The Cities Category Archive: Immigration

Vote for how to build bridges across faiths and cultures

Posted at 10:55 AM on May 15, 2012 by Laura Yuen (2 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Livability, Race, Religion

A contest asking the public to pitch their best ideas on how to work across ethnic and religious lines is now open for a vote.

An eight-judge panel for the Minnesota Idea Open picked five ideas that it believes rose to the top of a field of more than 600 submissions. They finalists include:

- "Multicultural barn raisings" in which armies of volunteers would bring together people of various backgrounds to build playgrounds or work on home projects for the less fortunate (see YouTube video clip above);

- An oral history project featuring immigrants who have come to Steele County over the past 75 years;

- A kid-friendly dialogue in which children can share face time with Minnesota leaders from all walks of life;

- A seven-step challenge led by young Muslim women encouraging conversations about Islam through activities ranging from church-hopping to handing out free pink hijabs;

- An exhibit of 8-by-12 tents, fashioned after those used in refugee camps, that tell the story of a different group persecuted because of its race, religion, ethnicity or national origin.

You can learn more about the submissions and cast your ballots here.

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Minnesota Idea Open announces semifinalists

Posted at 11:30 AM on April 18, 2012 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Arts , Education, Food, Immigration, Livability, Race

A statewide call for creativity on how to build relationships across faiths and cultures produced a staggering 600 ideas.

That set a new record for the Minnesota Idea Open, which is in its third year.

Which ideas rose to the top? An interactive food truck, a charity flash mob, multicultural barn-raisings, and a mobile app for "culturally curious Minnesotans" were among the 25 semi-finalists announced today. You can read about the individual pitches here.

An eight-judge panel of media professionals and community and faith leaders will whittle the finalists to five in May. Then the competition will open to the public for voting, "American Idol"-style. Three winners will each receive $15,000 to implement their ideas.

Created by the Minnesota Community Foundation, the challenge aims to engage the state's residents to learn about critical issues and develop new solutions. This year's challenge is working across ethnic, racial and religious lines in a state that's becoming increasingly diverse. Our three-part series "The Outsiders" grew out of this initiative.

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Somali Minnesotans summoned to help rebuild Mogadishu

Posted at 3:02 PM on April 10, 2012 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Minneapolis, St. Paul

The deputy mayor of Somalia's war-battered capital is making the rounds in Minnesota, imploring local Somali-Americans to help reconstruct Mogadishu.

Ali Ahmed Gure is promoting a program called "Bring Mogadishu Back." He's asking members of the Somali diaspora to adopt infrastructure projects in his city.

Somali-American community organizer Hindia Ali said Minnesotans will form a committee and decide which projects -- such as hospitals, streets, or schools -- deserve funding for reconstruction. Then a private company will handle the work. Somali communities in London and Toronto are signing on, she says.

"It's like an adopt-a-highway kind of thing," Ali said.

Gure spoke Saturday at a community gathering at Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis, and he'll return tonight for a memorial service honoring the victims of a ghastly suicide bombing last week at the National Theatre in Mogadishu. At least six people, including two top sports officials, were killed. Twelve more were killed days later in a market bombing in Baidoa.

Despite two decades of destruction and the recent series of bombings, the New York Times reported last week that Mogadishu is making a comeback. The terror group al-Shabab retreated from the city in August.

And there are other signs of hope and normalcy, as construction crews build hospitals, homes, and shops.

Gure, the deputy mayor, also visited yesterday with the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak tweeted he had a "fascinating" discussion with Gure.

Rybak's spokesman, John Stiles, said the two officials talked about "moving young people toward hope," both here and in Somalia. They also kicked around ideas on how Somali-American entrepreneurs might boost the economy in their homeland, by helping set up businesses and sharing their knowledge there.

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Free fun with Finns

Posted at 1:55 PM on January 18, 2012 by Dan Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Arts , Immigration, Livability, Minneapolis

This photo courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society has former governor Orville Freeman standing next to Finland's prime minister Reino Kuuskoski at a 1958 event in Minnneapolis.

The prime minister is presenting Freeman with a handwoven Finnish rug typical of the art and craft of the country.

Finnish textiles will be among the items on display at an event that is a true antidote for the midwinter blahs.

The Good Design Is Forever event takes place in south Minneapolis, Saturday, Jan. 28.

First of all, the gathering is inside a work of art - Christ Church Lutheran - a national historic landmark designed by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen with an addition by Eero, Saarinen's son.

Besides textiles, there'll be exhibits of Finnish glass along with music, films and food.

There'll be art projects for the kids.

You can tour the church.

Did I say free?

Finns are fun. Besides great design, they have a fascinating, if challenging, language.

Put "terve" (hello, or good health to you) in your collection of greetings - (TARE veh and roll the "r" with gusto) - when you visit the Saturday event and hold on. Native speakers will turn to look at you, correct your pronunciation, and help you learn some other amazing words.

Finns are a smaller but influential ethnic group in Minnesota. Lots of them came to work in the mines on the Iron Range.

More recently, a fellow named Osmo has helped take the Minnesota Orchestra to new levels of artistry.

Years ago, my colleague Mary Losure and I did a piece on the Finns in Minnesota.

Have a listen.

I wonder whatever became of the rug?

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Minneapolis cops lauded for arresting anti-Somali attacker

Posted at 5:22 PM on December 13, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Crime, Immigration, Minneapolis, Race

Remember these guys?

Minneapolis police officers Abdiwahab Ali, left, and Mohamed Abdullahi were profiled in my Sept. 8 piece on what it's like to be Muslim in Minnesota. Despite working on the front lines of fighting crime, the two beat cops spoke of additional security measures they faced while traveling through U.S. airports since the 2001 terrorist attacks.

Today, the folks at the Department of Homeland Security singled them out -- to say thank you.

The two men, along with Somali community liaison Officer Jeanine Brudenell and crime-prevention specialist Ahmed Hassan, were honored today with awards of appreciation for their work on a case resulting in a successful federal hate-crime prosecution.

In May 2010, Ali and Abdullahi, who patrol the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, responded to the beating of an 82-year-old Somali man. The attacker punched the man several times, while yelling anti-Muslim and anti-Somali statements and telling him to go back to Africa, according to court documents.

Although the man ran away that time, Ali and Abdullahi talked to witnesses. More than two months later, the officers spotted Goerge Loren Thompson, now 64, who was allegedly chasing a 24-year-old Somali man and threatening to kill him. The officers arrested Thompson, who police say was drunk and in possession of two handguns.

When Thompson, who is white, learned that Ali and Abdullahi were Somali, police say he threatened to kill them, too.

And to top it off, Thompson worked for the Transportation Security Administration, which is part of homeland security.

Thompson pleaded guilty to the May 2010 incident and was recently sentenced to six months in prison.

After accepting the award today, Abdullahi said the award was humbling.

"It's an honor for the job we do in the community," he said.

The attack alarmed many Somali residents because it was so unprovoked, said Abdiwahab Ali. Immediately after the beating, the elderly victim changed his route and was afraid to go out, even to the mosque, Ali said.

The attacker's sentencing and today's award ceremony will be appreciated by his community as the police continue to earn its trust, he said.

"It sends a good message from Homeland Security to the people that a case like this is not going to be tolerated, and it will be prosecuted," Ali said.

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New Miss Minnesota is first Asian-American to hold title

Posted at 1:58 PM on December 5, 2011 by Laura Yuen (5 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Suburbs

As far as Minnesota firsts go, this one might not have been on your radar.

The state will send an Asian-American to the Miss USA pageant next year.

Nitaya Panemalaythong, 26, of Savage was crowned Miss Minnesota last month. The office worker and Normandale College student is the first Asian-American to win the honors, according to pageant producers.

Panemalaythong, whose family is from Laos, was born in a refugee camp in Thailand. In 1986, she moved to the United States as an infant. Her family lived in Minneapolis and North Carolina.

Her bio says her proudest achievement was buying a house last year. Why?

"She and her brother in law support 10 family members, living in that home," the bio says.

Panemalaythong was at first skeptical about entering the pageant, and at 26, she was the oldest contestant in the competition, the Savage Pacer reports.

(Photo courtesy of Future Productions)

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Why Mohamud Noor supports same-sex marriage

Posted at 10:20 AM on November 29, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Minneapolis, Politics

In his bid to become the first Somali-American state legislator in Minnesota and possibly the country, Mohamud Noor is explaining to some voters why his Islamic faith is not in conflict with his support for LGBT rights.

Noor is one of five DFL candidates who will face off in a primary election next Tuesday, Dec. 6, to replace former Sen. Larry Pogemiller. Last week, Noor was endorsed by Stonewall DFL, the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender caucus of the party. On his website, he argues "marriage is a basic right."

Noor, a former state worker, is courting voters in Minneapolis neighborhoods with heavy East African concentrations, including the Cedar-Riverside area. Many Somalis, but not all, are socially conservative on the marriage question due to religious beliefs.

Some Somali-Americans have questioned him directly, or indirectly, including in at least one spirited debate on Facebook, about his position against the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.

What does he say in response?

"I have good friends, neighbors, and co-workers who are LGBT. They don't have the same basic rights as my wife and I do," he said in an interview. "It's more explaining the issue -- we are all in the same boat. How will they feel if their rights are taken way? It's about informing them, educating them. I'm not trying to push them at this stage."

Noor says every voter will be pushed plenty enough as the state ramps up to the ballot question next year. But one thing he can do now, Noor says, is encourage dialogue within the Somali-American community, where sexual orientation is rarely discussed. "In Somalia, if you say you're gay, you will be stoned to death," he says.

He says the Somali and LGBT communities actually have a lot in common, including clashes between youth and their parents, resulting in teen runaways and homelessness.

The marriage question, however, isn't the highest priority for most Somali voters, Noor contends. "They don't talk about the stadium or the gay-marriage issue," he said. "Their concern is just basic one: How can we survive? How can we make sure our children have a better future?"

Noor ran unsuccessfully for the Minneapolis school board last year. But another Somali-American, Hussein Samatar, was elected, and became the first Somali-American to hold public office in Minnesota and likely the nation.

The other contenders in the DFL primary are Peter Wagenius, Jacob Frey, Paul Ostrow, and Kari Dziedzic. All of them say they oppose the marriage amendment. Republican Ben Schwanke has also filed for the seat, and will advance to the general election on Jan. 10.

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U of M documentary traces history of North Minneapolis

Posted at 4:30 PM on November 3, 2011 by Jessica Mador (0 Comments)
Filed under: Environment, Housing, Immigration, Minneapolis, Race

A new documentary uses north Minneapolis buildings and historic spaces as the backdrop for an exploration of the power of place and community.

Cornerstones: Stories of Place on the North Side premiers statewide at 8 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 13, on Twin Cities Public Television's Minnesota Channel.



The hour-long documentary was co-produced by the University of Minnesota's Urban Research and Outreach/Engagement Center and TPT, and written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Daniel Pierce Bergin, who won an Emmy award for his 2004 TPT documentary North Star: Minnesota's Black Pioneers. Cornerstones is narrated by veteran Twin Cities performer Jearlyn Steele.



Check out the website for additional interviews with Northside residents on the importance of place and memory. The site will also include interactive storytelling features and content from TPT, university researchers and community historians.

Rebroadcasts of Cornerstones are scheduled for 2 a.m., 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Nov. 14 and noon Nov. 20 on TPT's Life Channel. Viewers should check with their local PBS affiliates for airing dates and times.


.

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Somalis wanted for new Tom Hanks film

Posted at 2:55 PM on October 26, 2011 by Laura Yuen (4 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Minneapolis

Photo at Brian Coyle Center by Jeff Thompson, MPR News

Hollywood is coming to Cedar-Riverside.

Casting consultants for an upcoming film starring Tom Hanks are holding auditions in the Minneapolis neighborhood, home to the nation's largest concentration of Somali-Americans. Sony Pictures is seeking black actors, "preferably born in Africa ... Especially seeking SOMALIS," according to a casting notice being circulated.

It's no secret why the first open call will be held in Minneapolis.

"We just looked at where there's huge Somali populations," said casting consultant Debbie DeLisi. "It may be our only stop, depending on the turnout."

Hanks has signed on to play Capt. Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage by Somali pirates who hijacked his ship in 2009.

The movie will be shot next year in New Orleans, and much of it will take place on the water, DeLisi said. The script centers on the "profound, mutual respect" between Capt. Phillips and the leader of the Somali pirates who captured him, she said.

The last time DeLisi worked on ethnic casting in the Twin Cities was for the Clint Eastwood movie "Gran Torino," which focused on the unlikely friendship between a grizzled, white war veteran and his Hmong neighbor kids. At the St. Paul auditions, more than 900 people turned out over two days. About seven nabbed lead roles, DeLisi recalls.

Casting for the Capt. Phillips movie will be Nov. 5 at the Brian Coyle center, a popular community hub, especially for young people.

More info below:

MOVIE CASTING NOTICE - SONY PICTURES is seeking black actors or black non-actors, preferably born in Africa, for roles in the new Tom Hanks feature film "Capt. Phillips." Especially seeking SOMALIS.

MEN (ages 15 - 45), WOMEN (20-30) and BOYS (7 - 10). Ages approximate.

Date: Saturday, November 5, 2011 Time: 10:30am - 4:30pm (anytime during these hours)

Location: BRIAN COYLE CENTER 420 15th Ave S. Mpls, MN 55454

Bring: Non-returnable current photo (if you have one).

NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.

There is never a fee to audition. Any such activity is fraudulent & should be reported at once.

###

Contact: Debbie DeLisi, Casting Consultant

Email: somalifilmcasting@gmail.com

(h/t Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl)

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MPR youth reporters bring home medal from DC

Posted at 5:20 PM on October 24, 2011 by Sasha Aslanian (0 Comments)
Filed under: Education, Immigration, Livability

Four of MPR's youth reporters (from left: Antonio Gonzalez, Iman Fears, Tiara Bellaphant and Roy Spearman Jones) headed to DC last week to pick up their Casey Medal from the Journalism Center on Children and Families at the University of Maryland.

If you'll permit a little horn-tooting in this modest state of ours, MPR's youth series took the top prize in the audio category in this national journalism competition.

The kids beat the grown-ups.

The judges wrote:

The chance to slip into the lives of young people whom the majority of listeners might never have encountered otherwise is so powerful and important. Most impressive was the honest, well-thought-out manner in which each of the six youth reporters in this series told their stories. Some of those stories were heart-breaking: Brenda's experience as an undocumented 19-year-old fearing her family could be separated; Roy Lee Spearman Jones' account of leaving home and sleeping behind trash cans because he is gay; and Antonio Gonzalez's portrait of six children grieving after their mother's sudden and mysterious death. If what we do is about helping each other understand each other, then this is as good as it gets.

We'd love for you to check out their stories.

If you'd like to tell a future story, contact series producer Toni Randolph (trandolph@mpr.org).

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Deportations fall in Minnesota: fewer criminals, zero terrorists in 2011

Posted at 4:37 PM on September 9, 2011 by Sasha Aslanian (0 Comments)
Filed under: Courts, Crime, Immigration

The folks at TRAC (Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University) are out with a new state-by-state breakdown of deportation proceedings in the Immigration Courts.

You can see a nifty graph of deportations in Minnesota since 1992 (388 people), which increased almost 10-fold in 2009 to 3709. Numbers have fallen off slightly since then.

The national picture shows the increase in deportations since 9/11, although those brought up on terrorism or national security charges -- always a small number -- have fallen.

"But a comparison of the kinds of deportation proceedings in both the pre-and-post 9/11 periods documents that the actual numbers of those aimed at criminals, national security threats and terrorists have all declined rather than increased. On the other hand, the total number of those charged with purely immigration violations has sharply increased -- 1.2 million before the attacks, 1.9 million after."

The data also show "the number of deportation proceedings initiated against individuals charged with criminal activity has dropped by 22 percent during the last 12 months."

The Obama administration's stated goal has been to focus on deporting criminals.

According to this data, Minnesota brought deportation proceedings against 1 person on terrorism or national security charges in 2010 (from the Phillippines), but most years there were zero. 2001 was the high point, with two: one from Liberia and one from Somalia.

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Seward Market mural memorializes three slain men

Posted at 3:30 PM on August 26, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Crime, Immigration, Livability, Minneapolis

A new mural painted on the side of the Seward Market and Halal Meat in Minneapolis aims to honor three men who lost their lives there last year.

Over the summer, teen artists and neighborhood volunteers came to the Franklin Avenue corner store with ladders and buckets of paint to memorialize the victims. Store employee Osman Jama Elmi, his cousin Mohamed Abdi Warfa, and customer Anwar Salah Mohammed were shot to death in January 2010 in what was the city's first triple homicide in several years.

Elmi and Warfa were Somali-American, and Mohammed was an ethnic Oromo from Ethiopia. A trial for the suspected killer is scheduled for Sept. 6.

The mural is meant to pay tribute to the victims and celebrate the community's diversity, said Articulture, the nearby visual-arts educational group that led the effort.

Guided by professional photographers Mohamud Mumin and Jennifer Larson, the teens also took photos from the community that have been turned into five collage panels along the wall. The photography is meant to tell the story of the community.

A public celebration unveiling the mural, starting at 3 p.m. Sunday, comes on the heels of another tragedy for the Seward community.

True Thai Restaurant will be closed on Saturday from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. in honor of the restaurant's chef, Anousone "Ped" Phanthavong. The chef was killed Tuesday in a hit-and-run off ramp from westbound Interstate 94 to Riverside Avenue.

Our thoughts are with our friends in Seward. More than a year after the triple homicide, many still have signs posted in businesses and homes declaring "Seward Stands Together."

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Tenth annual Hmong arts and music festival this weekend

Posted at 2:27 PM on August 18, 2011 by Jessica Mador (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Livability, St. Paul

The Center for Hmong Arts and Talent (CHAT) presents the 10th Annual Hmong Arts and Music Festival this Saturday, August 20, at the Western Sculpture Park in Saint Paul.

Organizers say attendance for the festival has grown from about 100 the first year to about 3,000 last year. They say the festival's crowd also has more racial and age diversity than in the past.

This year's highlights include a Visual Art Tent showcasing a collection of artwork by Hmong artists, including the The Master Gallery, an exhibit of 5 juried art pieces selected by professionals from the local arts scene. The Main Stage hosts contemporary and traditional musicians and performers, including the IN SESSION: Singer/ Songwriter Competition, in which 5 finalists compete with original songs to receive career enhancing prizes. And there's a film festival in the Qhia Dab Neeg Film Tent, screening of shorts and excerpts of feature length movies by Hmong filmmakers.

10th Annual Hmong Arts and Music Festival
Saturday, August 20 from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Western Sculpture Park on Marion Street

(video courtesy of The Center for Hmong Arts & Talent)

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Pan-African Women's Action Summit underway in Minneapolis

Posted at 3:58 PM on August 11, 2011 by Jessica Mador (0 Comments)
Filed under: Education, Immigration, Livability, Minneapolis, Race, St. Paul

Organizers of the Pan African Women's Action Summit in downtown Minneapolis say the event is part of their mission to increase philanthropy in the Pan-African women's community here and globally.

Some of the event's proceeds will go to The Minneapolis Foundation's North Minneapolis Tornado Recovery Fund as well as East African famine relief efforts.

From the summit's press materials:

In keeping with the United Nations' Declaration of 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent, PAWPNet has taken the bold step of declaring every August as Black Philanthropy Month. Thanks for making this a historic gathering. We hope that together we will change the face of philanthropy and our community for years to come.

The summit also features a film and food festival and an oral history project.

Speakers include:

Dr. Jackie Copeland-Carson, PAWPNet and PAWAS Chair; Karen Kelley-Ariwoola, Vice President of Community Philanthropy, The Minneapolis Foundation; Grace Stanislaus, Director of the Museum of the African Diaspora; Judge (ret.) LaJune Lange, former Minnesota state trial judge, senior fellow with the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and founding president of The International Leadership Institute.

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Next stop, Little Mekong?

Posted at 12:52 PM on August 10, 2011 by Laura Yuen (5 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Race, St. Paul , Transportation

Foodies in the know flock to University Avenue in St. Paul for its barbecue pork, roast duck and steaming bowls of Vietnamese pho.

But do most people view the neighborhood as a destination?

Small-business advocates are working on an Asian-themed brand for the intersection of University and Western avenues. "Little Mekong" is the concept bandied about by the Asian Economic Development Association, in deference to the Southeast Asian river that ties together so many of the communities who work and live along this strip.

"We want to attract visitors to the area," said AEDA's executive director, Va-Megn Thoj. "There's a perception that the area is not safe, that it's unwelcome and dirty. The businesses and residents both have a role to address that perception."

Past efforts to market the area's Asian influences by such groups as University United have not been successful. But with Central Corridor light-rail construction beginning next year in the area, Thoj says brand development will better position the community for tourists and customers during the disruption.

The branding plan is still in the works, and AEDA wants public input. A community open house to gather ideas will be held 6 p.m. Thursday at Kings Crossing community room, 500 N. Dale St.

More information about the event can be found here.

MPR photo by Bill Alkofer

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General Mills pledges up to $100,000 for famine relief

Posted at 5:05 PM on August 3, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Minneapolis

One very large food company is responding to the food crisis in Somalia.

The philanthropic arm of General Mills announced today it has donated $50,000 to the ARC, a Minneapolis-based group that is delivering aid to famine-stricken Somalia. The General Mills Foundation says it will make another matching contribution of up to an additional $50,000 from other Twin Cities companies.

The fact that General Mills is headquartered in the nation's largest Somali-American community was not lost on Ellen Goldberg Luger, vice president and General Mills Foundation executive director. And she's calling on other local corporations to dig deep:

"As the famine in Somalia reaches historic proportions, we encourage other Minnesota companies to support the critical relief work being done by the American Refugee Committee to address this devastating crisis."

As we reported last week, a single fund-raiser held at the Safari restaurant in Minneapolis drew in about $50,000 from Somali-Americans and friends. (Organizer Mohamed Hassan says early estimates of $53,000 were a bit high; he now puts it at $47,000. Still, it's not bad for an event that was put together in less than a week. On the other hand, a benefit concert held last Saturday had a poor turnout.)

We'll continue to track how Minnesotans -- individuals as well as companies -- work to address the humanitarian crisis in Somalia.

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$53K raised for Somali famine victims; Bono sounds alarm

Posted at 3:49 PM on July 25, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Minneapolis

From Bono's shout-out to grassroots fundraising, it was a good weekend for broadening awareness about the famine in the Horn of Africa.

An event held Friday in Minneapolis reeled in about $53,000 in donations and pledges to help the American Refugee Committee provide aid to famine victims in Somalia, organizers say.

That amount will be matched by corporate donations, said a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-based ARC.

One of the event's organizers, Mohamed Hassan of Minneapolis, said the outpouring of support surpassed even his expectations. He and Hassan Mohamud, imam of the Da'Wah mosque in St. Paul, helped put together the event in less than a week.

"For many of us, particularly the Somalis, it's personal," Hassan said of the drought's effect on refugees. "We know what they're going through. Some people are losing family members to starvation. I lost family members to war and killing."

There were non-Somalis in the crowd at Friday's banquet, a promising sign that news about the crisis in the Horn of Africa is reaching the mainstream, Hassan said. On Saturday, he hopes to put on a benefit concert to raise even more cash for those left behind.

Safari Restaurant and Banquet Center held back-to-back-to-back fundraisers.

Restaurant co-owner Jamal Hashi donated the banquet space. Hashi said it's the responsibility of all Somalis in America to help their extended family and fellow countrymen back home.

"I feel guilty that my fridge is full. I feel guilty that I have a/c on in my house. It could've been any of us," he told MPR's Rupa Shenoy.

Young people are also pitching in with car washes. And none other than Bono lent his celebrity to the cause through ONE, the advocacy group he co-founded to fight poverty and preventable disease. While performing in Minneapolis Saturday, he gave a plug to the ARC's Neighbors for Nations campaign and met privately with a number of Somali-American community members before the show.

In the U2 frontman's own words, according to the ONE website:

We're here to sound the alarm bell in the United States, where there has been very little media coverage of the food crisis -- and now a famine which is threatening the lives and livelihoods of 12 million. This is monstrous. Pay close attention, this is a defining moment for the world. History will be very harsh if we don't move quickly.

(Photo courtesy of ONE. U2 lead singer and ONE cofounder Bono and K'naan, the Somali-born singer and poet, meet with Somali Minnesotans in Minneapolis last night to discuss efforts to combat the famine in Somali. Left to right are Mohamed Samatar, Shukri Abdinur, Bono, K'naan, and Ruqia Mohamed.)

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What is the role of Muslim Americans in fighting radicalization?

Posted at 1:51 PM on July 22, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Crime, Immigration, Minneapolis

It's no secret that U.S. law enforcement wants American Muslims to be the eyes and ears of radical elements in their communities.

But the bigger question is: What should Muslims do if they suspect someone of harboring extreme views, but have no idea if that person poses any real security threat?

In my story yesterday about an assault that took place at a Minneapolis mosque, Nimco Ahmed, a Somali community member who has been involved with counterterrorism discussions with the Department of Homeland Security, raised an interesting point. Somali-Americans are still trying to figure out what their role is in reporting suspicions, she said.

"If we have people inside of our community who are radicalized, what do we need to do to identify them? What identifies a radical individual? I think all of that is not really clear."

Community members may come across someone who seems to sympathize with, say, the terror group al-Shabab. But that in itself is not a crime. Ahmed noted that some people who might seem radical due to mental instability might be in need of an intervention, not necessarily an investigation.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security launched a campaign last year called: "If You See Something, Say Something."

The U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, B. Todd Jones, has been meeting with young Somali-Americans since early this year as part of a broader effort to engage community members. His office recently hosted a civics training with young Somali-Americans (pictured above, courtesy of his office.)

And in March, Jones hired Michelle Tran to fill the new role of community relations specialist. She coordinates many of the conversations between the office and young Somali leaders.

Tran agrees that not everyone feels comfortable calling the FBI.

"A lot of people are afraid to bring it to that level," she said. "They're worried about someone who's young and might be impressionable. That's something we're trying to build a bit a little more -- having a space where people can ask questions without feeling they're going to be investigated."

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Mosque responds to Somali suicide bombing

Posted at 6:00 PM on June 8, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Minneapolis, St. Paul

A Twin Cities man whose family believes was involved in a recent suicide bombing in Mogadishu vounteered with youth programs at a well-known Minneapolis mosque before he left for Somalia.

That's according to Hassan Jama, director of the Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center.

Farah Beledi, whom family members identified as one of the men behind the attack, spoke at a press conference at the Abubakar mosque in February 2009. We ran an excerpt of his short remarks in my story from Tuesday.

Eight months after Beledi spoke at the mosque, prosecutors allege he was on his way across the Mexico border with a final destination of Somalia to support the terrorist group al-Shabaab. Most of the roughly two dozen young men from Minnesota accused of joining the group worshipped at the mosque. But federal authorities emphasize that there's no evidence suggesting imams or other mosque officials played a part in the men's radicalization.

Jama emailed me the mosque's response to the news about Beledi today. Here is his full statement:

We share the pain and grief that the family members of Farah Beledi are going through, and we are available to assist them with any support we can provide.

AAIC's Islamic teaching is guided by the Qur'an and the Sunnah (tradition) of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh), and does not preach nor condone any form of extremist ideologies. It has not, and will not, recruit for any political cause, nor allow others to do so at the Center.

It is well known that our youth in the Twin Cities have numerous problems. As the largest Islamic Center in Minnesota, we have witnessed that the greatest threats to our youth are rampant gang violence, post traumatic stress as refugees and children of refugees, high unemployment rate, poverty, language barriers, and lack of recreation facilities. To tackle some of these problems, with limited resources, AAIC organizes seasonal youth activities so that they have a safe space to interact, which is also an alternative to associating with gangs. We have also created mentorship programs which encourages high school students to earn college education.

Farah Beledi was not, and had never been an employee of Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center. Rather, he was one of the youth who wanted to take advantage, participate, and sometimes volunteer in our youth programs. Furthermore, Farah was interested to share his past experiences with the public, like he did in the Abubakar open house in February 2009. As for Farah's alleged travel and his subsequent death in Somalia, the Center has learned that from the media

Finally, we would like to emphasize that Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center (AAIC) does not have a membership, and welcomes all the community members to worship and volunteer at the Center. The Center administration, however, is responsible for all activities and programs it provides. AAIC does not, and will not allow anyone to do any unlawful activities in its premises.

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Rochester man works as government spokesman in Somalia

Posted at 6:00 AM on April 30, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration

A Somali-American community organizer from Rochester has returned to his homeland to work as a spokesman for its embattled government.

Abdifatah Abdinur, 33, went back to a war-ravaged Mogadishu that looks a lot different than the capital city he fled 20 years ago.

"It's like you're living in a video game. The city has been destroyed very badly," he said. "But my expectations were so low about everything -- life, the security. I find out the city doesn't want to die, and people are trying to stay alive and go about their everyday business."

Abdinur lived in Rochester since 1995 and directed a nonprofit to help immigrants. Over the past two years, he helped me with translation and other issues on numerous stories. The U.S. citizen returned to Mogadishu April 12 to take the job of communications director for the federal Ministry of Information, which is like the official press office of the Somali government.

Abdinur is not the only expat from Minnesota to return to Somalia in hopes of rebuilding a distant homeland. The minister of information who recruited him is a former IT guy who hails from the Washington, D.C., area. And Somalia's new prime minister returned last fall from the suburbs of Buffalo, N.Y., according to NPR.

The last time Abdinur was on the streets of Mogadishu, he was 13. Somalia was on the brink of civil war. That war is still raging, with the hard-line Islamic group al-Shabaab trying to defeat a weak government that only controls portions of its capital city.

"When night comes, it's hard to sleep sometimes," Abdinur said. "You hear all these gunshots and stuff. But the local people are used to it. Yes, it's a war zone. Things are hard, but it's not as horrible as people say."

Abdinur is living in a guesthouse near the presidential compound. It's in a protected area that's generally safer than in other parts of Mogadishu. Still, Abdinur says he generally doesn't feel comfortable going out at night for a sandwich or a cup of coffee.

He left behind his wife and five kids, who now live in Charlotte, N.C., close to his wife's family.

One of his projects is to help resurrect a government news agency that he hopes will educate the world about the most pressing needs in Somalia, such as educational opportunities. He'll spend the next couple of months hiring new staff for the agency. Its website is available in English and Somali.

He could return as early as this summer -- or stick around a little longer.

"I could have stayed back home with everything I need -- my family, my job and peace," Abdifatah said. "But I know that if people from the diaspora who have education and skills don't come back, this country will never return to normal."

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2010 census shows big changes in the Twin Cities metro

Posted at 6:00 AM on April 9, 2011 by Jessica Mador (0 Comments)
Filed under: Education, Housing, Immigration, Livability, Race, Suburbs

Census Bureau data confirm what many researchers already knew: some second and third ring suburbs made big gains between 2000 and 2010, while some older and first-ring suburbs saw declines. And the state as a whole got more racially diverse.

Here's my story about it.

One big winner in the suburbs was Shakopee, which added more than 16,500 new residents. The schools there are brimming with new children and the local hospital continues to expand to keep pace with demand.

Officials at St. Francis Regional Medical Center say since 1996, in-patient admissions are up 125 percent, and surgeries are up more than 90 percent. Births doubled from 600 to 1,200, emergency admissions went from 10,000 to 30,000 and urgent care visits went from 1,200 to 9,000 -- a 550 percent increase. The hospital has also doubled its staff and added additional language translators.

Check out these stats from the Met Council on the last decade's demographic shifts.

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Norwegian reality TV casting for love in Minneapolis

Posted at 12:15 PM on March 9, 2011 by Sasha Aslanian (2 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Livability, Minneapolis

Norwegians are crazy about Americans. Especially Americans who appear on Norwegian reality TV. Now's your chance:

Would you like to date interesting and beautiful Norwegian men and women? Nordisk Film TV is looking for participants for a brand-new TV series about single Norwegian-Americans looking for love.

This Thursday to Monday (March 10th-14th) we will be in Minneapolis/St. Paul looking for candidates.

I emailed a producer who provided more details:

When it comes to how Norwegian you have to be to qualify, we haven't made any absolute demands for this. Whether you are half Norwegian, or your grand parents Norwegian, or whether you speak Norwegian or not, we want you to contact us! The only thing we need is that you have some sort of personal relationship to Norway, and an interest in meeting single Norwegians...

Here's how the show works:

The four Norwegian American singles will be presented on Norwegian TV in an episode this May. Norwegian singles looking for love can then log on to the show website and send a date-request to one of the Norwegian Americans, and write a little bit about why they want to date this person or upload a video of themselves.

The single Norwegian Americans will then each select eight single Norwegians they want to get to know better. Those Norwegian singles will be flown to the U.S and will go on dates in the Norwegian Americans' hometowns. The Norwegian singles will the be voted off, one by one. Finally, the Norwegian Americans will have to choose which of the singles they want to be with. Will they find true love?

Norwegian Americans, this is your chance to reverse the mistakes of your ancestors who left behind the country that now enjoys the highest living standard in the world.

You wouldn't be the first Minnesotan to break into reality TV in Norway. Below, Kari Tauring (wearing white) from Minneapolis explored her cultural roots and wrote about it here.

And a Lutheran minister from Alexandria rose to celebrity status in Norway after his appearance.

Good luck!

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Planners exploring tourism potential of St. Paul's East Side

Posted at 10:28 AM on February 24, 2011 by Laura Yuen (1 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration, Race, St. Paul

Even if St. Paul doesn't have a Little Italy, a Chinatown, a Greektown, or even an Eat Street, it does have the East Side.

Today, a bus tour of this eclectic swath of the city will hit some spots with global influence, including a Thai grocery and the Plaza Latina mini-mall on Payne Avenue. Old standbys like Serlin's Cafe and Yarusso-Bros. are also on the agenda.

Who'll be sitting on the mini-bus? Community development corporations, city staff, tourism organizations, and other members of the Ethnic Cultural Tourism Destinations Collaborative, said organizer Lisa Tabor.

The group has been studying the "potential of the local ethnic destinations to contribute to our local economy as well as identify ways to develop that potential," said Tabor, a cultural consultant.

Tabor believes there are plenty of ethnic destinations throughout Minnesota, but many fall off the tourism industry's radar. This tour, however, has the support of Visit Saint Paul and other partners.

Future tours will feature the Central Corridor, which some are hoping to brand as a "world cultural heritage district," and African-American heritage along Selby Avenue, downtown, and the historic Rondo area.

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ICE gives wrong worksite audit list to MPR

Posted at 8:33 PM on February 9, 2011 by Sasha Aslanian (1 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration

Last week, we reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement had responded to MPR News' request for information on Minnesota employers fined for employing illegal immigrants over the past ten years with this list.

ICE spokesman Shawn Neudauer now indicates the list was incorrect "due to a clerical error". Despite MPR News' repeated electronic FOIA requests in October 2010, and email requests to both DC headquarters and the Bloomington office in January 2011, ICE is now unable to provide MPR News with a corrected list. ICE in DC recently gave a Star Tribune reporter a list that includes ABM, a company that had signed a non-disclosure agreement with ICE. We reported on ABM when it fired 1,200 undocumented janitors in 2009.

Neudauer gave MPR the following statement:

"An administrative I-9 audit was conducted by ICE, which resulted in a mutually acceptable agreement between ICE and ABM, which the parties have agreed to keep confidential."

We'll update this story as soon as more information become available.

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Are you Somali or American? It's complicated...

Posted at 10:16 AM on January 31, 2011 by Laura Yuen (0 Comments)
Filed under: Immigration

"Do you consider yourself Somali or American?"

That question kicked off a fascinating joint broadcast of the BBC's radio show "Africa Have Your Say" Wednesday morning at our UBS Forum here at MPR in St. Paul.

It was one of the most interesting MPR-hosted discussions I've attended, featuring young Somali voices in London, Mogadishu and in the Twin Cities.

I was struck by the contrast in responses to that opening question. The young panelists in London mostly thought of themselves as Somali, rather than British. But all four members of our Minnesota crew - Mukhtar Osman, Hoodo Hassan, Zuhur Ahmed and Ruqia Mohamed - offered much more nuanced answers, which more or less ended with: "It's complicated."

I found myself nodding in recognition. When you are an immigrant, or the child of immigrants, it's hard to choose just one identity. Nor should you have to.

Just ask Mohamed Samatar, 18. Here's a kid who is completely comfortable with every facet of himself:

"When people ask me that question, I say, 'American by nationality, Muslim by religion, American by culture, Somali by memory, Yemeni by adoption -- because I was born there -- and universal by principle."

When Samatar offered up that poetic phrase, "Somali by memory," he got plenty more nods in the audience.

Nimco Ahmed, who works on policy issues for the city of Minneapolis, said the differences in how Somalis connect with their adopted homelands became clear during a recent conference in Washington D.C. During a basketball game, all of the Somalis from the United States instinctively stood up when the national anthem was played.

"The British Somali youth, they just couldn't believe it. They were all shocked we knew the song, and that we were singing the song," said Ahmed, who was equally shocked that some of her counterparts across the pond did not know their national anthem and did not consider themselves even a wee bit British, even though they lived in the U.K. for most of their lives.

"The youth here feel deeply they are American. For us, every day, the complication is how we define ourselves. We are Americans, and at the same time, inside of our homes, we are Somalis."

If you missed it, Bob Collins live-blogged about it. He also posted the off-air final 30 minutes of our discussion in St. Paul, in which our Minnesota panel and audience more deeply explored the issues of identity and belonging.

This event reminded me how news organizations, especially public radio, can play an important role in bringing people together. It also reminded me that young people are in no shortage of poignant moments, provided they have a forum to express themselves -- and a question or two to get the conversation started.

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