By Alexandre Cyusa
Photo by Josiah Kopp

Hello, my name is Joseph Mugisha and I’m 21 years old. I’m currently a student majoring in business administration at Mstate and will be transferring to MSUM with a focus on international business. A little about my parents and I: we are from a place in South Kivu called Uvira, but I was raised in Kenya until the age of six. Like most immigrant households, I have a moderately big family consisting of seven boys and two girls. I’m trilingual, so I speak English, Swahili, and Kinyarwanda. Coming from Kenya, the FM area was our first residency in the states in 2008 and we haven’t moved since. Through perseverance and encouragement from friends and family, I have been fortunate enough to be in the student government at Mstate and to also have been on the All-Minnesota Academic Team.

Where do you call home?

My home is in the Congo. I am from a group of people called Banyamulenge and though we are now around the globe, we base our origin in the South Kivu province. As I mentioned, the Banyamulenge people have moved around and that is how me and my family ended up in Kenya. I consider Kenya as my second home because Kenya was where I went through preschool and a bit of elementary before I came to the states at six years old.

What is the story of your passion for giving to your community?

I first had the opportunity to give to the community in the summer of 2022. I was working at a bank at that time and our supervisor mentioned that there were volunteer options available. I had never volunteered prior to that but knew that it was a good opportunity. I then volunteered with Cherries for Charity at the Hornbacher’s location, donating to YWCA for rape and abuse victims. I also had a good time with the West Fargo Eats Helping community members who are going through hard times have a meal hosted by Lutheran Church of the Cross.

What were your experiences like growing up in the Fargo-Moorhead area compared to Kenya?

Growing up in Fargo was much colder than Kenya. I remember trying ice skating in elementary for recess and wondering why and how this was a sport. The more I lived here the more I saw myself participating and enjoying it. Some activities that I’ve grown to love are snowboarding, snowmobiling, rock climbing, fishing, and the occasional trip to the lakes. I now find myself enjoying or even being the initiator with friends to do these things. This growth has helped me with my volunteering ventures in the community. I have had the opportunity to join amazing events like StartupBREW and been able to work with Emerging Prairie by volunteering at events such as TEDxFargo and others.

What are some misconceptions about people from your place?

There aren’t a lot of my people here in the FM area. I think the misconceptions would be just the general misconceptions there are about Africans, but I also believe that every individual is different and it’s up to you to change the way someone views you. I also believe those stereotypes are due to my people’s lack of education. A wise man once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” That man was Nelson Mandela.

What are some activities you wish were in the FM area?

I think some activities I wish were in the FM areas would be ones leaning toward education/job shadowing. Not knowing what you don’t know is a big factor as to why some people don’t apply or investigate what could be a potential good opportunity. I think if there was an organization that gave information to the youth based on education and careers, that would be good.

As a young community leader, what is the next problem you are trying to solve?

The next problem that I’m trying to solve is with the youth being exposed to the many events that Fargo hosts and for them to also have a curious mindset. I want people in my community exposed to more volunteer access and to change their mentality from working at a company to owning companies. I also want to help the youth be more exposed and engaged in career shadowing.

What is your vision for the Fargo-Moorhead area in 2030?

My vision for the future is very high. I plan on doing a lot in the sense of entrepreneurship, mentorship, and helping the community. I still have a way to go with getting my degree from MSUM to creating a business, but by going step by step and trusting in God, the goal will be reached and hopefully, I can help and inspire people in the process.