27. Oballa Oballa: Ethiopian Refugee, President of LeadMN & City Council of Austin, MN

This episode is truly one of a kind as Bobby sits down with Oballa Oballa. If you do not live in Austin, MN you have most likely never heard of Oballa before but he is a rising star! Oballa is a refugee from Ethiopia, where he witnessed mass killings that took the life of his uncle and hundreds of others. He survived a two-week walk across treacherous terrain to reach a refugee camp in Kenya. After essentially growing up in a refugee camp, he came to America. Bobby and Oballa talk about what it is like to grow up in a refugee camp and they talk about his leadership today in Minnesota. This is another conversation Bobby had on the heels of the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. It was particularly informative because Oballa lives in Austin, MN not far from Minneapolis. Bobby and Oballa met when he served as the President of LeadMN, an organization that works ensure accessible, quality and affordable public higher education. This episode drops as Oballa has won a seat on the Austin, MN City Council! This is a position that has earned him international attention and an interview on NPR's highly acclaimed show 1A. Please enjoy my cup of coffee with Oballa Oballa.