Changemakers 365 is here in Minnesota for another week or so. We’re reaching out to get to know new neighbors and to boost the efforts of organizations and individuals doing great work with local refugee communities.
Brian Coyle Community Center is an amazing resource for refugees and immigrants in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood of Minneapolis. The people and organizations you find at the community center are incredibly dedicated to serving others. So on Day 50, we wanted to serve them and do something small just to show our appreciation for all that they do.
A sambusa is a popular East African savory treat and consists of vegetables, lentils or meat wrapped up in a pastry shell and fried up. To thank everyone at Brian Coyle Community Center who is helping families adapt to a new country, community and future – we decided to throw a little sambusa and tea reception! We invited the center’s English teachers and their students, the folks who run the food shelf, the people who provide janitorial services and those who help people prepare to enter the workforce. And we all gathered in the main meeting space – just to say thank you!
Bekele Adamu joined us for a snack, he’s the Brian Coyle Center’s Programs & Facilities Manager. “I tried working in the corporate sector, but I prefer this work. It’s rewarding to help people find opportunities and get ready to work.” Bekele himself originally from Ethiopia, used to do this work back in Ethiopia and in Ireland before coming to Minnesota.
We also learned a couple of fun facts during the morning reception. We learned that a Somali Hamburger is a mandazi (fried donut) pulled apart and stuffed with a sambusa. We also learned that a couple of ARC’s own staff used to work at Brian Coyle – one such team member was Magdalene Mbaga, who took the opportunity to catch up with a couple of her former students (Magdalene used to teach English at Brian Coyle).
It was a very simple reception, but everyone really appreciated the late morning sustenance and for being recognized for what they do. The tea and sambusas eventually ran out and people went their separate ways. But we were able to brighten everyone’s day a little bit in the process.
