AIM @ Work

For those of you that attended the last AIM Happy Hour at Picosa, it was a success due to your participation and support. We discussed the upcoming projects for the spring and summer and met a lot of beautiful new Africans. Read Vol. 5, Issue II of the AIM Newsletter to help recap the items presented at Picosa.

For April, AIM will forgo the Happy Hour to support the Hope for the Child fundraiser that will be taking place this Friday, April 3. In celebration of spring and the possibilities it represents, the following fun events are on the AIM calendar so far:
April Events
Hope for the Child Fundraiser
Date: Friday, April 3, 2009
Entrance: $5.00
Address: 414 3rd Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55401
Open bar from 8-10
To donate or learn more about Hope for the Child, visit www.HopefortheChild.org

“Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Mathaai” showing at Metrostate

This is the final film of the Women’s Human Rights Film Series.

“Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Mathaai”

Fri., April 3, 7 p.m.
Metropolitan State University Auditorium, 700 E. Sixth St.
Don’t miss this acclaimed documentary, the dramatic story of the Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai,” tells the dramatic story of the Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. Her simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy—a movement for which this charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration. A discussion follows the film with Mary C. Ellison, staff attorney at The Advocates and Korir Sing’Oei, founder of the Centre for Minority Rights Development in Kenya.

Screenings of Iron Ladies in Advance of President Sirleaf’s visit to the U of MN

What: Screening of Iron Ladies of Liberia in advance of Liberian President
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s visit to the University of Minnesota

When: Thursday, April 2, 12 and 4 p.m.

Where: Colwes Auditorium, Humphrey Center

 
Humphrey Institute Announces Screenings of Iron Ladies of Liberia  
in Advance of President Sirleaf’s Visit to the University of Minnesota
Film documents Sirleaf’s extraordinary first year in office

Minneapolis, MN (03/30/09) - The Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs will offer two free screenings of the film Iron Ladies of Liberia at 12 and 4 p.m. on Thursday, April 2, at the Humphrey Center. 

After nearly two decades of civil war, Liberia elected Ellen Johnson Sirleaf as its first woman president. Nicknamed the “Iron Lady,” Johnson Sirleaf was at one time imprisoned for treason under military dictatorship. Now the Harvard-educated economist and grandmother of eight is Africa’s first democratically elected female head of state.

The fools of Religion?

by Mameneh

I have a couple of Chapters on religion that I will blog about in the next few weeks. In trying to make sense of religion and how we interpret our faiths, I have been asking different individuals and lot of questions about Christianity and their take on the whole process. Interestingly enough, I came upon this interview on bbc.com

The whole thing is posted for all to read:

Misunderstanding & Misinterpreting Africa

by Mameneh

As I was browsing online today, I came upon an article by Mojubaolu Olufunke Okome. She was talking about how through the ages since Europeans started to come to Africa, they have misunderstood and misinterpreted the culture and the continent. She talked about their preconceived notions and ideals of superiority to Africans and how that has affected how they interpret and represent Africa and Africans.

One noted topic in this discussion was female genital mutilation in Africa and around the world and circumcision in the western world. Her argument is that if an African woman accepted female mutilation as a cultural thing, it was viewed by western women as barbaric and dark, yet when a woman has a son in the western world, she is automatically asked if he should be circumcised. It is not viewed by the majority as cruel or inhumane. Why then shouldn’t an African woman agree to do whatever she wants with her body, including female genital mutilation? It is only that western women should have the right to their own body? Why isn’t an African woman seen as someone who is not silent or confused? Why is she the one who is constantly powerless? She also talked about how it is viewed automatically as something that the men want, but not the women.

Round Up: Africans in Minnesota Mainstream Media

by Nelima

I know it’s been a while, but I thought I might update everyone on what the mainstream media is saying about the African community in Minnesota.

• Born into a life of chaos in Eritrea.
• South African enjoys a Minnesota winter.
• Racial dialogue. 
• Expanding African Development Center show off new spot.
• A continent on fire.
• Signs of resistance found in African H5N1 viruses.
• With 12 months secured, Liberian community looks forward.
• Liberians get 12 months here.
• Liberian Leo Gibson quits Minnesota Thunder.
• Minnesota Somali families facing Autism.
• FBI searching for missing Somali men from Minnesota.
• Missing Somali-American spotted at Minneapolis Shopping Mall.
• Once a refugee, now a minister.

Amina Saleh builds bridges

 

By Nathanial Minor, TC DAILY PLANET

She survived Somali’s civil war, spent years in a Kenyan refugee camp and is a single mother in a strange country, but Amina Saleh’s biggest challenge is getting people to talk to each other.

As a community organizer, Saleh works for a Somali population that often finds itself at odds with the greater metro area around it. For example, even Family & Children’s Service (FCS), the non-profit agency Saleh works for, supports GLBT causes—a lifestyle strictly prohibited by Islamic law.

It’s part of Saleh’s job to make sure groups like these acknowledge and respect each other. “She’s really good at bringing people to a table who might not otherwise want to be at the table with each other,” said Jeff Bauer, Saleh’s boss and director of community & systems change at FCS.

The Price of Not Looking “American”

IBé
Maybe it’s because my own mother is losing her mind to the same wicked disease, but I just read a story about an old lady that just broke my heart.

As the story goes, back in 1994, a mute elderly woman was found wondering a mall in New Jersey. When the police picked her up, she didn’t have any identification on her person, and in addition to being mute, she was found to be suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. For 15 years all attempts to identify her returned nothing. Not fingerprinting, not police investigation, not photo circulation…nothing could yield her identity. So where would you suppose she was kept for all 15 years? Not in a nursing home, as you would suspect counting her condition. The poor sick old lady (always well dressed according to witnesses) was sent to live in a psychiatric hospital. Yes, that is right, among mentally diseased individuals. Don’t get me wrong, Alzheimer is also a mental disease, but there is a difference between it and psychotic.

Can Biblical principles solve the HIV crisis in Africa or is the Pope sending the wrong message?

by Kawuma

“You can’t resolve HIV/AIDS with the distribution of condoms,” the pope told reporters “On the contrary, it increases the problem. The pope said a responsible and moral attitude toward sex would help fight the disease; The Catholic Church rejects the use of condoms as part of its overall teaching against artificial contraception. Senior Vatican officials have advocated fidelity in marriage and abstinence from premarital sex as key weapons in the fight against AIDS.

The irony is that the Pope uttered these sentiments while visiting a continent that has been torn apart by the HIV epidemic. It is very irresponsible for a religious leader such as the Pope with a large Catholic following to make such a statement without fully assessing the consequences. I understand the religious debate behind distributing condoms, but the reality on the ground will not only be solved by biblical principles. Sub-Saharan Africa and many other parts of the world are in the midst of the HIV/AIDS pandemic—– we have reached a stage where we have to throw the kitchen sink at this pandemic.

We can’t afford to take any preventive strategies off the table. The Pope and proponents of this school of thought need to understand that condoms continue to save millions of lives. Simply preaching the message of abstinence has not worked in the past and will not work in the future. There have been successful stories and significant results through campaigns which promote the ‘ABC’ model of AIDS prevention:  (A) Abstinence, (B) Be Faithful and (C) (use a) Condom if the first two fail. It is important to always have a safety net because every life is worth saving—- When it comes to fighting HIV/AIDS; I believe that the end justifies the means.

© Kawuma Daniel Busuulwa

 

African Career, Educational & Resource Fair

by Mameneh

Saturday, March 20, 2009 is the first African Career, Educational & Resource (ACER Fair). This fair will be the first of its’ kind to cater specifically to the African Immigrant community in Minnesota.

At the event, members of the community will be able to meet and network with representatives from the school district, colleges & universities, social service organizations, and fortune 500 companies.

The Fair will provide a culturally sensitive venue for the immigrant community in Minnesota. It will also provide various resources and services for attendees.

The event will take place at Northview Junior High at 5869 69th Avenue North Brooklyn Park, MN 55429 from 10am – 3pm. Admission is FREE to all.

For more information, visit ACER Website at www.acerfair.org