Zam Zam Mohamud

Zam Zam Mohamud, the first Somali immigrant to be on the Lewiston School Committee, has served a prodigious role in her adopted hometown since arriving in 2001. She’s a certified nursing assistant at Central Maine Medical Center, where she also works as a translator when needed. Out in the community, she serves as a liaison between other immigrants and the city. If the police want something explained to the community, they call Mohamud. If other immigrants have questions about the school or the city hall, they call Mohamud. “If anybody needs help, I’m there for them,” she says. Mohamud found her way into the role as community leader by being visible, she says, but the motivation came from a desire to give back.