When Africa meets Faribault, the Story

So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they're busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.

This is a quote from Morrie Schwartz, in "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom

This came to me yesterday while Joseph J. Mbele, Professor at St. Olaf College was talking to us at the Library about his life here in the United States and the differences of our cultures.

Life in Africa, Joseph explained, is family first everything else second. There are no rest homes, families take care of their elderly. There are no invitations, when there is a marriage, a party of any kind, you hear about it and go. You hear music and noise in the next block, you go.

Schedules are loose in Africa, you start out an hour early to go because you naturally have to stop along the way and talk to your aunt, friends, or just someone along the way and talk about the weather, your family or any other news of interest. You'll still be late because being social is more important then being on time.

Joseph explained about how hard it was to learn to look people in the eye while talking, that is not the custom in Africa. Don't feel bad if we look away often, he explained.

Education is the key to mend cultural differences he explained to the interested group attending on a beautiful spring morning. We need to learn and accept our differences and try to understand why people feel the way they do about our new immigrants.

By learning why Immigrants do what they do, (stand in groups on street corners, look away when talking to them, not learning English fast enough because the lack of ESL teachers, not joining our organizations because of lack of trust, working more then one job because of low pay, and more), we can learn to accept our new friends.

Joseph said that anti-immigrant groups also need to be heard and understood why they feel like they do. What happened to them to feel the way they do. There needs to be understanding on all sides.

Joseph said he gets meaning in his life through teaching his students about the meaning and differences of cultures and his work with the Faribault Diversity Coalition.

He sees the Diversity Coalition as way of loving all people and devoting oneself to the community and creating something that gives purpose and meaning, like Morrie said.

Thanks Joseph for more understanding of the African Culture.

The day ended with wonderful Somalian food brought by Hashi Geedi, Community Outreach Worker for the Welcome Center. The rice, goat meat, and chicken among other foods was delicious, and the desert was a better knowledge of the African Culture.




Have a gentle day, Milo

Circles of Cross-Cultural Sharing

Faribault residents from different cultures have been gathering over these last four weeks in cross-cultural Sharing Circles. The groups have taken place weekly, providing an opportunity for people to share backgrounds and experiences, to learn about one another’s cultures, and to form friendships across cultural lines. As one Somali gentleman said, “Animals get to know one another by smell. People get to know one another by talk.” The talking has opened up our understanding of others who share Faribault with us as a home.

People shared difficult memories of how civil war disrupted their lives, of how things were before and after. People spoke of growing up, of family, of values, of simple life, of reasons for moving on. Questions were raised and answered about how people make a living, of what people eat or don’t eat, of rules here that are important to understand.

In the end, people felt positive about the experience. They could now say “hello” to someone who was no longer a stranger. We had all understood more about one another: about the welcome people wanted to extend, about the struggles of settling anew, about the unity we all desired.

The groups are only a beginning. All said they would welcome other opportunities to continue the conversation. The community gardens, a summer picnic, or shared projects can be the opportunity to build upon what has begun. We encourage others to join with us in what is an ongoing effort to create community among us all.

Bob Kell

*A Lesson in Making Space for People to Contribute in Their Own Way*

Healthy communities use inclusive processes to achieve community goals, which are not reached through pre-determined outcomes developed by a few; they use a fluid, collaborative process that is widely owned.

*A Lesson in Making Space for People to Contribute in Their Own Way* On its Web site, the Faribault Diversity Coalition describes its monthly meetings as a focal point for public work. “You don’t have to belong to an agency or hold a certain position,” the site says. “You don’t have to commit to a long-term involvement. All we seek are people who come to respectfully participate in this effort to understand, to educate ourselves, to work for welcome.”

Coalition member and blogger Milo Larson says that this openness is crucial to building momentum for tackling public problems. “People get involved if they feel welcomed – if we give them space to express their voice in a collaborative way. In general, if people feel not listened to, they won’t engage. If new ideas are pushed aside, it deflates the idea.”

People also need opportunities to contribute in ways that tap their unique skills and talents, and fit their self-interest. When the coalition organized community members to build a bus shelter for neighborhood children, all hands were welcome. Some people contributed by bringing food to the construction site, or donating building materials or money. Jason, a quiet, second-year carpentry student, served as foreman of the project. “He didn’t really speak much, but he came every day to work on the project. It was a great learning experience for him,” said Bob Kell, director of the Diversity Coalition’s Welcome Center.

Kell added, “As organizers, it can be difficult to give people space to be involved at the level they’d like to be involved. Sometimes we have to back off enough to allow for others to express their creativity. Power is generated when people can find a place for themselves in [a community project].”

This story was collected through a group interview conducted by staff of the University of Minnesota's Center for Democracy and Citizenship. The center is working with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota Foundation's Healthy Together grant recipients.

Ellen Tveit
Program Manager
Center for the Study of Politics and Governance
Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
University of Minnesota
301 19th Ave. S.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-625-8330
612-624-0068 fax
www.hhh.umn.edu/centers/cspg

When Africa meets Faribault

If this doesn't download, flyers will be at the Faribault Print Shop or Welcome Center.
Have a gentle day, Milo