Hukun Dabar, Executive Director of Afro American Development Association, will be highlighting the challenges faced by immigrants while integrating into the American society at 1 Million Cups Fargo on February 26. 1 Million Cups is located at NDSU’s Barry Hall on the Mezzanine level.
About Hukun
Hukun Dabar, one of the founders of Afro American Development Association, was a student at Minnesota State Community and technical College Moorhead and is currently a student at Minnesota State University of Moorhead and will soon graduate in December of 2020! Hukun loves to travel and takes pride in the organization’s impact. Hukun expands, “The fact that we as an organization gets to impact so many lives by providing a supportive environment, in addition to services for the immigrants and their families, it prides me more each day as I am always able to make a change in the community.”
About Afro American Development Association
Afro American Development Association was founded by Hukun Dabar and Yunis Amin. Their mission is to “alleviate poverty by supporting vulnerable New Americans and other diverse communities by building the capacities of our families and communities through training, sustainable development, economic empowerment, conflict resolution and peacebuilding.” ESHARA Workforce Development Partnership, a collaborative program, was developed to identify gaps and remove barriers that exist for new Americans. The program was developed by Afro American Development Association, South Sudan Lutheran Community, Somali Community Development of ND, and Sudanese Community of Fargo/Moorhead. The program also “supports unemployed and underemployed workers to acquire and maintains family-sustaining employment and increases access to supportive services that are essential to wellbeing and career success.” The collaboration is funded by the United Way of Cass Clay.
The idea was brought about when New American Organization sat down and constructed the best ways they could partner and serve the New Americans in the area. Hukun explains, “We recognized that there are a lot of barriers – culturally, socially and economically faced by immigrants, and in the wake of increasing demand for skilled workers, we wanted to ensure that immigrants capitalize on acquiring additional education and training as part of the supportive services for their well-being and career success in the new environment.”
Event Details
Hukun Dabar will be speaking at 1 Million Cups on February 26 at NDSU’s Barry Hall on the Mezzanine level. Hukun will be talking about the challenges faced by immigrants while integrating into the American society, the aspect of skills gap for immigrants in relation to the American job market, and how employers in the region can customize employment services to suit the needs of new immigrants. Hukun thinks it’s important to speak at events like 1 Million Cups because it is a great platform to meet like-minded individuals and organizations and they also provide a source of new ideas and networking opportunities.
