Beekan Kassim

Student Advocate
Anoka-Ramsey Community College
he/him

For Beekan, advocacy isn’t just about speaking up for students — it’s about building a future where every young person, no matter their background, sees education as a doorway to possibility. As a first-generation college student, he knows the weight of being the “first” in a family to walk this path, and he carries that responsibility with pride.

At Anoka-Ramsey Community College, Beekan is pursuing business not just as a career, but as a platform to lead, to create, and to inspire. His long-term goal is to combine business with public service — working across borders, mentoring youth, and building programs that give students opportunities he once had to fight for.

LeadMN gives him the chance to begin that mission now. It challenges him to use his voice to fight for affordable tuition, stronger student support systems, and a more inclusive community. More than that, it allows him to practice the kind of leadership he envisions for his future — leadership that blends empathy with action, and vision with responsibility.

For Beekan, this role isn’t just preparation for a career. It’s a promise: to be a role model for his younger brother and for every student who wonders if their dreams are too far out of reach. Through LeadMN, he is proving — to himself and to others — that change begins when one student dares to step forward and lead.