Alight and Somali Culture 101
Pre-Work
Prior to engaging in the professional development, we ask that you take some time to engage with the following materials. We will be using them as a shared foundation and a lens through which to engage with the experience.
- Somalia: A Nation of Poets
- Somali and Somali American Experiences in Minnesota
- Across generations, Somali-Americans try to balance old and new
- The Refugee Rethink Part 5: A New Way
Experience Full
We will visit Alight, formerly the American Refugee Committee, an organization that works locally and globally with refugees, trafficked persons, and economic migrants to co-design solutions that help them build full and fulfilling lives. A specific focus will be on Alight’s human-centered work in Somalia and with the Somali diaspora, including the Somali community in Minneapolis. Alight “exists to inspire and unleash the abundance in every person” and, in that spirit, we will participate in activities that practice human-centered design thinking. Next we will attend a Somali Culture 101 class at The Somali Museum of Minnesota, North America’s first and only museum devoted to Somali culture. We will experience a guided tour of the museum and receive cultural training from an expert, where we can learn and ask questions about the Somali people and traditions. For our final reflection we’ll head to the coffee shop at the museum.
- How can I be a part of meaningful change in the world?
- How can individuals and communities collaborate across difference and distance to address issues?
Facilitator(s):
Bekah Olson (Alight)
Osman Ali (Somali Museum)
Location:
1st Stop: Alight— 615 First Ave NE, Suite 500 Minneapolis, MN 55413 and
2nd Stop: Somali Museum–1516 East Lake St. Suite 011 Minneapolis, MN 55407