Muhammed Ali and Somalia

In 2006, I was asked to be a teacher of record for the Muhammed Ali museum that was resurrected on the Ohio River in Louisville. The opening was a spectacular event and one that I'll never forget. If you ever visit Louisville, I highly recommend a tour of his history.

Recently, while interacting with a young man from Somalia, I learned that Muhammed Ali has been an inspirational daemon that was used to guide his hope through hard times. Surviving war, his displacement, a refugee camp, and now an American High School, the student discussed with me an admiration for this Louisvillian boxer. On my mantle at home, I had a photo-journalism text about Muhammed Ali that I found one night at a dollar store in Cicero. Yesterday, though, I brought the book to this young man as a gift.

The karma I received through participating with my students who worked as consultants to the Muhammed Ali museum's creation and the opportunity to be a part of the gala held for him in 2006 was paid back in its entirety by handing this book to this young man. I witnessed him telling a friend, "This was a gift. The book belongs to me."

"Be the change you want to see in the world."
-- Mohandas Gandhi.