I remember the first time I heard qaraami music—those soulful Somali melodies that hum like a heartbeat, weaving stories of love and loss into every note. I was a kid, straddling two worlds, my feet planted in the dusty streets of my childhood and my heart reaching for the unfamiliar pulse of a new country. That music, those stories, they stayed with me, simmering in the back of my mind until they poured out onto the pages of LIBAAX: Grow Your Roots Where You Land. My name is Cedric Muhikira, and this book is my love letter to the immigrant experience—raw, rhythmic, and unapologetically human.
Cedric Muhikira’s Inspiration for LIBAAX
Writing LIBAAX wasn’t just about telling a story; it was about giving voice to the silences I’ve lived and witnessed. I grew up between cultures, carrying the weight of displacement and the spark of resilience that defines so many of us who’ve crossed borders. In Detroit, where the city’s grit mirrors the stubborn hope of its people, I found the perfect stage for Ayaan’s journey. Ayaan, my protagonist, is a Somali immigrant who lands in the U.S. with a civil engineering degree and a suitcase stuffed with memories. But instead of blueprints, he’s scrubbing dishes. Instead of stability, he’s spinning vinyl, blending qaraami with trap beats as DJ Ayaan, carving out a space to exist in a world that often overlooks people like him.
Ayaan’s Journey in LIBAAX
This book is personal. It’s born from late-night conversations with friends who’ve known the ache of being “almost understood” in a language that isn’t theirs. It’s inspired by the first-generation youth and former refugees I’ve met, each one reimagining themselves in a land that doesn’t always welcome them. Ayaan’s story is a composite of theirs—his heartbreak, his defiance, his quiet triumphs. He’s not a hero or a victim; he’s a man who stumbles, dreams, and keeps dancing anyway. Through him, I wanted to capture the in-between moments: the dishwashing gigs, the fleeting romances, the friendships that become chosen family. Like the time Ayaan meets Ahmed, a reformed pirate with a quick laugh, or Maria, a law student who sees his potential before he does. These connections, messy and beautiful, anchor him as he rides his motorcycle, Libaax, through Detroit’s streets, painting sagas on the asphalt.
Why Cedric Muhikira Wrote LIBAAX
Why immigrants? Because I am one. Because I know the sting of being reduced to a statistic or a stereotype. I wrote LIBAAX to show that our stories are neither tragedy nor triumph but a rhythm that pulses with memory, grief, joy, and the stubborn beauty of becoming. Ayaan’s DJ sets are more than music—they’re acts of resistance, fusing cultures and defying erasure. His journey speaks to displacement and identity, masculinity and vulnerability, belonging and rootlessness. It’s for anyone who’s ever felt like they’re piecing themselves together in a world that doesn’t quite fit.
Crafting LIBAAX’s World
Writing this book was like building a mixtape. I’ll never forget the night I crafted Ayaan’s first DJ gig, blasting qaraami and trap in my headphones, chasing the sensory alchemy of sweat, neon, and bass. Every word had to feel like a beat dropping—vivid, urgent, alive. The challenge was staying honest, balancing the weight of migration’s complexities without romanticizing or pitying it. I wanted readers to feel Ayaan’s world, to smell the motor oil on his jacket, to hear the vinyl’s crackle, to taste the bittersweet edge of his fleeting romance with Isabeli, the fiery bartender who challenges him to dream bigger.
Cedric Muhikira’s Vision for LIBAAX
I hope LIBAAX does more than entertain. I want it to invite readers to see immigrants as fully human—flawed, funny, fierce, and luminous. For those who’ve lived these journeys, I hope you see yourself in Ayaan’s stubborn hope. For others, I hope you walk away with deeper empathy, curious about the stories behind the faces you pass every day. One line from the book captures this best: “He wasn’t the guy who fumbled slang or froze at Kroger’s endless aisles. On Libaax, he was elemental—a streak of fire painting sagas on the asphalt.” That’s Ayaan claiming his space, and it’s my invitation to readers to witness the power of those who grow their roots where they land.
Join Cedric Muhikira’s LIBAAX Journey
This book is for anyone who loves lyrical prose, urban fiction, or coming-of-age stories that pulse with multicultural heart. It’s for educators, students, and dreamers engaged in diaspora studies or simply hungry for narratives that center the margins. You can find LIBAAX: Grow Your Roots Where You Land on Amazon or learn more at my website, cedricmuhikira.com. I’m thrilled to connect with readers through Zoom readings, book club visits, and a book signing in Detroit this fall—details are coming soon, so follow me on social media for updates.
Writing LIBAAX has been a journey of bridging worlds, amplifying voices, and celebrating the resilience that defines us. I hope you’ll join me in this story, not just to read it, but to feel its rhythm in your bones.