Najib Abbi is a Somali-American poet, educator, and founder of The Gaas Collective, a nonprofit literary organization dedicated to uplifting underrepresented voices through poetry, storytelling, and community. Born in Minnesota and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, his work explores identity, migration, belonging, faith, memory, and the power of language to connect people across cultures. Drawing inspiration from Somalia’s rich oral poetry tradition, Najib blends spoken word with contemporary poetry to create work that is both deeply personal and community-centered. And through his Nation of Poets program, he teaches young people to embrace authenticity, build confidence, and practice empathy through creative expression.