Can you really put culture in a box?

Faisal Osman thinks so.

Faisal first interacted with the Global Classroom through the annual Young Leaders in Action (YLA) program when he was attending Madison High School. Faisal had experienced a lack of awareness in Portland about his Somali culture, despite being home to over 8,000 Somali residents.

Taking matters into his own hands, Faisal's YLA action project inspired him to create a brand new Culture Box which expresses the nuance of his Somali identity.

He included a variety of items such as the newlywed Shaash Saar head covering, Uunsi incense, and literature from Cali M. Cabdigiir. Faisal's favorite items are what he refers to as "Icon Cards" which highlight influential artists, innovators, and leaders in the Somali diaspora.

"My personal hero is U.S. congresswoman Ilhan Omar, because I'm also interested in being a legislator. I just love how she's able to present her Somali-American identity without shame or hiding her culture. It's so inspiring!"

Faisal presented his WorldOregon Culture Box cirriculum at the Northwest Teaching for Social Justice Conference to help encourage multicultural education. As a YLA alumni, he hopes his project will inspire future participants to take action and be the change they want to see in the world.