Des Moines Area Community College issued the following announcement on Oct. 17.
Muslim Somali refugee shares compelling view of her life in the United States
UPDATE 10/21/19: DUE TO A TRAVEL CONFLICT, THIS EVENT HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL NEXT SEMESTER. A RESCHEDULED DATE WILL BE ANNOUNCED WHEN FINALIZED.
With any questions, please contact Julie Simanski at jasimanski@dmacc.edu. Thank you.
Somali Muslim refugee Saida Dahir, an award-winning poet who advocates against intolerance and racism in her work, will perform her spoken-word poetry on Oct. 22 at the DMACC Ankeny and Urban Campuses.
Dahir, 18, emigrated from Somalia to the United States when she was three years old and claimed refugee status in Salt Lake City, along with her family. She wrote her first-ever poem at age seven, and her debut poetry album, “The Walking Stereotype,” was recorded on the eve of her high school graduation. The album addresses topics such as cultural displacement, gun violence and Dahir’s decision to wear a hijab.
"It was a rough journey to find myself, and my poetry really helped with everything I faced as a child," Dahir said. "With ‘The Walking Stereotype,’ I want people to know that anyone can get through the most surmountable challenges, and that past traumas and heartbreak do not define you. I want to make a difference to people all around the world.”
Dahir, who is currently a college freshman at U.C. Berkeley, will perform from 10-11 a.m. on Oct. 22 in the Black Box Theatre located in Bldg. #5 on the DMACC Ankeny Campus, as well from 1-2 p.m. on Oct. 22 in Bldg. #1, Room 124, on the DMACC Urban Campus. Both events will be free to attend and open to the public. Her presentation is sponsored by the DMACC Diversity Commission.
To read more about Dahir, visit www.littlevillagefoundation.com/saida-dahir.
Original source can be found here.
Source: Des Moines Area Community College
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