The Youth/Dhallinyarada is a documentary project that profiles thirteen  young Somali men living in Minnesota, who are actively and positively engaged in their community. This project highlights the contributions these men are making to America, their adopted homeland. Furthermore, the subjects of these photographs share the conflict they feel in just trying to be themselves, and as much as they try to adapt, they often feel foreign at home here in Minnesota.

A multi-tiered approach is used in order to depict an in-depth portrait of these men. The first method is a traditional gallery show that will display thirteen large-format prints of the young men. In addition, a run of 2,000 32-page tabloid-sized newspapers will be printed and made available that includes photos and abbreviated testimony of the participants for widespread distribution throughout the community. On hand will be Conversations, a multimedia piece in which these young men share their journey to Minnesota, and the conflict they feel in trying to be themselves despite their attempts to belong here; as well as describe how they earnestly and indubitably engage in their community.
Technical Assistance/Design: Brian Wiley

CURRENT AND UPCOMING EXHIBITION:
Arab American National Museum, Dearborn, Michigan July 31, 2015-January 03, 2016
Weisman Art Museum, Minneapolis, Minnesota July 13, 2013-February 09, 2014
Whittier Gallery, MCAD, Minneapolis, Minnesota March 25-28, 2012

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