Kowsar Mohamed (Minneapolis, Minnesota)

“Always remember pressure either makes diamonds or busts pipes. Don’t let the systems break you. Keep on fighting the good fight and pushing through.” - Kowsar Mohamed

The excellence just keeps on coming! Today we bring you an urban planner from Minnesota who inspired us to keep pursuing our goals even when things don’t work out immediately. Kowsar Mohamed earned a bachelor of science and a bachelor of arts at the University of Minnesota and then went on to complete a master’s degree in urban and regional planning. Amazing stuff! We were fortunate enough to connect with Kowsar and hear a bit about her journey and some of the lessons she learned along the way. ⠀⠀ We are always curious to know how people deal with obstacles and Kowsar’s words of wisdom did not disappoint. How does she deal with setbacks? By recognizing that hardships are inevitable and believing that there will be ease and greater opportunities ahead. ⠀ So what happens when you do overcome obstacles and achieve your goals? Is that the end of the story? Nope! According to Kowsar, our work isn’t done once we have succeeded in our personal endeavors. Early in her career, she learned the importance of “paying it forward” by sharing knowledge and resources with our communities. She believes that this allows for a constant cycle of community success, preservation, and sustainability. ⠀ What an inspiration!