Aklilu Burayu manages four parking garages in downtown Minneapolis

“America makes you a perfect person,” Burayu, 62, reflected on a recent day outside the ramp, comparing the intensity of struggle being new in America to the crushing geological pressure that forms diamonds in the earth. “It will push you to work hard.” Burayu grew up in Ethiopia. As a young adult, he worked there as a high school teacher and writer, got married and had four children. One day, he applied for an American visa lottery and won.

Hakeem Abdulwahab moved up from custodian to nurse #EthiopiansInMinnesota

Abdulwahab was born into a large, but poor family in Ethiopia. In his early 20’s, he decided to try to come to America so he could make money to send back home. When Abdulwahab arrived in Minnesota, his first job was at a McDonald’s. There, he met a nurse, and his now-mentor, who worked at Gillette Children’s. Years later, however, Abdulwahab's coworkers encouraged him to go to school for a nursing degree.

http://www.fox9.com/news/gillette-childrens-employee-moves-up-from-custodian-to-nurse

Derartu Ahmed wins Wallin Scholarship to go to Lawrence University #EthiopiansInMinnesota

Ahmed was 9 when she came to America. She spent most of her childhood growing up in Tennessee and spent a little time in New York between elementary school and high school. Ahmed’s father is the only one in her family, until now, who attended a form of higher education, through a local community college. Ahmed will be the first to attend a four-year college, an achievement by itself, with her entire first year covered by scholarships and grants. For a year at Lawrence University between tuition, fees, room and board, an estimated total of $57,816 is needed to send a single student to college.

However, Ahmed received the 2018-19 Gift Aid of $51,270, a combination of grants and scholarships through Lawrence University and Federal Pell, not to mention through federal funding. This is on top of the $16,000 Wallin Scholarship.

https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_post/community/crystal_robbinsdale/cooper-graduate-fights-islamophobia-through-education-attending-college/article_3be5d8a8-95ce-11e8-a529-d33692d43620.html

Eyerusalem Abebaw is president Black Student Union at Burnsville High #EthiopiansInMinnesota

“It’s kind of different for me,” said Abebaw, who came to District 191 from Ethiopia when she was 9. “Even though a lot of my friends are people of color, a lot of people in my classes aren’t, because I take higher-level courses like honors and AP. There’s barely any diversity in there, and I’m often the only black person in those classes. So it was very hard for me to be able to express myself in those classes, because even though I was interested in the subjects, I didn’t really feel like I connected with the students.”

https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_thisweek/community/burnsville/black-student-union-makes-presence-felt-at-bhs/article_360aea4a-287d-11e8-b727-bb129af1359c.html

Henok Alemayehu Degfu created ZeHabesha #EthiopiansInMinnesota

Tashitaa Tufaa is self made Millionaire #EthiopiansInMinneapolis

Shegitu Kebede is a war refugee, a community activist and author #EthiopiaInMinnesota

Fanuel Shewarega Asrat drowned while swimming #EthiopiansInMinnesota

Bassist Yohannes Tona grew up in Awassa #EthiopiansInMinnesota

Alemu Abebe robbed at gun point #EthiopiansInMinneapolis