Introducing GCC Summer Reading With Meaning: Call Me American

This summer, Global Citizens Circle will be sharing books by incredible writers whose stories deserve to be read, reflected on, and talked about. Some are voices we’ve had the privilege of knowing, some are writers we deeply admire, and some are stories we simply believe need to be shared.

I remember the day so well. I was driving down the highway, engaged in a series of errands that afternoon, and selected an episode of the “This American Life” podcast to keep me company. It was a rebroadcast of Episode 560: "Abdi and the Golden Ticket.”  I had never listened to the original episode, which aired in 2015, and quickly became engrossed in the story.

I was fascinated to learn that the U.S. held what essentially was a lottery in other countries, with hopeful applicants vying for the chance to win a visa to America. One of those lottery winners was Somalian Abdi Nor Iftin. Yet, that win wasn’t a guarantee to easily get to the U.S. According to the podcast, “more than half of the people who win each year never make it.” 

In Abdi’s case, he was living in Nairobi, Kenya, at the time, a dangerously volatile place for Somalians who were being rounded up and taken away by Kenyan police. He went into hiding, but managed to communicate regularly with former reporter Leo Hornak as events unfolded, much of which became the basis of this riveting podcast episode. 

Not surprisingly, I sat in my car completely rapt by this narrative. I took a longer route than necessary simply to keep listening to Abdi’s story. As I waited in line at a McDonald’s drivearound (the only true place to get a Diet Coke with ice on a hot summer day), I learned the reason for this rebroadcast; Abdi had written a book, which would be released shortly. I pulled over in the parking lot to see if I could pre-order it. 

The book, “Call Me American: A Memoir,” delved deeper into Abdi’s experiences, from his youth in war-torn Somalia to his delight in what he learned of American culture through movies, his time as a refugee in Kenya and ultimately, his move to the U.S. It is a story fraught with peril, determination and courage, and as you can imagine, when that book arrived, I read it nonstop from beginning to end. 

And I didn’t just read it; I told people about it and bought it as gifts. Abdi’s story revealed a part of the world I had known little to nothing about and his resilience inspired me. I wanted others to know Abdi, too. I still do. 

At this point, I had been involved for some time as an organizer for TEDxAmoskeagMillyard, a local variation of the greater known TED, which allows communities to apply for licensing to host their own events worldwide. You can bet that I nominated Abdi as a speaker—and he was selected for our 2019 event, delivering this talk, “The story behind every refugee.”

I continue to tout Abdi’s book, which is now available in a young reader’s edition as well. I followed his journey to becoming a U.S. citizen in 2020, applauding the perseverance that got him there but saddened at the state the U.S. was currently in at that time. I still carry the hope that one day we can become the America he yearned so desperately to be a part of. 

I shared Abdi’s story with Eleanor Dunfey-Frieburger and Theo Spanos Dunfey, and later, one of GCC’s emerging leaders, Stanley Asango, who immediately wanted to read his book. Abdi is now a global advisor to GCC and was part of an Emerging Leaders session on resilience led by Stanley in 2025.  As we kick off GCC’s Summer Reading with Meaning series, I encourage you to also pick up Abdi’s book. I guarantee you’ll learn a lot and be tremendously moved by all that he experienced. 

Pamme Boutselis is an award-winning writer and content producer, currently serving as a senior director of content marketing and a communication adjunct at Southern New Hampshire University. She loves hearing and sharing stories. As a writer spanning a 25-plus-year career, her work has been featured in print and online via news media, career and education-focused blogs, regional magazines, technology publications and more.  

A serial volunteer, Boutselis has been a TEDx organizer since 2013 and a speaker coach. She’s been fortunate to work with dozens of nonprofits throughout the years and serves as a communication advisor for Global Citizens Circle. Connect with her on LinkedIn.

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