Immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers make up about 22% of San Diego's population.
Somali Family Service of San Diego, or SFS, began in 2000 as Somali immigrants arrived after the 1991 civil war. At that time, culturally specific support services were limited.
Mustafa Sahid, director of operations for SFS, said the organization started with humble beginnings.
“There was a large increase of gang violence within the youth at the time. There wasn't much support,” he said. “So, we started with our LION Youth program, which stands for Leaders in Our Neighborhood, and it grew from there.”
In addition to immigration and refugee assistance, SFS now offers programs in youth support, education and training, economic development and health and wellness.
While the organization initially focused on the Somali community, Sahid said SFS expanded as they saw other populations faced similar needs.
“Our staff speak over 15 different languages. We serve over 20 different ethnic communities,” Sahid said. Last year we were able to support clients and community members from 19 different countries.”
Last summer, SFS released a documentary titled “Voice for Peace: A Call for Change,” in partnership with the California Department of Social Services’ Stop the Hate Program.
Through firsthand stories of hate crimes from community members and fear-based headlines, the film shows how ignorance and misinformation can harm communities.
Despite the trauma these incidents cause, SFS staff say talking openly about them is key to addressing the problem. Sahid said that openness begins with education.
“It's easy for you to hate something you don't know and to feel uncomfortable with something you don't understand,” he explained. “But with the right education and with the right experiences, then you'll be able to actually no longer be ignorant. When you bring a lot of people together and you really show them that we're really all the same, you can actually have a real effect on those who may have had one opinion, but with the right understanding can actually change.”
The Stop the Hate program was created in response to rising hate crimes in California. In 2021, the state awarded $110 million to community organizations supporting victims of hate.
SFS uses a three-part approach when someone experiences a hate crime: education, case management and mental health care. Staff said this helped people identify and process what happened, since many don’t realize their experience qualifies as a hate crime until they talk about it.
Community health worker Carolina Festo said SFS gave her the same support she now provides to others when she came to the U.S. 17 years ago.
“I can be able to help them to apply for the resources because there's many resources out there that the people don't know because of the language barrier,” Festo said. “So I'm the bridge between my community and public resources.”.
According to a 2024 impact report, SFS worked with UC San Diego Extension to train community health workers like Festo. The organization now has at least 200 CHWs certified.
At least 10,000 people rely on SFS each year, from City Heights to central San Diego, El Cajon and East County.
This past November, the organization provided two food distributions for people experiencing a lapse in SNAP benefits.
Festo encourages anyone seeking help not to hesitate.
“Just share your experience. Share your words because people can get educated to your message. I'm encouraging them to not be scared. Just come over to Somali Family Service. Our doors is open,” Festo said.
As highlighted in the documentary, SFS believes focusing on shared values can reduce division and hatred.
“Voice for Peace: A Call for Change” was produced by Michael Foster. If you’d like to watch the documentary, SFS asks viewers to fill out an interest form at SomaliFamilyService.org.
