We All Belong
We all belong!
Truth survives…
by being carried…
quietly…
from person…
to person.
Not always shouted.
Not always trending.
But living…
in conversations…
in kitchens…
in prayers…
in whispered hope.
You tried to turn
entire groups of people
into shadows.
You spoke of Somalia
like it was only struggle.
Only distance.
Only “other.”
But you never saw—
the mothers.
The fathers.
The children laughing
in small apartments
that hold very big dreams.
You never saw
the rebuilding.
The surviving.
The becoming.
Because we are not one story.
We are not one headline.
We are not one label
you can flatten
into fear.
This land is everyone.
No one is illegal
on stolen land.
We are the human race.
One breath.
One sky.
One fragile… shared… future.
And love—
real love—
does not stop at borders.
Love crosses oceans.
Love learns new languages.
Love shows up
when it’s tired.
When it’s scared.
When it would be easier
to hate.
You can build walls.
You can build fear.
You can build narratives
that try to make neighbors
feel like strangers.
But you cannot stop
truth
from moving
heart
to heart.
We choose unity.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Because…
we all belong.
I wrote "We All Belong" because I want every child like me to know they matter and deserve to feel safe, loved, and accepted. During Metro Surge, I was scared when I heard about families being taken away, and I worried that my mom could be taken too. I also experienced bullying at school because of who I am. Those experiences made me realize that no child should have to live in fear or feel like they don't belong.
Writing poetry helped me find my voice. I hope my poem gives courage to every child like me who has ever felt different, afraid, or left out. I want people to choose kindness over hate, stand up for one another, and remember that no matter our race, religion, culture, or where we come from, we all belong.
Rayaan Ali is a young Somali American poet, activist, and youth advocate from Minnesota. Through her poems and public speaking, she shares messages of kindness, courage, and the belief that we all belong. Inspired by her own experiences overcoming bullying and standing up against injustice, Rayaan encourages children to embrace who they are and use their voices to make a difference. In her free time, she enjoys swimming, reading, skateboarding, and riding her bike. She also plays with the Brass Solidarity Movement Band and is currently working on her first book.