SSIC 2021 Colloquium: Somalinimo, Blackness and Belonging in the West
The third Somali Studies in Canada Colloquium at Carleton University, Ottawa, Canada, took place on October 16, 2021. Each event brought Somali-Scholars and others who study Somali Diaspora to come together to discuss Blackness and its intersections with various sites and systems of power (i.e. educational, policing, courts, prisons, borders and diasporic life). This discussion is especially relevant for young and emerging Somali diaspora scholars, organizers, and activists aware of these challenges and who are thinking about what it means to belong to Canada as Black people, as Muslims, as refugees or immigrants, and as second-generation Canadians. This year the conversation extended to the United States and continental Europe.
This year’s panel presenters were:
- Dr. Habiba Ibrahim earned her Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis and her PhD in Public Policy Analysis from Saint Louis University. Dr. Habiba’s scholarship focuses on immigrants and refugees’ economic mobility and financial inclusion, resettlement experiences, and international Social Work.
- Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim completed his Doctor of Philosophy (Simon Fraser University); his Master of Social Work from Washington University in St. Louis, his Psychiatric Nursing credential from the Medical Training College, Kenya and his post-Masters Certificate from Harvard University). Dr. Ibrahim’s scholarship focuses on mental health.
- Dr. Saida Abdi received her PhD and master’s in social work/Sociology from Boston University and her BA from Ottawa. Her scholarly work focused on clinical social work practice.
- Mr. Mohmad Roble Issa and Mr. Zacharia, two creative young Somalis, presented their work as documentary and artistic photography, talking about North American Somali mothers who lost their children through violence and impact.