Urgent: Fire update!
Saciido Shaie
Facebook Friends, I would like to inform you that for the last three days, my life and the lives of many other families have been turn upside down. Well, Three days ago the apartment next to my apartment has cut a fire and that fire change the lives of entire community. The building is located North East Minneapolis and 98% of the residence are East African, mostly if not all Somali. These are large extended Families, mostly children and elders. Well as we know things happened, disasters strike and these is nothing we can sometimes do. I am so grateful to Allah that we haven’t lost anyone. However, there is an issue because these families are displaced and because they are not safe in staying there, the property manager asked everyone to move by 5pm today. Because of the water damage to the infrastructure of the building, it can collapse any minute.
Therefore, there is no other way other than moving out. Now, this building is managed by PPL and as we know, PPL has many properties, apartments, houses and what I am so strike by is that they will not relocate, find units, or have some sort of alternative for these families. These families are renters, and they pay monthly rent. They are telling these families to move within hours without giving them place to go.
I have been calling, emailing, communicating with the city, the county, the Red Cross, and many of my elected officials such as Commissioner Linda Higgins, Councilman Kevin Reach, Representative Diane Loffler, Holland neighborhood, Neighborhood community Engagement Commission, Neighborhood Community Relations Department and many other departments.
I would like to inform my Face Book Friends that I am doing everything possible that I am able to. We had the city of Minneapolis involve, and they have been to the building inspecting and helping the families. The Red Cross prepared a place for the families to stay for couple of days and because we are talking about over 64 person, it was not possible to take them to hotels, the find a Church of St. Stephens in north east Minneapolis. They have a big hall where they divide the hall in to two parts. One part will host the men while the other is for women and the children. They will take care of their basic needs such as food, water, sleeping ect.
These families will be out of their house 90+days and for that reason, needs more help along the way.
I will inform you as more things develop but in the meantime, we need your prayers and support of these familie
Saciido Shaie
612-203-0829 cell
Founder and the President of Ummah Project
Neighborhood and Community Engagement Commission
Member of the MN Juvenile Justice Advisory Committee
Member NRP Policy Board
Parent Leadership for Child Safety and Permanency
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http://www.dhs.state.mn.us/CulturalEthnicLeadershipCouncil "Mahatma Gandhi’s famed “seven social sins”: politics without principles, wealth without work, pleasure without conscience, knowledge without character, commerce without morality, science without humanity, and worship without sacrifice. |
Saciido Shaie
• At one point, I am the victim because I had been removed from the building since it was not safe for my family
• On another point, there families were my responsibility as a commissioner, as a councilwomen, as an advocate, and a resident, I had to step in to make sure the right of these families were not violated.
• The third point was for me to make sure to send the right information to all that were involved including the families, county, state, and PPL through the Manager.
• And then there was the hardest part of all which was to intrepid, translate and communicate with the families. This was very difficult and I was turn between the families and all other groups. Even though it I was doing everything possible to make sure all were okay, these families were so terrified, scare, and confused and as a result I became the point person to all issues. They even forget that I was a victim, and that I need to also find place for my own family.
• Yet I was not able to help my family first because I could not take care of my family while the rest of the families are stranded outside the building lobby.
• I had to be strong, vigorous, able, organized, inform and entertain these families and their children to understand the situation in hand as well as to stay calm.
The city of Minneapolis did a wonderful job on making sure these families were okay, and the building manager, PPL, and the owner of the building are doing their part. The city’s authority, presence, and communication made a tremendous impact on the process. Thank you!
The Red Cross another organization that worked hard on this incident. As I mention before, the Red Cross came to the building and had talked with the families with in hours. They (Red Cross,) had arranged a place for these families, thanks to St. Patterson Church, Gail Dorfman who is the lead person on this organization, for making sure these families had a place to stay. Thank you!
I would like to thank one of our own Abdirizak Bihi, a true leader and hero for the eyes of all these families. He was there, strong and concern and made it work for many of the families. Thank you!
Abdirashid Sh-Ali Ahmed, East African Community Specialist for the Neighborhood and Community Relations Department at City of Minneapolis Government was among the rescue team who came to the building and talked with the families and all the other authorities in making sure these families’ rights were not violated. He was amazing, strong, and helpful. Thank you! Insha Allah I will update you as new things develop. Saciido Shaie!