Around St. Paul, Minnesota, Khamar Abdullahi is known as the Mother of Skyline. She is described as a "self-taught leader" and a leading voice for the residents of Skyline Tower, a high-rise apartment building with more than 500 units. Skyline Tower is the largest property managed by CommonBond Communities, a NeighborWorks America network organization.
Khamar moved into the Skyline Tower when she came to the U.S. from Somalia almost 20 years ago. "I wasn't driving. I didn't know English. They have a program that helps residents," she says. "It is convenient and has everything." CommonBond created a safe space for Khamar to resettle, and she has dedicated much of her time to doing the same for her neighbors. Over the years, she has become a resource for other residents and their advocate with Skyline Tower staff and community leaders. She has earned residents' trust by being a reliable go-to person. "I'm kind and welcome to anybody," she says. "If I see you and think you need help, I will help you." It is that simple philosophy that drives Khamar's work, earning her the 2021-2022 NeighborWorks America Dorothy Richardson Award for Resident Leadership.
In 2013, Khamar and other resident leaders identified a need for a community park and green space near Skyline Tower. The closest park was an inconvenient distance across an interstate highway that was often off-limits to Skyline residents because of scheduled events. Khamar led her neighbors in collecting more than 400 postcards from Skyline residents about their interest in a park, which helped mobilize city council members and other leaders. She attended neighborhood development meetings and helped coordinate a visit for the mayor to see the area.
She kept up the fight for years, and in 2016, the city bought vacant lots near Skyline to develop the
Khamar is a CommonBond ambassador at community organizing tables and someone the staff looks to as a formal and informal leader among her neighbors. "We are so grateful for Khamar's quiet and unassuming leadership, which prioritizes how Skyline residents, CommonBond and the broader community can be working together toward the stable homes, strong futures and vibrant communities that are CommonBond's mission and that she and her neighbors deserve," says Brenda Petry, CommonBond director of services.
Khamar is the mother of three, an adult son, a deceased son, and the two teenage daughters who live with her at Skyline. The three of them have participated in many of the facility's services, including youth and teen programs, entrepreneur workshops, Career Advantage coaching, and health and wellness activities. She is also an Advantage Services ambassador to residents who may be reluctant to seek the programs and services they need.
During the coronavirus pandemic, Khamar helped distribute supplies and was an information resource for neighbors, especially elderly residents and those who do not speak English. Fluent in several languages, Khamar often steps in to help staff and residents communicate. In times of community emergencies, it is sometimes Khamar's voice that takes over the building-wide intercom system, sharing updates and instructions in several languages, with her soft, reassuring voice.
One such moment came in the summer of 2020 during protests after George Floyd's murder. The protests came right up to the doors of Skyline Tower, which is just a few miles from the street corner where Floyd was killed. "It was a very scary time. All of the Midway neighborhood around Skyline was chaos," Khamar remembers. "Some people wanted to see what was going on, but I was telling them it's not safe to go outside. I was helping security keep them inside because I wanted them to be safe."
Many people assume Khamar is paid for her leadership role in the building, but she says she does it just because she wants to help and give her community a voice. Given Khamar's skill at community organizing, many tease her that she should run for office, and she half-jokingly says she might have a shot at winning. Although she is not eligible to vote herself, Khamar is active in local get-out-the-vote drives, encouraging her neighbors to vote so Skyline has a voice.
Having recently obtained her green card, Khamar works at a nearby adult day care center, attended by many of her Skyline neighbors. Among other things, she provides the entertainment, saying playfully that "sometimes I even dance for them."
Whether she is dancing for her neighbors, keeping them safe, or helping build a park, it is clear Khamar sees an important role for herself and wants to keep it going. "I don't want to move out, because these people need me."
