The recent shooting death of a 15 year old Sudayis Ida in High Point seemed to slip off the public radar as just another tragedy with no answers. But that did not sit right with Fahima Mohamed.

Mohamed is a star basketball player for Chief Sealth and she is the reigning defensive player of the year, metro league mvp, team captain and a 4.4 GPA. 

She’s close to reaching a scoring record of 1000 points in fact and her achievements mean she has the noteriety to bring attention to the issue of gun violence. The death of another 15 year old  Mobarak Adam at the Southwest Athletic Complex 11 months ago and Ka'Don Brown whose body was found on the Sealth International High School campus in April 2023.

In 2022, 2,526 children and teens ages 1-17 were killed by guns in the United States, which averages to nearly 7 deaths per day according to Pew Research who point out that "both the number and rate of children and teens killed by gunfire in 2021 were higher than at any point since at least 1999, the earliest year for which information about those younger than 18 is available in the CDC’s mortality database."

At the Wednesday night game versus Rainier Beach High School she went through the pre-game drills but then sat out the game and at halftime made a statement.

“I’m sitting out the game against Beach this Wednesday in honor of Mobarak and Sudaysi, who were tragically taken from us by gun violence. The way this tragedy has been handled doesn't sit right with me, and I can't move on without making a stand. Their lives and their memory deserve to be recognized

As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said,

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." This is bigger than just a game. It's about standing up for what's right, honoring those we've lost, and demanding that our community acknowledges the pain we re feeling,

The school board and the police need to do a better job to bring closure to the families of Mobarak and Sudaysi, and to ensure that no one else has to go through this. It's time for real action, accountability, and change - so that the lives of our community members are respected and protected.

I'm encouraging everyone who's been affected by this to join me.

Let's show that we won't stay silent and that the memory of Mobarak and Sudaysi - and all those impacted - matters. Together, we can make our voices heard.”

But the statement was not allowed to be recorded by news media at the direct order of Sealth Principal Ray Garcia-Morales. In fact both Q13 Fox News (WestsideSeattle news partner) and WestsideSeattle were denied entry to the game and told to leave the campus. There is no stated policy on the Seattle Public Schools website regarding media coverage. 

Schools can limit free speech in some circumstances, but they must follow certain guidelines: 

• Substantial disruption

  Schools can limit speech that could significantly disrupt the school environment. This could include speech that: 
  • Is violent or threatening 
  • Pulls school staff away from their regular activities 
  • Creates a clear and present danger of unlawful acts 

• Content-neutral policies

  Schools can create rules that limit speech without singling out any one student or message. For example, schools can create dress codes that apply to everyone equally. 

• Interference with others' rights

  Schools can limit speech that interferes with the rights of others at the school. This could include speech that: 
  • Seriously threatens or harasses other people 
  • Spreads false information about someone that might hurt their reputation 

• Obscene, libelous, or slanderous speech

  Schools can prohibit speech that is obscene, libelous, or slanderous 

Schools cannot limit free speech just because it's controversial, disrespectful, or upsets people. 

Fahima spoke to Westside Seattle outside before the game and said,

My name is Fahima Mohamed. I'm a senior here at Chief Sealth International High School.

The media is not allowed to come inside the game to talk and to give the view and to be the voice for us to show us the pain that's happening in the community. That's pain that's happening everywhere. So, I'm a little sad about that, but I'm happy that you're here and I'm happy that all our voices are be able to be heard tonight.

 We lost two members of our community that passed away in the span of 11 months and it's heartbreaking and there's nothing that's happening within the community and nobody's doing anything about it. The families have no closure and that's what I'm fighting for right now by sitting out this game letting the ball tip on the floor having a statement ready and just really ready to fight for them and fight for justice.

I think just understanding and just really accepting at first, right? You need to acknowledge it at first is the biggest thing. And we have to start them up as when they're young, right? The accessibility to guns is absolutely insane. Really helping the kids with mental health, mental awareness, having them have resources. I feel as if they don't feel like they're good in school or they dribble a ball, they have to retaliate and they have to go into the streets. And I feel like that's not the truth. And I feel like the more resources that we can bring them, the more stuff that we can bring them, the better."