Portrait 9: Nimo and Nasteho
Friends, Nimo, left, and Nasteho.
“They assume I’m a terrorist.”
I’ll always remember that statement shared with me 2 ½ years ago by a then high school senior who asked me to photograph her and a friend at the International Festival Faribault.
Nasteho, a native of Kenya, posed with Nimo for this beautiful portrait of the pair. They were among students volunteering at the fest.
What Nasteho told me that August day in 2012 broke my heart. She’d been subjected to ongoing insults from a customer in her workplace, felt stares at the grocery store, been flipped the bird while driving. All because of the way she dressed, her skin color and her ethnicity.
“There is no respect for Somalis,” she concluded.
I couldn’t disagree with her. I’d heard the negative comments, too, about Faribault’s newest immigrants.
Despite the outright prejudice Nasteho had already endured at such a young age, she did not appear bitter or angry, only desiring of respect and understanding. She seemed wise beyond her years. Poised. Thoughtful. Well-spoken.
I recall thinking, if only those who hold disdain for Somalis could meet Nasteho. They would see her as the beautiful, young and spirited woman I photographed.
It is the personal connections that bridge differences. I believed that then. I still believe that now.
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This is part of a series, Minnesota Faces, featured every Friday on Minnesota Prairie Roots.
© Copyright 2015 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Every segment of society has their issues and stereotypes. I don’t believe in painting with such a wide brush. For the most part, people in general; regardless of race, are decent human beings. It is the exceptions that fuel the fire and bring hate to the forefront. Some people just cannot look beyond the exceptions and remain hyper-focused on them.
You summarize it well, Dan. Thank you for your thoughtful comment.
Nothing more fatal to bigotry than personal connections, I agree, which is why I feel travel is so important.
Well said: “Nothing more fatal to bigotry than personal connections…” I like that. A lot.
Thank you, Audrey.
Absolutely! Lovely photo, important story.
Thank you, Kathleen.
I so agree. Personal relationships do much to dispel/soften negative stereotypes but the underlying “driver” of these feelings—FEAR—-won’t go quietly. It merely retreats into the shadows until that next unfortunate soul comes along who ‘fits’ the parameters/demographics and that ‘demon’ rears its ugly head. “Guilt by association” perhaps is a fitting description of the behavior that’s exhibited. Association with a group that doesn’t seem to be human in its “life goals”/reasons for existence and that has had media coverage so that no one is exempt from the knowledge of their activities. To think that those wonderful girls would be/could be anything like “those” who perpetrate such monstrosities is not beyond the realm of possibility, given the published specters of young children (young “innocents”) wrapped in a bomb laden belt or vest. This is something I find difficult, nay impossible, to ‘wrap my mind around’!
Thank you, Audrey, for, once again, bringing to the fore the truth that we must not ‘judge’ based on appearance only but must maintain a balance of wisdom imbued with His heart and Spirit.
Once again, you offer such thoughtful insight. I, too, find it unbelievable that any faction could use young people in such a way.
Tom and I talked about your post at breakfast and agreed that such abominable ideology-driven behavior “smacks of” Hitler’s and the emotions attached to the Japanese ppl by our WWII vets after the war (and still exists for some of them today!).
That’s some pretty heavy breakfast conversation. But, I’m certain a good discussion. And, yes, this topic can take many directions to which numerous comparisons can be made.
This post, your work is of great value
Thank you, Marney.
While there are those who make our new neighbors feel unwelcome, there are also those who open their arms to welcome them.
Here is a short immigrant story to help put things in perspective. My great grandparents immigrated to Chippewa Falls, Wisc from Germany. They spoke only German when they arrived but it didn’t matter because everyone in town spoke German.
On April 2, 1917, the United State declared war on Germany. The next day, the German language was forbidden. I cannot say whether this was by law or by community consensus – but those who could not speak English, could not speak in public.
Germans are the largest ethnic group in Minnesota and Wisconsin and for much of the last century, they have lost sons and lived with people who had lost sons to wars with Germany.
It is something to keep in mind when we think about “others”.
Yours is such a relevant story. Thank you for sharing this. My ancestors also are German with my maternal side settling near New Ulm.
Great follow up from yesterday’s post – love your last sentence 😉 Getting to know someone before judging them is a great way to bridge, grow and experience. Happy Weekend!
That’s precisely why I posted this today.
My husband’s uncle Dan was living in Montana during WW2. He changed his name to Smith during that time. Being of German ancestry, his looks, and language fit right in to the American neighbors and people that didn’t know that he was a Schmidt.
Now that is interesting. I wonder how many other families did the same. Did Dan ever change his name back to Schmidt?
Yes. Uncle Dan and his family died Schmidt’s.
That’s good.
It’s true, there are so many very good and wonderful Muslims who mean us no harm at all. And that’s honourable and they are more than welcome to live in the West and be part of our societies. But yesterday I saw on video, footage of the 220+ Christians in Syria who have been captured by ISIS and each Christian (man, woman and child) was put in a cage on the back of individual trucks and driven through streets that were crowded with Muslims clapping and cheering at the ‘parade’. These Christians are facing a horrific and barbaric and savage and brutal end to their lives and this persecution against believers, is extremely confronting. I think Christians and Westerners and Jews have been and are being, very good at ‘turning the other cheek’. But as these brutalities committed by Muslim extremists are escalating, my concern is that they are doing no favours to the peaceful Muslims who have chosen to live in our communities. I think that at some point in the future, there will be retaliation and I wouldn’t want to see it directed in the wrong places, as in, towards the women you have photographed who are not a part of what is happening but who represent the name in which these atrocities are being committed xx
I share your concerns. Thank you for your thoughtful comment, Charlie.
You’re welcome, Audrey; we are living in very difficult times xx
Yes, we are.
Nicely stated, Audrey.
Thank you, Deanna.