Training immigrant health partners in Minnesota

BY BERLINE PIERRE-LOUIS, TC DAILY PLANET

November 28, 2011

In Irene Asong-Morfaw’s native Cameroon, the cultural opinion is that “boys are the heroes and boys can’t get in trouble.” This mindset, she feels, prevents boys and men from having to be responsible for their sexual health. Asong-Morfaw says that a woman may know that there are ways to prevent pregnancy or STI’s but if her husband or partner does not approve of birth control or condom use she may feel she can’t pursue these options freely. That’s why she is part of the Partnership Project, a Planned Parenthood program designed to meet the reproductive and sexual health needs of African-born persons in the Twin Cities in a culturally appropriate way. The project uses community leaders as lay health educators to deploy culturally relevant sexual and reproductive health information into the community.

Minnesota’s immigrant population increased rapidly during the 1990s, and has continued to grow, though at a slower pace, during the past decade. A large and growing proportion of new immigrants come from from East and West African countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Liberia, and Kenya

K’naan concert in Minneapolis this Saturday

Hey happy people, I bring you good tidings!  K’naan will be in the twin cities this Saturday night at First Ave and Minnesota’s very own Deejay Xpect will be on the ones and twos. As you probably know K’naan has a HUGE fan base here so if you plan on seeing the show, you better get your tickets early.

For more details click here.

For those of you who don’t know him, here’s a video;

At last, the Minnesota Oromo share their secret

Who knows the Minnesota Oromo?

Who knows their dark secret?

Fifteen thousand Oromo live in Minnesota but they blend in almost invisibly, like a stealthy, anonymous population in the state.
They are teachers, doctors and lawyers; they run retail shops and corporations; they attend Viking games, relax at coffee shops and stroll at malls. They are sometimes called “Ethiopian immigrants” because they are indeed from Ethiopia.

But among friends and family, or if you ask them specifically, they carefully call themselves “Oromo.”

Who are the Oromo?

They are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, numbering 31 million, and they are the subject of a new report, “Human Rights in Ethiopia: Through the Eyes of the Oromo Diaspora,” prepared by The Advocates for Human Rights, based in Minneapolis.

What are YOU doing this weekend?

by Nelima

Another weekend is fast approaching. If you haven’t got any plans, perhaps we can help out with that. We’ve got a coupla suggestions;

Arts:

• There will be a tour of the African gallery at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts on Saturday at 2pm.

Causes:

• One Twin Cities will be hosting a ‘Kick It to Malaria’ soccer game fundraiser on Saturday at 7201 West 83rd Street, Bloomington. Games go from 11am – 2pm and each player pays $10 which is the cost of a bed net. For more info click here.
• Join the rally for the Invisible Children of Uganda titled ‘The Rescue’ on Saturday at 3pm and stay the night until 10am. Everyone will meet at Rice Park then walk to the Capitol Building in St. Paul. For more info email Lindsey at lmluczkowiak@gmail.com.

Round Up: Africans in the Minnesotan Mainstream Media

by Nelima

Here’s another round up of how the mainstream media is covering the African community.

• New Islamic mortgages now available in Minnesota
• Bill Would Ban Headwear on Driver’s License Photos
• Somali Student Group Protest s Bare-Head ID Bill
• Another gloomy economic roller-coaster ride
• This time will Liberians be forced to leave?
• Maplewood man convicted of $438k fraud
• FBI watching Somali Muslims in Minneapolis

Minnesota Racism

by Ross Anderson as published in the MN Daily

 

Racism has a newfound fervor when applied to the state’s largest migrant population: Somalis.

“What? (Expletive) you!” I initially thought.

Recently, the nation’s top law-dog, Eric Holder, our country’s first black attorney general, basically called Americans a bunch of yellow-bellies. We are “a nation of cowards,” he said, referring to our unwillingness to openly discuss race issues. “If we’re going to ever make progress, we’re going to have to have the guts … to have frank conversations about the racial matters that continue to divide us,” he explained.

Okay, Mr. Holder, I heard you, and I write in response to your challenge.

Localize this subject and racism takes on special significance. Minnesota, and especially the metropolitan area, offers a unique and particularly potent brand of racism. Sure, it has a ‘Minnesota nice’ packaging and is mostly tacit and benign, but widespread and consistent nonetheless. Step outside the eternally tolerant collegiate bubble, and Minnesotans are not very welcoming of our east-African immigrant population, particularly the Somali community.

Minneapolis Mosque Opens Its Doors to the Community

by Nelima 

Neighbors and friends; reporters, local politicians and law enforcement streamed through the doors of Abubakar As-Sadique Mosque to interact with the Somali Community. The response to an open house invitation by the mosque was overwhelming. Media reports connecting the Minneapolis mosque to the Somali men alleged to have gone back to Somalia to fight Jihad, a holy war, have created new misconceptions about the community. For many guests that evening, learning about Islam and Muslims was refreshing for their knowledge of Islam was limited, and the little they knew was based on stereotypes.

Weekly Round Up: Africans in Minnesotan Media

by Nelima

I went scouring the web again to see what the media is covering in the African comunity. Blind, Inc. gives new meaning to ‘goin’ it on your own’, Pan African Student Leadership conference is this weekend, Muslims invite FBI chief to Minneapolis mosque, M.anifest is coming to America (the same article as Hip Hop has M.anifest),  With War Over, Liberians In Minn. To Be Sent Back, Minnesota Honors Students at Banquet, Ethiopian scientist says physical exercise lowers risk for MCI, Omeka! program brings cultures together. There were a bunch of reports following last night’s open house at Abubakar As-Sadique Islamic center, I will post those after I put up the article I wrote on the event. Did I miss something? Please share.

Grammy-Winning Ladysmith Black Mambazo will be here February 20th

by Nelima

I didn’t watch the grammy’s but heard that congratulations are in order for Ladysmith Black Mambazo who cinched the Best Traditional World Music Grammy for the Album “Ilembe: Honoring Shaka Zulu”. This will be the second grammy for the group, who have earned eight grammy nominations. Great news is you now have a chance to watch them perform live the Orchestra Hall on February 20th starting 8pm. I hear they always put on a great show! For more information click here. 

Hope to see you there

Liberians from Minnesota talk to CNN about possible deportation

by Nelima

As things stand, come March 31st thousands of Liberians currently under Deferred Enforced Departure (D.E.D) will be required to go back home. Right now Liberians have organized themselves and are petitioning for an extension of their status and hopefully permanent residency for others. Read previous article on TPS/DED posted here. Minnesota has the highest number of Liberians on D.E.D and thus the campaign has been very busy here. The organizers of the campaign need more people affected by D.E.D to tell their story while the rest of us support our African brothers and sisters. Plans are underway for a march to the capitol so watch this space. Meanwhile watch the videos as featured today on CNN.