mom complaining "it's the same over here. It's just different currencies." Rayshon: Would you say that she would rather be in Kenya? Hussein: 00:08:00No, in either place you go to. Everybody goes through some type of struggles. Rayshon: Yeah Hussein: There's really not one place where that's better than the other because, you're gonna go through some type of struggle seither way. 8:28-10:20 Kelly: What would you, in just your experience or what you've seen. What do you think was probably one of the hardest things about coming to America? Like trying to adjust? Hussein: Not peeing on the plane. Adjusting is easy when you are a three year old boy. All Interviewers: Yeah Kelly: Even with your parents? Hussein: With my parents? Adjusting for my parents. Adjusting to 00:09:00me is not as in really speaking, or speaking a language, as in as long as you can do social skills and do you can do what you need to do throughout the day. So my Dad was pretty good at that when we first moved here cuz he learned how to drive real fast so he could get us around so. Kurtis: Okay Rayshon: Yeah I mean, I know adjustment could be a real big thing. When I went to Europe, because I just got back from Europe, one of the biggest things is that they never had ice in there drinks or anything. It's the little stuff that gets to you. Hussein: Yeah it's the little stuff. Rayshon: So what is like the little stuff? The stuff that necessarily isn't that big of an impact in your life, but still stuff that kinda bothers you a little bit. Do you have anything like that? Hussein: When people ask stupid questions, that's about it. Like do you speak African? That's 00:10:00a continent. All Interviewers: Yeah Hussein: When people think, just because I'm African, it's a whole different world. Basically your viewing it as a whole different world. I viewed it as the same it's just different responses. The way I see things is just different.

Rayshon: That's fair. 10:21-11:00 Kurtis: So when you were growing up in school was that a big problem? Hussein: Growing up in school I would say I faced the same or more racial problems because since, since I came here already with one language and then trying to learn English in school. It was just like some racial problems popped up. But I didn't realize it until I got older down the line. Now it's just a memory. Not really anything I can do about it. Rayshon: 00:11:00Yeah Kelly 11-15 11:00-11:30 Kelly: So you have any favorite foods that are traditional Somali foods? Hussein: No, I eat both foods.Yea, it's just made different, not made different, just tastes different. 11:31-12:05 Kurtis:What about styles of music? Hussein: Well I listen to American music. I have a wide genre for myself because I listen to jazz. My little sister she is like, she really speaks english, she grew up into it, but she is old school, jazz and old school hip-hop. She can sing, you won't know she is African except how she 00:12:00dress. 12:05-12:47 Rayshon: You kinda touched on this like a little bit when we first started talking, but, um, how did your parents come to the United States? Was it like , was lit like did they get on a plane and just over, were they like funded by a program or what have you? Hussein:I believe it was like through a program or something, not a program. It was a process because my Dad said it took a lot of money, and I believe he was working, the the process just needed money to get here. Just to get on the plane I guess. 12:48-12:53 Kelly: Were you in, were you in one of the camps in Kenya? Hussein: I wouldn't know that. 12:54-13:11 Rayshon: So this was like in the early 2000's? Do you remember, I don't know, I don't know how old you are.... Hussein: I'm 20 Rayshon: Your 00:13:0020...Ok so this would have been , you're '98, right? Born in '98? So this would be 2000, 2001-ish. 13:22-14:05 Kurtis: So so you think there are any generational differences? Hussein: Yeah, because it's like you can see it, because amongst people themselves they discriminate, but as generations go on, I feel like people just give into it, because I see that happening myself in my community. It's just like then your Mom used to beat you, but she doesn't beat your little brother..it's small changes, small changes. 14:06-14:59

Rayshon: So you mentioned community, um, so, um, can you tell us a little bit about that? Are you in a community with other Somalians or is it like, it's just your family another family, like different ethnicities? Could you tell us a little bit about that? Hussein: Um, yea. It's just like my family, Abdi's family all in Northview, but it's, I wouldn't say, I mean that's how it is, but, there's different, I would say we are all from different areas, but it's just some people are bilingual too.....

Giancarlo 15-20 15:00 - 15:21 Hussein: I mean I do, I do asking tell me stories like it used to be houses... listen I gladly like to know where my father used to do, my mother but... listen my mom used to sells food over...simple things. 15:26 - 16:07 Kelly: If there was something that you would like talk to the 00:16:00American public like about your experiences is there anything that you feel like people just don't know that they need to know or misunderstood that you wish they could understand better? Hussein: mmmm I would say the thinking... I mean the thinking like another person's life is so different because he is from somewhere else I mean the struggle might be different don't get me wrong because there's always somebody going through something worse than you are, but it's just like you just can't communicate the way you communicate with your friend so it's not normal to you. 16:12 - 16:42 Kelly: Right... If you have any advice to 00:17:00give anybody about like if they were to come into the community or like... what would you advice be to? Hussein: I mean, there is not, there is nothing I could know about exactly give you is just something normal just walk in as long you viewed as something regular there is not really nothing to get ready for. 16:46 - 17:15 Giancarlo: If you have like the opportunity to travel again to other places would you like one day to visit Kenya or other African nation? Hussein: I would love to visit I would love to that's something that I always, that's something I still wanna do, I wanna explore, I don't wanna,I don't wanna stay in 00:18:00one spot I wanna go out Ray: to not necessarily Kenya but like just like you just want to travel Hussein: no no no I would I do I really do want to go to Kenya cause that's where I born, I would love to see that area. Ray: ok 17:16 - 17:32 Kurtis: So do you feel like it's important to keep families traditions? Hussein: I Really... I think is ... Yeah is definitely important keep families traditions that you can never forget where you came from,as long as you get that sense, you can always find home in my opinion. 17:36 - 18:38

Giancarlo: Maybe this is gonna be a weird question for example when you are filling like an applications, what you fill in the race part? For example I born in the United States but almost all my life was in Mexico so I always had that problem of I am American citizen Hussein: Yeah I understand Giancarlo: or I am Mexican Hussein: Yeah I had the same issue but I filled up I filled straight African American because we all people of color is all the same, people of color 00:19:00had, some people of color don't know whether generations came from or where, or Just don't know your own background so African American is correct where Africa will be correct in my, either way, it does not matter. Ray: Yeah that's like a big thing nowadays, the most applications that give you like the chance not answer that part, I struggle with that part too, cause I'm Hispanic and African American also so. 18:45 - 19:01 Kelly: Is there anything else that you wanna let us know or share with us? Hussein: You guys doesn't have anything other questions? Ray: Do you have anything questions for us? Hussein: Is there any food on? (Laughter) 19:02 - 19:22 Giancarlo: I was thinking maybe do you hear 00:20:00like any artist, like a music from Kenya but from a specific artist? Hussein: Well I wouldn't say I listen but I listen to see it, but i don't really listen, because I have my own artists I listen to 19:33 - 19:58 Kelly: I think we covered everything Ray: Alright, so yeah, No other questions for us? Hussein: That I give you guys good answers? Ray: Of course... you give us a lot Kayla: Yeah... you speak, we are here to hear your truth. That's it. Ray: Honestly, you could have answered no to like 95% of the questions an gave us one good answer and that would have been... yeah ... so Kurtis: We are just happy we were able to interview people. 19:59 - 20:39 Giancarlo: I don't know if we cover that but I think we didn't say our names so Kayla: No? Hussein: You didn't Giancarlo: My 00:21:00name is Giancarlo Aguilar nice to meet you Hussein: Nice to meet you Kelly: My name is Kelly Wright nice to meet you Hussein: Nice to meet you Ray: Rayshon Knight Hussein: nice to meet you Kurtis: I am Kurtis

Hussein: Nice to meet you Kurtis Kelly: and Thank you for letting us do this, we appreciate it. I know it's not always the most comfortable thing to have strangers come in and say tell me everything about you. Ray: Hopefully you didn't feel uncomfortable with all these things Hussein: I didn't feel uncomfortable at all Ray: Ok ... good