Tag: Muslims in America

Communities

Minneapolis’ Somali-American Community Can Soon Bypass the Bank to Buy Homes

by  EMILY NONKO    

Said Sheik-Abdi describes himself as “one of the Somali-Americans residing in Minneapolis, Minnesota.” The state has 52,333 people who report Somali ancestry — the largest concentration of Somalis in America — and many live in the Twin Cities. But since his arrival to Minneapolis 20 years ago, Sheik-Abdi has distinguished himself as a community activist skilled in mobilizing fellow community members.

Almost a decade ago, he began collaborating with the American Refugee Committee on ways Minnesota’s Somali-American residents could support their home country. The result was the Neighbors for Nations initiative, which engaged the community in fundraisers including a sambusa cook-off, charity walks and a “1,000 giving $1,000” campaign to raise $1 million.

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Uncategorized

Somali-American, Halima Aden, becomes first model to wear a burkini in Sports Illustrated

A Somalian refugee has made history as the first model to grace the pages of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition wearing a hijab and burkini.

Model Halima Aden has been featured in the 2019 Rookie Spread of the magazine wearing designer burkinis, hijabs and head scarfs.

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Television

Ramy Isn’t telling a universal story of the American Muslim experience.

Review of Halu Show about Ramy. He is Egyptian-American, he’s Muslim, he’s the child of immigrants, and he’s lived through the last two decades of American culture shaped by the disorienting alienation of being a Muslim teenager in post-9/11 New Jersey.

Some of the stories in Ramy seem like standard millennial-comedy fare: Ramy (Ramy Youssef) has parents who want him to settle down, and he’s wary of their values and the things they desire for him.

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Book review

Muslim immigrants from Africa keep proving the American dream is still here for all

The streets of Little Senegal in Harlem, New York and the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis share a common trait: they are both home to thriving African immigrant communities from west and east Africa, many of whom practice Islam. From halal meat stores to restaurants, fabric stores and shops selling religious articles, these buzzing enclaves offer a telling portrait of Islam in America. This review  by  Abdi Latif Dahir of Lekan Oguntoyinbo’s book in QUARTZ AFRICA tells more of the accomplishments of this community in America.
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