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The Central Lakes College Office of Equity and Diversity and the Cultural Thursdays Program will host author and educator Hudda Ibrahim to speak on Somali culture and customs for the December Cultural Thursday Program.
The program will be held as a live event in the Chalberg Theatre at 12 p.m. on December 2 and will also be available via a live Zoom Webinar. Those participating via Zoom are asked to pre-register via this link: https://tinyurl.com/pytt33m9
Ibrahim is a Somali refugee whose family fled her war-torn homeland in 1991. She spent her formative years in Ethiopia and Kenya before moving to the United States in 2006 and settling in Minnesota. Ibrahim earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Conflict Resolution and English Literature from the College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University, and she earned her Master’s Degree in Peace, Justice, and Reconciliation from the University of Notre Dame. She has an additional certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education in Leadership (Ed.D) at Saint Mary’s University. She currently teaches diversity and social justice courses at St. Cloud Technical and Community College, and she sits on several non-profit boards, including the Greater Minnesota Mentoring Academy, United Way of Central Minnesota, and the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, in which she was diversity council chair. Ibrahim also mentors children through the nonprofit she founded, the Greater Minnesota Mentoring Academy.
Along with Abdi Mahad, Ibrahim founded Filsan Talent Partners LLC in 2016. Mahad and Ibrahim had a vision to create a thriving Central Minnesota where all people have equal opportunities for work and education. Filsan Talent Partners builds diverse and inclusive workplace cultures across Minnesota by developing innovative and engaging solutions aimed to dismantle systemic inequities and leverage diversity for organizational success.
In recognition of her leadership, Ibrahim has received numerous awards. She is a Bush Fellow and has been recognized with the Five Under Forty Award, 2017 Difference Maker, 2016 Difference Maker, 2016 Partners in Education District 742 Award for the Take Ten project, and the Women’s Group project. In addition, she has received an appreciation award for her work in the community from the Somali American National Institute, and St. Cloud Mayor David Kleis presented Hudda with the St. Cloud “Rock On” Award. Minnesota-based Beaver’s Pond released her first book in 2017. This book From Somalia to Snow: How Central Minnesota Became Home to Somalis gives readers an invaluable insider’s look into the lives and culture of their Somali neighbors and the important challenges they face.
The children’s book What Color is My Hijab is Ibrahim’s second published book. In the book, women of all different professions, including doctors and teachers, artists and politicians are featured wearing their very colorful hijabs, and a variety of clothing.
For questions about this event or the Cultural Thursdays Series, please contact Tracey Kloeckl-Jiménez 218-855-8183.
