Samatar's father had originally moved down from the northeastern Puntland region at the age of twelve, and his mother hailed from the southern town of Afmadow.

Samatar had also enrolled in the Achieving Excellence in Community Economic Development program at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, which he successfully completed.

[2][4] Samatar later entered public office in 2006, when he was appointed to the Minneapolis Library Board of Trustees by Mayor R.T. Rybak.

Four years on, he became the first Somali American in Minnesota and most likely the country to be elected to public office, winning a seat on the Minneapolis School Board.

Among these were the Citizens League, Dean's advisory board of the Humphrey Institute at the University of Minnesota, CommonBond Communities and Minneapolis Foundation.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey remarked at the dedicated ceremony, "This [crossing] is an honor to Samatar who worked to bridge communities.