Saladi Shebule shares his life experience with a new generation of leaders who strive to improve the quality of life. Saladi has a unique ability to see problems and create policy solutions in ways that instill a sense of confidence, responsibility and independence that promotes prosperity and equality.
Saladi Shebule was born in the late 1980s to a farming family in the rural area of southern Somalia. Saladi grew up and spent much of his childhood in the Dagahaley Refugee Camp in northeastern Kenya. He and his family moved to the United States in the summer of 2004 and settled in Buffalo without formal education. However, deep down that did not matter to him because he knew he had to work hard to live a successful life. After attending and graduating from Grover Cleveland High School, Saladi went to Daemen College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science.
After graduation, Saladi accepted a position with Baker Victory Services as a mental health specialist, where he provided support and services to children, young adults and their families. He functioned as part of an interdisciplinary treatment team to maintain a safe, nurturing environment that promoted learning, growth and behavioral change.
Saladi also worked as a community organizer for the Coalition for Economic Justice, where he led the POWER (Protecting Our Workers from Exploitation and Retaliation) Act. He fought for policies that increased the ability of workers to transform their working conditions through organization and collective action.
In addition, Saladi worked for the City of Buffalo as a legislative assistant, where he was responsible for legislative research, constituent work and representing the office at community events.
Furthermore, Saladi served as the executive director of the Somali Bantu Community Organization of Western New York (a Buffalo-grassroots, community-based refugee organization). Under his leadership, more community reforms were initiated including adding new board members with expertise in education, healthcare, accounting and other expertise needed to further develop the organization. Board members received training in various areas that included fiscal management, governance and fundraising, so they could work effectively with his initiatives. After the training, strategic plans were developed and implemented to advance the mission of the organization.
Some of his proudest achievements included the start of an after-school program and a summer school program to provide extra support to struggling Buffalo Public Schools students. He secured funding to support these initiatives.
Saladi also served as a liaison for the Buffalo Public Schools, where he helped students, who have arrived in the Buffalo area from other countries and their families navigate the school system and bridge the gap between schools and homes.
In 2017, Saladi returned to school to pursue his master’s degree at the State University of New York College at Buffalo. He finished in 2019 with a Master of Public Administration.
Saladi is result-oriented and always delivers high-quality work. He is passionate about continuing to build upon his successful work to help improve the quality of life for all people.
As a leading voice on several issues, Saladi uses his experience to activate and engage the minds of young people to have a serious and an honest dialogue. His work has been featured in several newspapers including The Buffalo News and WBFO, a local NPR News Station.
Saladi has had the privilege to participate in mentorship programs, which have helped him to become the person he is today. He believes that young minds are like light bulbs. They must be given the energy to continue to burn bright. He wants to prepare children and young people to step up to their challenges by opening up to new opportunities that provide guidance and skills needed to be successful in the classrooms and become community oriented members.
Saladi has written several papers of issues that concern him and the larger community. His work has been featured in several newspapers including The Buffalo News. He also has plans to work on his autobiography, a memoir, in the near future. The book will include his journey from a rural area in his native country to the United States and the person Saladi is becoming. More information will follow in the near future … stay tuned.
