We are
pleased to invite you to "Pluralism
in the Era of Identity Politics: The Somali American Experience" on
April 21 at 5:15pm at American Swedish Institute (Larson Hall). This is part of
our two-day Somali American Leader's Summit, with leaders visiting from several
states where there is a large Somali American community. We will begin the program with a discussion
about the immediate impacts of the policies of the Trump administration on
Somalia and on the Somali American community.
Executive Order
13769, titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign
Terrorist Entry into the United States,” banning citizens of seven
Muslim-majority countries, disproportionally impacts Somali Americans. Additionally, the proposed budget reductions
in domestic programs, the State Department, and USAID particularly hurts
Somalis both here in the US as well as in their native country that is emerging
from a protracted civil war. Further, the Trump Administration's recent
announcement that declared parts of Somalia as “areas of active conflict” has
the potential to exasperate the severe humanitarian crises there. All of these
policy changes by the White House come at a time when distrust of Muslims and
Islamophobia is at heightened levels.
We have invited both Somalis and
non-Somalis to engage in dialog about methods to gauge and identify pathways to
mitigate the impacts of current White House polices on Somali Americans and
their loved ones. We hope you will join us as private citizens to learn how we can
better serve each other regardless of creed, ethnicity, party, and wealth so
that we may, together, continue to pursue the ideals of life, liberty, and
happiness with the protection of a government that serves all of its citizens.
5:15 – 5:45 pm | Social time and arrival of the
evening event
5:45 - 6:00 pm | Start of the program, introduction.
Panel I
6:00 – 6:45 pm |The Somali American Experience: Two perspectives
- Faisal Roble, Principal City Planner for the City of Los
Angeles, a write and a scholar
- R.T. Rybak, former Mayor of Minneapolis, CEO of The
Minneapolis Foundation
- Ambassador Ahmed Awad, Somalia Ambassador to the United
States
6:45 – 7:15 pm |Premiere screening of
Rumee (A somali word meaning, 'Believe'),
an anthology series featuring original short films about belief, migration, and
presence written and directed by new voices in Minnesota’s Somali Diaspora,
produced with technical services provided by film and music industry
professionals, with funding provided by the Greater Twin Cities United Way.
Panel II
7:15 - 7:45 pm| Islamophobia in the Era of Intolerance
- Horsed Nooh, Director of Abubakar Assiddiq mosque
- Ramla Sahid, PANA
- Ismahan Warfa,PANA
7:45 – 8:30 | Heavy appetizers, opportunity for
discussion and networking
