Food is for the soul and not for the belly alone
Salaam (peace) and Soo Dhawoow (welcome)! a warm Somali greeting to you from Abdirizak Ibrahim.
The wafting aromas of heavenly home-cooked Somali food and fragrant spices entice you to enter the Global Place, nestled in Glendale, Salt Lake City. Global Place is a vibrant East African communal business village, home to the Somali Community Self-Management Agency (SOMCSMA)—the non-profit founded by Abdirizak.
Today, and for years, SOMCSMA runs a weekly Food Pantry and Food Bank led by Faduma Abdulkadir and a dedicated team of community members. At each opening, the line for the Food Bank wraps around the Utah Neighborhood Partners parking lot and stretches down 1700 South to the Jordan River—a powerful testament to both the need and the impact of their work.
Abdirizak not only feeds the community; he nourishes the spirit of community through love, leadership, and unwavering commitment. His organization is open 24 hours, 7 days a week. He has never been paid for his service. His motivation comes from witnessing the hunger pangs of food insecurity through visits and calls from his community.
The first thing you’ll notice about our brother Abdirizak is his heartwarming smile—he sees you before you see him. Abdirizak and I initially met at a Salt Lake City Food Microgrant meeting, drawn together by our commitment to food sovereignty and our love for the West Side community. He yearned to find ways to empower the Somali community to grow their cultural foods and gain access to land. His vision is clear: the harvest from gardens would provide capital, foster independence, and sustain the quality of life for refugees and neighbors.
Over two decades ago, Abdirizak arrived in Glendale as a refugee from Somalia, a country along the eastern coast of Africa. The war in his homeland forced him and his relatives to seek safety and a new beginning in Glendale. He often recounts a memorable story from his early days in Salt Lake City—accidentally riding the bus all the way to Utah County while still holding onto the plastic cord meant to signal a stop, unaware that a simple pull was all it took.
His early experiences in the country exposed him to the everyday struggles migrants face upon arrival. He saw, for example, many newly arrived mothers attend full-day English as a Second Language (ESL) classes yet leave without achieving language proficiency. Recognizing these cultural and linguistic barriers, Ibrahim and his team developed ESL programs that included Somali interpretation and honored cultural needs. Since then, SOMCSMA has grown to serve not only the Somali and African communities, but all who call the West Side home, offering programs thoughtfully designed to address the unique needs of children, teens, and elders.
Beyond SOMCSMA, Abdirizak remains deeply engaged—serving on boards, community circles, and interfaith gatherings—all in pursuit of one goal: to find ways for his community and neighbors to grow food and nourish one another. His vision for Glendale and the West Side is rooted in beauty and belonging: neighborhoods filled with trees, where children and elders can sit, play, and rest. A place where meals are shared under the shade, just like back home—because the West Side is home.
Somali Community Self Management Agency
Author: Afā Aikona
Editor: Carolina Gomez-Navarro