Khadra Aden, Della Lamb Community Services social worker, answers The Pitch‘s questionnaire
Name: Khadra Aden
Occupation: Social worker, Della Lamb Community Services
Hometown: I was born and raised in Somalia, and now live in Kansas City with my husband and family.
Current neighborhood: Zona Rosa area
What I do: I love helping others, my work and my community. I also take care of my brother, who became a paraplegic on April 19 due to an aggravated robbery — gunshot wounds. He was the victim and was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
What’s your addiction? Cleaning house
What’s your drink? Shaah Somali tea
Where’s dinner? Home
“Kansas City got it right when …” It added the Sprint Center.
“Kansas City screwed up when …” It removed the stoplight from Van Brunt and St. John Avenue in the Northeast area.
“Kansas City needs …” Better schools.
“As a kid, I wanted to be …” Working for the United Nations.
“In five years, I’ll be …” 43.
“I always laugh at …” My kids when they joke around and make fun of my accent.
“I’ve been known to binge-watch …” Forensic Files and NCIS.
“I can’t stop listening to …” “Home” by Chris Daughtry.
“I just read …” Running in the Family, by Michael Ondaatje.
What’s your hidden talent? Dancing
What’s your guiltiest pleasure? Ice cream
The best advice I ever got: You can be anything you want to be in life.
The worst advice: Don’t be a working mom.
My sidekick: My husband
What is your spirit animal? Elephant
Who is your hero? Nelson Mandela
Who is your nemesis? My siblings
What’s your greatest struggle right now? Going back to school.
My favorite toy as a child: A doll that I made — it had buttons for eyes.
What was the last thing that you had to apologize for? Being too loud. In my language and custom, we speak loudly, and sometimes I don’t realize how loud I am speaking until I see people around me looking at me.
Who’s sorry now? My ninth-grade high school English teacher who never gave me attention. I wasn’t within the top 10 in the class, so I was shorted attention.
My recent triumph: I am putting my daughter, my firstborn, through college.
