Twin Cities World (Africa) Refugee Day Celebrations

What is today known as International or World Refugee Day was first declared as African Refugee Day by the African Union. Africa hosts the most refugees in the world and in 2001 the African Union and UN agreed to have International Refugee Day coincide with the June 20th Africa Refugee Day.

Minnesota is home to many large refugee populations and has the highest proportion of refugees compared to immigrants in the US. Minnesota has the largest Somali population, 2nd largest Hmong population, one of the largest Liberian populations and pretty decent sized East African populations. In fact, the fastest growing group of immigrants in MN are from Africa. If you’d like to read more stats check out the state demographer’s center or the office of refugee resettlement website.

You can celebrate the Twin Cities diversity by at the 3rd annual Twin Cities World Refugee event at Minnehaha Park.  Here’s a snap shot of the schedule.

Saturday, June 20, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

11 a.m.-2 p.m. – Immigrant resource fair and global cultural displays

12-3 p.m. – Diverse music and dance performances

3 p.m. – Main program, featuring speakers from six prominent refugee communities, spoken word and break dancing

4:30 p.m. – Live music by Marimba Africa

For more information click here

Al Jazeera’s Rageh Omaar in Minneapolis

This is a short notice, I just learned about this event (scroll to the bottom of this page for details on event). Rageh Omaar is an internationally renowned reporter. He worked for the BBC for a few years where he covered the conflicts in Somalia and Iraq. However, what makes Omaar stand out and what has made him, perhaps one of the best investigative reporters on broadcast, is his work on Al Jazeera.

Somali Woman’s Illness and A Family’s Quest for Healing

Joel Grostephan

New America MediaST.CLOUD, Minn. — Samira Iman was missing for nearly two years. The 31-year-old Somali didn’t run away. She wasn’t kidnapped. She didn’t go to Africa to fight in Somalia’s decades-old civil war. She was living in St. Cloud, Minn., in a group home for the mentally ill. But Samira’s family lost track of her, and mental health officials did not help them locate her.

ST.CLOUD, Minn. — Samira Iman was missing for nearly two years. The 31-year-old Somali didn’t run away. She wasn’t kidnapped. She didn’t go to Africa to fight in Somalia’s decades-old civil war. She was living in St. Cloud, Minn., in a group home for the mentally ill. But Samira’s family lost track of her, and mental health officials did not help them locate her.

One day in the fall of 2007, Samira fainted at the poultry processing plant where she had begun working. She was taken to a hospital, where she was diagnosed with mental illness, according to her family. After she was discharged, she was either sent to a group home or released on to the street, but not to her family. When her younger brother, Yahya Iman, tried to find out where she was, Stearns County Human Services cited government privacy laws and would give no information.

Helping victims of torture, from Minnesota to the world

Jaclyn Evert , TC Daily Planet

From counseling torture victims in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to fixing bikes for political refugees in Minneapolis, the Center for Victims of Torture provides healing services that reach around the world.

CVT provides free mental health treatment to victims of politically motivated torture in centers and partnership programs in the United States, Latin America, Asia, and Eastern Europe, with a specific focus in Africa. CVT is the first organization in the United States and the third worldwide to focus on providing mental health services to victims of torture.

West African Dance Showcase by Tiyumba

Tiyumba Dance Group

Dear Friends:

I hope you will be able to come and experience West African Dance as it is so energetically performed by the Tiyumba Dance Group. It will be a lot of fun and it is an opportunity for you to see what Tiyumba is all about and also get down and dance.

Conference on African Intellectuals in the West

Based in Minnesota, Africa Today would best be described as an African think tank. Every month, the group organizers topics surrounding Africans in the Diaspora and the content.

What are YOU doing this weekend?

So much to do so little time. Sure it’ll be a little chilly and rainy, but that shouldn’t stop you from partaking in one of these many events. Make sure you get out and have some fun.

Awareness:

• RED 10 is the big event this weekend. A group of Africans will be walking for a cause and so should you. If you can’t make it to the walk there are plenty other of options. Saturday night through Sunday afternoon. For more info click here.
• The West African Collaborative will also be doing some HIV/AIDS awareness on Sat May 16th. You can watch a skit written and performed by Africans on HIV/AIDS at Brookdale Covenant Church from 3:00 – 5:00pm .

Art:

• Art-a-whirl 2009 is upon us – from Friday May 15th through Sunday May 17th. Make sure you catch a glimpse of ‘Gallery AfriQ by Omosh and Rabi’s Studio by Yarbi. For more details click here.

Fundraiser

• REAL (Resources for the Enrichment of African Lives) will be having their annual silent auction and dinner fundraiser  May 16th at Augsburg college. Event runs from 5:30 to 9:00pm.

• Cameroonian group Menchum cultural association (MENCAMIN) in Minnesota will be having a fund raising party on Saturday, May 16th 2009 at Mermaid Event Centre with DJ Moki. Doors open at 8:30pm and cost is$ 15.00

Religion

• The Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church will be in Minnesota accompanied by numerous other bishops, priests and theologians to consecrate the new St. Ourael Church. Event goes from May 14th through the 17th.

Beware: Credit Card Scam in the Twin Cities

By the Minneapolis Police Department, City of Minneapolis

Please be advised that a new type of scam is appearing in the Metro area.

Red 10 Team takes on HIV/AIDS

RED10 AFFAIR

RED 10 @ MN AIDS WALK

Team Red10 would like to encourage you to join the Minnesota Aids Walk scheduled for Sunday May 17th 2009.

A Red10 Affair party, will be held on Saturday May 16th 2009 at Trocaderos in downtown Minneapolis. AIM and FunkHouse Entertainment are donating ALL the profits from the event to the MN AIDS Project. DJ’s from all corners of the continent will be featured.

Please also join the Red10 team by bringing awareness to the community, by registering for the walk through the following link: http://community.mnaidsproject.org/TEAMRED10

If you are unable to walk, you are invited to support the team to reach their goals by clicking on the following link: http://community.mnaidsproject.org/TEAMRED10 then click on ‘Support Me’, and make a donation to the team captain (WANGECHI). All proceeds will go towards the Minnesota AIDS project.

A catered Barbecue event will be held on Sunday after the Minnesota AIDS walk at the Minnehaha Park, from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm. to raise additional funds towards the Minnesota AIDS project. Tuma’s Catering will be providing food for sale. SolJams and Touch entertainment will be providing the music entertainment.

African Health Action Corporation [AHA] will be available at the Minnehaha Park to privately test individuals who want to know their HIV status.

Red10 team is also looking for volunteers to help during and after the walk. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Please show your support and work with the Red10 team to bring HIV/AIDS awareness to the community.  Accents Telecom will give $10.00 credit to anyone who walks and gets screened for HIV. Their rates are very competetive.

For more information about the Red10 team & fundraising events, please visit the following websites:

http://community.mnaidsproject.org/Page.aspx?pid=317

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=78560478063

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=78354726453

TEAM RED 10 will be representing the African Community at the 2009 MN AIDS WALK and we hope that you will participate in this worthy cause, our future.

Kenyan Women on a Sex Strike: Why they did it

You’ve probably heard about the women’s sex strike in Kenya. Published below is an excerpt of my reaction to this modern-day Lysistrata . You can read the article in its entirety here.

I must be getting it wrong. Or maybe most people are missing the point of the sex strike.

My first reaction when I heard about the sex strike was: how bold! what a statement! Still, I questioned their use of sex as a tool of peace. And then I began to watch in dismay as the country reacted. Perhaps we all agree that Kenyan politicians need to get their act together. But sex is still a taboo; unspoken.