Home Sweet Home: The Advantages of Living in Faribault

Although there are challenges to living in Faribault, all of the Somali individuals that I conducted fieldwork with openly profess their love for Faribault. They spoke about the friendly and welcoming nature of the Faribault community members who have established a variety of services and programs to help integrate Somali immigrants into the community and into American life. The Somalis also value the safety, peace, and tranquility associated with small, rural towns such as Faribault. Asher Ali, the director of Somali Community Services, says that there are no ‘gangsters’ hanging around the streets of Faribault to negatively influence the Somali youth, via physical violence or drug use. As a father and a community leader, the lack of negative influences is very important to him and it is one of the main reasons he appreciates Faribault. Economic reasons also are cited for why Somalis love living in Faribault. Faribault, as a smaller town, is cheaper than living in Minneapolis or Saint Paul and there are better jobs for Muslims available in Faribault, such as at the Jennie-O Turkey Store, which allows workers to pray during their breaks.

Asher Ali, the director of Somali Community Services, says that there are no ‘gangsters’ hanging around the streets of Faribault to negatively influence the Somali youth.