Saturday, March 6th, 2010
by Teddy Fikre
EA4C Guest Blogger

I have been involved in a lot of activities throughout my life.  I took part in the Ethiopians for Obama campaign, I was involved in “Democracy Marches” when I was a teenager, I have started a lot of initiatives and businesses throughout my life, all of which I have been proud of.  But perhaps the proudest moment to date, one that eclipses the election of Obama in 2008, took place last night.

I am a member of a facebook fan page called United Apart.  The aim of the page is to bring together like minded Ethiopians and Eritreans and give them a platform to exchange ideas, to have a dialogue, to discuss historical injustices and ways to work together going forward while we respect each other’s differences and sovereignty.  And for this, I have been attacked by some in my own community for being an Eritrean sympathizer, for supporting a political faction, or for trying to disseminate propaganda.  I never quite understand how talking to your supposed “enemy” is an act of betrayal against my beloved Ethiopia.  Unless  of course the people who do the attacking have a vested interest in a perpetual state of war or thrive by sowing division to attract the irrational yet vocal minority—the lynch mob—to their cause and to line their pockets .

Well yesterday, an Eritrean commented on the discussion board the following statement:

“This group is for sellouts if you’re Eritrean. I’m glad the likes of you are not permitted in my country. You would all be jailed for treason. To disgrace our martyrs who sacrificed their lives for Eritreans to finally have their nation free from Ethiopian domination and hegemony. Thank God I do not know any of you in person. I would personally spit in all of your faces.”

My natural reaction was to throw back the very venom he spit by spitting venom right in his eyes—to fight fire with a blow torch.  After I released my initial venom, I asked him to join a conference call with some of the members from United Apart.  What transpired over the next hour and a half was profound in ways that I have yet to grasp.  The Eritrean who injected hateful words ended up joining the conference call, and I—and two other Ethiopians and one participant who was half Ethiopian and half Eritrean—started a dialogue.  By the end of the night, all participants walked away learning a valuable lesson.   No need for me to explain what happened, listen to yourself and decide if dialogue is indeed more powerful than guns.

click to listen to dialogue

This blog submission was written by Teddy Fikre.  The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.

click to view profile

Ethiopian-Americans for Change has started a powerful dialogue group where we exchange ideas and discuss historical grievances.  The group contains a diverse group of Ethiopians and Eritreans.  This is how we overcome our differences, not through bullets but through a dialogue.

click to join fan page

click to view fan page

On this day today, 114 years ago, Hebert defeated Hate.  On this day today, 114 years ago, a band of Ethiopian and Eritrean brothers and sisters united to deliver a stunning blow to the menace of colonialism in a place called Adwa.  Up until this time, European powers had divided Africa—and for the most part the rest of the world—into a personal chess board.  They carved out chunks of land throughout the continent and proclaimed it as a God given vestige, the people that inhabited those lands deemed slaves and surfs forever.  Adwa, in one compelling moment, shattered the myth of a superior race; Adwa shattered the idea that Africans were lesser humans.  In one compelling moment, Adwa gave hope to millions of enslaved people across the world.

On the dawning of the 19^th century, throughout Africa, every inch of the continent was occupied space, colonized by France, Great Britain, Portugal, Spain, and Belgium to name a few.  The one country that did not occupy a significant part of Africa was Italy; the one country that remained free from the clutches of colonization was Ethiopia.  Naturally, Italy saw in Ethiopia an elixir to the complex it harbored; Italy saw in the colonization of Ethiopia redemption of sorts, to join the league of colonizers.  So in 1895, Italy began a systematic invasion of Ethiopia, of course guised under the nonsense of trying to “civilize” a civilization that has been in existence centuries before Europe immerged from the “Dark Ages”.

On March 1^st, 1896, four Italian brigades numbering 17,700 troops armed with state of the art weaponry advanced on Adwa.  There, they were met by an awesome array of Ethiopian and Eritrean patriots, patriots who would rather die at the hands of Italian Remingtons than live under the flag of a colonial power.  The story of Adwa cannot be contained in one article let alone one book, it is a truly transformational moment—a watershed occurrence—that would forever alter the calculus of race and pierce a bullet through the heart of European exceptionalism.  The Ethiopian and Eritrean forces, led by Emperor Menelik, Empress Taytu, Ras Atikem amongst other leaders, obliterated the Italian forces.  The Italian forces, led by General Baratieri, assumed that the Ethiopians would cower before the approaching Italian Army.  The Ethiopians and Eritreans did anything but; they matched the arrogance of the Italian army with an awesome display of bravery.  In the valleys of Adwa, an African army tamed the mendacity of a European power that lusted power over human decency.

The Battle of Adwa is not the province of Ethiopians and Eritreans alone; it is a beacon that shone a light in the darkest moments of African-American slaves throughout the world.  Because of Adwa, African-Americans who were “freed” only a score before were given a moment to believe in hope.  Men like Marcus Garvey and Du Boise and up the line to Malcolm X and Martin Luther King were touched and inspired to lead a suffering people to a mountain top.  The bible says that Ethiopia shall one day stretch forth her wings, Adwa was the first wing, the day will come where Ethiopia will stretch forth her second wing and deliver Africa to a place of true liberation, where Africa is no longer suffering under the vestiges of “neo-Colonialism”.

The day will come where Africa will be United Apart, working together for a common cause, instead of killing each other over senseless borders drawn up for us by the remnants of European masters.  The day will come where Africa will import ideas instead of AK47s, where Africa will export finished goods instead of raw resources.  When that day comes, we will look back at Adwa as the birth of liberty.  We celebrate you, the patriots of Adwa; it is because of you that I am able to write this article.  It is because of Adwa that we were able to elect an African-American the President of the most powerful country in the world.  Adwa is the birthplace of audacity—Yichalal!

Ethiopian-Americans for Change has started a powerful dialogue group where we exchange ideas and discuss historical grievances.  The group contains a diverse group of Ethiopians and Eritreans.  This is how we overcome our differences, not through bullets but through a dialogue.

click to view fan page

This blog submission was written by Teddy Fikre.  The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.

click to view page

click to view page

Yikirta – Forgiveness

I came to the United States in 1983 at the age of 11 and have yet to return to Ethiopia. During the years I lived in Ethiopia—Addis Ababa specifically—the concept of ethnic division and the animosity and injustices each carried about the other was unbeknown to me. From my memory, I lived with neighbors of various ethnic backgrounds whom I loved and regarded as an extension of my family. We ate, drank, celebrated and grieved together. Ever since I was a little girl, I always loved our diverse culture and music—Amaragna, Tigrigna, Oromogna,  Guragegna,  Dorzigna,  Adergna  to name a few—but for some reason I always had an extra love for Tigrigna.

It was not until I came to the United States that I was confronted head on by this ethnic division and animosity and became aware, for the first time, of the Ethiopia and Eritrea war. I became aware of this conflict when, at the school I was attending at the time, I met some Eritreans who introduced themselves as Eritreans and refused to refer to themselves as Ethiopians.  For someone who always loved their music, culture and language, I felt betrayed by this notion. I could not understand why they did not want to be called Ethiopians. Not having any understanding of their history and reasons behind it, I became very disappointed and confused by it.   Unfortunately, since all of us were very young at the time, we did not have the necessary conversation with one another to explain and understand where each of us was coming from.

Despite now being painfully aware of this fundamental difference, it still never stopped my family and I from continuing the most wonderful friendships we cherished with the Eritreans we considered a part of our family. This friendship was maintained by both sides overlooking the big elephant in the room. We each chose to love one another despite this omnipresent fact and never had an honest and open discussion about it with one another.  Perhaps everyone was avoiding it for fear of it getting in the way of the friendship—that was until 1991 when Eritrea finally gained military victory and Meles Zenawi gained power of Ethiopia.  All of the sudden, the cherished friendships became uncomfortable at best. When one finally felt free to celebrate the other felt betrayed. Without ever having the yet again necessary conversation where each side explained their feelings and reasons why, cherished friendships and relationships came to an end.

Feeling  betrayed by this victory and the talk that the Meles Government was going to rule by dividing our beloved country along ethnic lines, I fell into the fear that this country we love was going to be split up to pieces and destroyed beyond recognition. So I felt compelled to attend the many marches around DC, thinking I was going to do all I can to save Ethiopia and unite all Ethiopians without any real understanding of the underlying issues behind these conflicts.  Being an Amhara, I had no idea of the pain others that were not Amhara felt having their culture, language and identity not respected, appreciated and acknowledged. I had no idea what it will feel like to be in their shoes, to be teased or regarded as second class citizen for being anything other than Amhara. I later learned to understand the reason, why as an Amhara I was freely able to express my pride and others were not easily able to do the same. Since being Ethiopian was synonymous for being Amhara, I never had the experience of having to hide or made to feel ashamed of my cultural identity  thus of course I will be proud to be Ethiopian and express it. But for the others whom were made to feel they had to give up or hide their identity to pass off and adapt to what it was decided was to be Ethiopian, my banner of pride is their banner of pain.

In retrospect, it seems that whichever group is in power, by default, will be the dominant culture.  Inversely, those that are not of that group will naturally feel left out and unappreciated.  As it can be seen today, now that we, Amharas, are not in power and no longer the same dominant culture as we once have been.  We know now how the Eritreans, Tigreans, Oromos, Gurages and the rest felt when we were in power,  we now know the feeling of being left out and disregarded and reason for the scar of resentment.  Now we are the ones who are marching for freedom and democracy, now we are the ones who are forming, arming and training “freedom fighters”.  So let us all—regardless of our ethnicity and/or our religion— use this as a lesson and an opportunity to avoid the same mistake we have made and continue to make.  A mistake of grouping the people of that entire ethnic group and those in power as one and the same and blame them for the actions of those in power.

After years of personally attending many marches and meetings, what I came to realize is that these marches and meetings do nothing constructive but create further anger, mistrust and animosity towards one another.  Exploiting the passion and genuine love we have for our country, the organizers of these marches and meetings tap into our deepest of emotion to further nothing but their own cause and agenda and line their pockets in the process.  Over time, as I grew up and matured, my eyes and mind opened and I learned and continue to learn about life and what truly manners and does not. What time and experience has taught me is that our race, country, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, etc. does not make us who we are thus we should not define and box in ourselves nor one another along those lines.

Reality is, first and foremost we are all human and God’s creation thus we need to love, value and respect one another, for only through this understanding can we truly liberate ourselves from this cycle of hate and resentment we find ourselves in. Second, we all individually have our own God given unique personality and character thus we need to take the time to get to know one another as the individuals we are instead of the generalization and caricatures that we have placed on one another. Third, whatever acronym freedom fighting or political group that has been created and will be created on behalf of our respective countries, ethnic and or religion, in the end, once that group gain power, they will do what every other power before them have done.  They will use us – the general public – for their gain by continuing to divide us as much as possible so they can rule us as long as possible.

The way I see it, mistakes have been made on all sides between Ethiopia and Eritrea and also internally within Ethiopia along ethnic, class and religious line thus we can all take ownership of this mistake. Even if we ourselves did not personally make the mistake, if we did not stand against it when we heard or witnessed it, then knowingly or unknowingly, stand equally guilty. With that said, I ask everyone including myself with the utmost respect and compassion, who then among us is truly the innocent, who is the lone victim and who is the sole victimizer and perpetrator?  How much more suffering and destruction must we each endure and perpetuate on one another for us to “win”? What will quantify “wining” and “losing”? Are we willing to lose everything we have and can have for us to “win”? At what point do we say enough is enough? If we each admit of making these mistakes and ask for forgiveness would that make us weak, the loser? If we each open our heart and truly forgive would that make our cause worthless and our pain and suffering be in vain?

In the wise word of Mahatma Gandhi “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” Thus, for us all to advance and improve our respective current condition, the only option and solution we have left is to acknowledge the pain and struggle of one another and forgive one another. War has never been nor will ever be the answer.  So for myself, I say to everyone on all sides, yikirta!!!

Ethiopian-Americans for Change has started a powerful dialogue group where we exchange ideas and discuss historical grievances.  The group contains a diverse group of Ethiopians and Eritreans.  This is how we overcome our differences, not through bullets but through a dialogue.

click to join group

This blog submission was written by Mariam Fikre.  The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.

click to view profile

Click to see 09.25.09 pics

Last year, 09.25.09, we made history.  Never before has a major league baseball team held an appreciation day with for the Ethiopian community.  On September 29^th, 2009, the Washington Nationals did exactly that.  Ethiopian-Americans for Change, in partnership with the Washington Nationals organized the first ever Ethiopian-American Appreciation Day at the Nationals Baseball Park.

What took place was an amazing sight to behold.  Singers and performers from across the spectrum came together and performed for free for this historical occasion.  Mahmoud Ahmed, Yehune, Wayna, Tsegaye Sellasie, Zakki, Richmond Punch, Munit Mesfin and DJ Mamush put on a show of a lifetime.  In addition, the amazing artist Solomon Asfaw painted live a beautiful painting that represented the true essence and beauty of Ethiopia.  Almaz Restaurant stepped up in a major way and provided free Ethiopian food for all that attended.  Lastly, Ethiopian businesses from all over the DC metro area sponsored the event and made Ethiopian-American Appreciation Day possible along with the sponsorship provided by Coca Cola, Wachovia, Bank of America, and Starbucks to name a few.

Over 300 people came out in the middle of rush hour to take part in this historical celebration of our community.  Mayor Fenty released a letter thanking the Ethiopian community for our contributions to the city and to the nation and the City Council introduced a resolution, written by CM Graham, thanking the Ethiopian community for our contributions to the United States that date back to the early 1800s.  The inaugural Ethiopian-American Appreciation Day was a smashing success by any measure.  Ethiopian-American Appreciation Day was a family event; parents, children, and young working professionals alike came together to celebrate our community.

This year, we are at it again.  As great as the event was last year, we encountered quite a few challenges.  First, we had less than two months to put together an event that would usually take at least 8 months worth of planning.  Second, the event was on a Friday afternoon, where most folks are still working and find it difficult to trek through rush hour to take part.  This year, Ethiopian-American Appreciation Day will be held on a Saturday.  So, on Saturday, 08.28.10, we will build on the momentum from last year and put together an event that will truly celebrate the diversity and accomplishments of our community.

This event marks the continuing growth of our community in our new home the United States.  In 2008, we took part in a coalition that elected the first black president; that very year, for the first time ever, a Presidential candidate released a letter thanking Ethiopian for our contributions to the United States.  There are hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians who work relentlessly and make contributions to America.  On Saturday, August 28^th, Ethiopian-Americans for Change, in partnernship with the Washington Nationals will once again thank our community, and we will have a chance to celebrate as ONE.  Will you be there??

Volunteer Call

click to go to Facebook Volunteer page

The Inaugural Ethiopian-American Appreciation Day would not have been possible if it was not for the amazing contributions and sacrifices of countless organizers in every corner of America and in Canada.   By working together, we were able to pull off an amazing feat in less than two months.  This year is no exception, we will need a large volunteer pool in order to put this event together.  So this is a call to action, if you are interested in becoming a volunteer with Ethiopian-Americans for Change, please email us at volunteer@ea4c.org.  You can also join the Facebook Fan Page by clicking on the picture below.  This will enable us to communicate with volunteers quickly and effectively.  We need volunteers not only in the DC area, but in every big city where there is a large Ethiopian community.

The specific committees we are looking to fill are as follows:

• Media/PR Committee
• Sponsorship Committee
• Music/Band Committee
• Post Baseball Celebration
• Eyasu Generation Award Committee
• Events Coordinating Committee (logistics planning)
• Vendor Committee
• Regional Coordinator Committee (organizers outside of the DC Market)

When you send the email, please include your full name, contact info, and which committee you want to volunteer for.  All volunteers will get a full access pass for all Ethiopian-American Appreciation Day that will guarantee free access and a chance to meet the singers and performers during the event.

BANG!

In a flash, a bullet tears through the flesh of another Ethiopian.

BANG!

In an instant, the heart of an Eritrean is ripped asunder by the menace of an imported AK47.

There is a famous saying in Africa, a saying that sums up the insanity of hatred and vitriol that eats at the souls of Africa’s children.  This is Africa—TIA.  While the rest of the world continues to realize the concept of unity, Africa stands apart, holding on to the inane precepts of ethnic exceptionalism.  From the Horn of Africa to the  western edges of Liberia, from the majestic river Nile in Egypt to the diamond mines of South Africa, the concept of ethnic exceptionalism rips apart nations—brothers fighting with brothers.

This is the very essence of insanity—TIA.  Africa is the poorest continent on this earth, you would think in Africa—more than any other place on this earth—we would believe in Hebret, that we would put aside differences and work together.  Instead, we fight over bullshit ideas of “meism” and hatred.  Africa is blessed with an abundance of natural resources; oil, diamonds, gold, coffee, bananas to name a few.  Instead of replenishing our sisters and brothers with the bananas and leveraging resources like coffee to enrich Africa, we instead talk about banal ideas of tribalism while sipping the very coffee which is being exploited from Africa.

I want to understand, but I can never appreciate the menacing voice of hatred that is omnipresent in too many quarters.  And boy, there sure is a great PR job done to cover up the menace of this hatred.  I can’t count how many liberation fronts exist in Africa; no really, I now hate acronyms precisely because I recognize this germ for what it is.  I hear the praising of virtues such “democracy”, “freedom of speech and the press”, and “human rights” all the time.  But I wonder, are those catchy words really a place mat for those out of power to regain power?  Would the same people who fight vociferously for the tenant of “human rights” extol those same virtues once they gain power?  Would they be equally strident in defending “freedom of the press” if the voice that is expressed is one that is opposed to their thought, their ethnic group, and their dogma?

Of course, this is mostly a rhetorical question.  TIA!  TIA, where hatred festers like a rotting corpse.  TIA, where hypocrisy runs unchecked by supposed leaders and educators.  TIA, where violence begets violence and reason is drowned out in a cacophony of loathing.  Do you know that the number one symbol in Africa for flags is the AK47?  The AK47 was invented by a Russian named Mikhail Kalashnikov; it was and continues to be a ruthless weapon, cheap to produce yet efficient in gunning down Africans in every corner of the continent.  What was the weapon of choice in the Congo where over 1,000,000 Hutus and Tutsis mangled and maimed one another—the AK47.  What is the weapon of choice in Nigeria where fellow countrymen continue to mow each other down—the AK47.  What is the weapon of choice in Ethiopia and Eritrea, where we fight over a senseless border—the AK47.

While we continue the atrocities against our own, outside nations benefit at our expense.  We fight over stupid borders while the natural resources of Ethiopia and Eritrea continue to be exploited.  We fight over brainless thoughts of ethnic exceptionalism while the oil of Nigeria is pillaged by Exxon and BP.  We fight over centuries old grudges and injustices while Africa continues to be colonized.  Oh really, you thought Africa is no longer colonized?  TIA, we are colonized, except we are our own colonizers.  So we continue to fight over crumbs while the pie is being shipped in the dead of night—then plead like beggars for rice to be dropped from the sky.

We don’t need to beg; if we unite, we could take care of our own.  If we unite, we can have a United Africa and we could revolutionize the black mind and liberate ourselves from self hate.  If we unite, we could wipe out disease and famine. If we unite, we could educate our children about the rich history of Africa.  If we unite, Ethiopians and Eritreans would not have to greet each other with cold stares while passing each other in DC.  If we unite, we could deliver Africa from self genocide to a place of hope and prosperity.  If we unite, the number one African import would be ideas instead of guns.

But this is too hard; it is so much easier to fight each other, to form yet another stupid four letter liberation front.  It is so much easier to demonize the Eritrean or the Ethiopian, so much easier to demonize the Hutu or the Tutsi.  In the process, the fertile soil of Africa continues to be soaked with the blood of her thoughtless children who would rather grasp on to ethnic exceptionalism than to come together as one and unite.  The blood of the Eritrean that you lust after is that of a son or a daughter.  The scalp of the Ethiopian that you seek is that of a father who is trying to take care of his family.  I know one thing, no matter who is in power, the people will continue to suffer, the people will continue to starve.  What we need are not more four letter acronyms and dogmas, what we need are not more guns and bullets, what we need are more ideas based on the precepts of inclusion and unity–e plurbis unem.

I was asked recently to send money to Ethiopia so that “freedom fighters” could purchase arms to liberate Ethiopia. NEVER! I will not send one penny to Ethiopia so that Africa’s children can continue to exterminate my Eritrean brothers or my Somalia sisters.  I will not export my money to fund yet another four letter acronym that would fight for supposed human right.  I will export ideas; while despots and dictators will always ward of the hostility of western arms they cannot defeat ideas.  What we need in Africa is not more AK47s; we need more compassion and an honest dialogue so that we could work towards true inclusion and UNITY.

“United we stand divided we fall”

While Europe and Asia realize the value of Unity, Africa continues to value the inanity of individuality.  One day soon, TIA will be replaced by a HOPE.  One day soon, we will be able to stand as one instead of falling as pawns.  One day soon, we stand together as one and replace borders drawn for us by outsiders and join hands with our supposed “enemies”.  One day soon, we will recognize that we are brown snowflakes, each one of us having our own unique traits and names, but when we unit having the ability to bring the world to a standstill in an avalanche of self love.  One day soon, we will have a United Africa. Until that day comes….BANG!

There will be a nationwide conference call today, Saturday, February 20th at 4:0o PM EST.  The point is to have an open and honest dialogue about how we can get past our differences and work together for a collective prosperity.  The conference call will be broadcast LIVE on BC Radio.  You can call into the conference call at:

Conference number: (218) 936-7979

Access Code: 699381

You can listen to the conference call on BC Radio by going to www.browncondor.com or by clicking on the link below:

click to listen to BC Radio LIVE

click to join the discussion

This blog submission was written by Teddy Fikre.  The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.

click to see profile

click to hear interview

Teddy Fikre, organizer with Ethiopian-Americans for Change, sat down for a 45 minute interview with Elias Kifle.  It is hard to tell who was interviewing who; initially, it was Teddy that reached out to Elias to conduct an interview on Brown Condor Radio.  As you will hear, the interview morphed into a dialogue; a healthy debate with respect to the various approaches that different people take when it comes to something that is close to the hearts of all—Ethiopia.  Elias talks about his passion for the events in Ethiopia and Teddy talks about his passion for organizing Ethiopians in America.  Click on the television screen above to hear the interview in full.

**Brown Condor Radio is not affiliated with Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Whereas Ethiopian-Americans for Change is a not for profit organization dedicated to organizing the Ethiopian Diaspora,  Brown Condor Radio is a for-profit Ethiopian 24/7 radio station that is owned and operated by Teddy Fikre. The radio station can be heard at www.browncondor.com or clicking on the link below.

click to listen to BC Radio

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United Apart

Ethiopians and Eritreans

click to join the dialogue

We are one people, united by history and blood but separated by a boarder and misunderstanding. Sure, we can go about dismissing one another’s grievances, and pass on to the next generation and generations thereafter a legacy of mistrust an…d grudges, or we can start to hear one another and accept our differences. If we are able to dance together when music comes on, we should be able to listen to one another and understand one another.

For the most part, the younger generation is not as steeped in antipathy and anger like the generation before us. However, we still have our misconceptions, and when we are not around one another, the whispers and misguided thoughts of ethnic exceptionalism still rules too much of our thinking. If we were truly to unite as one people, irrespective of what name we call each other, Ethiopia and Eritrea would both thrive. Instead we are divided, and both countries suffer in the process.

Initially, this was supposed to be an event at a location in DC. However, in order for people to fully express themselves and include people that are not in the DC area, we have decided to make this event into a facebook fan page.

This is a fanpage dedicated to “an educated” mindset. Please do not come in here screaming and yelling, the point of this is to have an honest dialogue and through dialogue move on to working together.

click to see blog

Mental health is a profession just burgeoning in our community and has not acquired the respect a medical profession has. I want to know why. How much is misunderstanding of the benefits of psychological services and how much is legitimate frustration at the types of problems – or lack there of- that send people in American society to a mental health professional?

My theory is simple, yet untested. “Feel good” chemicals are naturally released in our brains but only when something happens that gives us a sense of accomplishment. We work towards a goal, sacrifice and finally attain those things which matter most to us. Having to work hard for things we can attain helps shape our values. However, if we are in a situation where we can have most things we want, we do not work hard to reach goals and these “feel good” chemicals are not released in our brain. Furthermore, one can be confused because he/she doesn’t even know what matters the most in this life.

Could it be that here in the U.S. resources are so much more attainable that we do not truly want for at least basic necessities to survive: clean water, food and shelter? 99% of the population is literate and most people still have jobs, in spite of the economic state we are in. So are we really depressed or are we just looking for another reason to throw our money at?

An Eritrean/Ethiopian friend of mine who rents units in London said she had a tenant from America once. We’ll call my friend Senait. The tenant’s parents paid her rent and gave her spending money and so this girl had no job. She became so depressed that Senait went to go check on her out of concern that the tenant had not left her room in some time. When Senait heard that the tenant was sad, she asked, “But why? You have everything in the world that anyone could want. What could possibly make you feel so sad?” The girl said that she did not know why she felt so depressed and wanted to kill herself.

Dumbfounded, Senait sincerely did not know what to say and spoke the honest truth that was laid on her heart. “Well, if you have everything in the world and you are still sad, maybe killing yourself is the right thing to do.” Then the tenant proceeded to cry hysterically and eventually ran out of the 2^nd story flat window. She survived. In fact, she did not receive more than a couple of scratches and bruises which she came back upstairs to nurse.

You see, Senait had spent her life fighting. She grew up in Nairobi as the eldest of six in a family which knew no boundaries for physical discipline and a neighborhood which had no regard to human life. She protected her brothers and sisters and barely had time to fend for herself. Through her own blood, sweat and tears she made her way to London to own and rent out flats while working a full time job downtown. She was happy. In her world, depression for no apparent reason did not exist. It could not exist. In her mind the tenant might as well have said she was depressed because she ran over a leprechaun while riding her unicorn to the store. It was simply impossible. She did not understand how someone who had never had to fight or work to attain what she almost died to get could be unhappy.

This phenomenon is not isolated to just Americans. There is an alarming rate of suicide among immigrants who make it to the States after a long and arduous process of attaining papers here. What is causing so many people to give up after getting what they had hoped and prayed for all their lives?

I recently got accepted to a professional counseling masters program and I am bracing myself for the funny looks and disappointment I will face when I announce my new profession in our community. My dream is to create a job for myself where I can travel back and forth between Ethiopia and the United States. However, I’m willing to face the music and accept that this is not the profession to do so in a country where a single phrase like ‘hod kurtet’ could potentially describe anything from a stab wound to severe emotional unrest due to a tragic event. Emotions are not meant to be explored or even acknowledged in our community.

I am currently planning a trip back home. I haven’t bought my ticket, so I may chicken out. However, if I do go, I want to explore the mental health help that is available to learn more about this value discrepancy between my home in the States and my home in the motherland. And I would love to hear your opinion on the matter as well.  http://neatorama.cachefly.net/money-happiness.htm

This blog submission was written by Liya Endale.  The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.

click on pic to see Liya

click to go to Sidamo

Based on the title, I know what you are thinking.  Here he goes again on his “soap box” talking about Ethiopians who sip buna right?  Well today, I am going to throw you a curve ball.  In this article, I will do no such thing; I write today not out of frustration, I write today out of a place of hope.

So now you are asking yourself, “OK, so what’s up with the title of the article”.  Well I speak of Buna today because I have done my fair share of criticizing some in our community of being “buna sippers”.  And this statement has been taken out of context and perceived by some as defaming people who enjoy a cup of buna.  So first and foremost, let me admit, I am a big “buna sipper” myself.  There is nothing more I enjoy in the morning than a cup of steaming hot coffee and enjoying it as I read the Washington Post, and no not the dot com the real live newspaper.

So lest you think I am blasting people for enjoying a beverage that was discovered in Ethiopia—and happens to be the number one commodity that we export—I am here to say that is the furthest thing from my mind.  But the defense of my past articles will be left for another day, or maybe no need to defend it at all.  Today, as I am currently sipping some buna at my laptop as I write this article, I am writing about buna precisely because that is one way for our community to be empowered.

At this point you are probably thinking “Yo Teddy, maybe switch to Decaf or some green tea, clearly the coffee has gone to your head”.  Well let me explain how buna can lead to the economic development of Ethiopia and empower our community in the United States.  As I stated before, buna is the number one commodity that Ethiopia exports—although there are dubious claims that some other “commodity’ is actually the number one export.   So for the sake of this argument, let us say that buna is Ethiopia’s number one export.  In fact, 46.3% of Ethiopia’s economy is based on export of agricultural products—coffee being the leading commodity.

Good news right?  Not really.  How so?  Well Ethiopia exports coffee beans as a raw product.  Thus, Ethiopia gets pennies on the dollar for every mega ton of raw coffee beans that she exports.  By the time the coffee beans hits the markets around the world and becomes a finished product, the value of that coffee is increased a thousand fold.  Thus, corporations around the world are benefiting from Ethiopia being an exporter of unfinished goods.

Now imagine if an Ethiopian company, owned by an Ethiopian woman, was instead to own a coffee farm in Ethiopia.  Imagine if this person paid her workers handsomely, and then exported the coffee beans not as an unfinished good, but to her warehouse in the United States, France, Italy, Japan, etc.  She brands and markets this coffee as let’s say “Sidamo Coffee”.  She gets commercials on TV stations in the west, instead of good to the last drop, the motto is “good to the last cini”.  The coffee is organic, and the label says “made in Ethiopia by Ethiopians” and targets conscience driven consumers in the west as her customers.  So instead of buying Folgers coffee for $4.99, she is able to sell this coffee for a dollar more.

Imagine on top of that the over 400,000 Ethiopians who live in the United States buying this coffee instead of Sanka.  Imagine she sells this coffee to Starbucks not as raw product but a finished good.  This business woman would be a millionaire, and her coffee company could be listed on Forbes 500.  And as the company grows, more and more Ethiopians would be employed, lifting Ethiopia’s GDP from 73^rd to 45^th in the world.  Ethiopia undergoes an economic transformation, and this influx of capital leads other companies to invest money in Ethiopia, and inspires more Ethiopians to follow the same model.  An Ethiopian man in Wollo decides to emulate the same model and starts to export finished sugar canes.  Eventually, Ethiopia becomes the Japan of Africa, which leads to the transformation of Ethiopia from a donor state to a economic powerhouse.  And you thought the buna you were sipping was strong aydel?

It is with this in mind that I will mention a coffee shop that was recently opened in Washington DC.  The name of the establishment is Sidamo Coffee and Tea, they are located 417 H St. NE Washington DC.  They opened up to a lot of fan fare, and business is doing great, but what business could not use more customers.  Now as a buna sipper myself, I have been guilty of not once going there to support my own brothers and sisters.  I always go to Starbucks to purchase my buna, well recently more like 7-11—this economy is though on all of us.  But what if I, as a buna aficionado, decided to purchase my coffee at least once a week from Sidamo Coffee and Tea instead?  What if the thousands of Ethiopians who live in the DC Metro area followed suit, thus Sidamo Coffee and Tea would literally be packed every week.

What would that mean?  Sidamo Coffee and Tea would have to expand to keep up with demand.  They open up another location in DC, one in Maryland, one in Virginia.  Because of this expansion, I would now be able to go 2 miles up the street to purchase my coffee, so I increase my patronage from once a week to once a day.  This continued reinvestment enables Sidamo Coffee and Tea to keep expanding, they hire more Ethiopians, maybe they open up another café in Ethiopia.  Maybe Sidamo Coffee and Tea becomes the exporter of finished coffee beans.  Maybe Sidamo Coffee decides to start selling Sidamo coffee in Safeway and Giant.  Maybe, just maybe, Sidamo becomes the hypothetical coffee company that leads to the transformation of Ethiopia.  All this from a sip of buna, I’ll drink to that.

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Show your support, if the weather clears up by Sunday and the roads are driveable, I plan on going to Sidamo Coffee and Tea tomorrow, Sunday, February 7th, to get my morning cup of coffee.  Let’s pack the place and show our Hebret by enjoying a cup of buna together.  Meet me there tomorrow at 10:00 AM for buna or tea.

Sidamo Coffee and Tea

Location:  417 H St. NE, Washington DC

Buna Date:  Sunday, February 6th
Buna Time:  10:00 AM EST

Disclaimer, I do not know the owners of Sidamo Coffee and Tea.  I write this article without their knowledge nor am I being compensated finically for doing so.

This blog submission was written by Teddy Fikre.  The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.

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I want to believe, I truly do.  I want to believe that Ethiopians, Eritreans, the African Diaspora can throw off the collective chains of self imposed poverty and work together to a collective prosperity.  I have the Audacity to think that we can actually work together—you thought Obama was hopeful!  But it gets harder and harder each day, for each day I am proven one step closer towards the realization that Obama’s election was an ephemeral moment of bliss.

Why so jaded?   Before I go forward, let me go back.  Back to 2008, when Obama frenzy was at its peak—at least it was on November 4^th 2008.  However, the months leading up to that moment was arduous at best.  We—Ethiopians for Obama—had our own audacious goals.  Sure we were enamored with the idea of an Obama administration, but most of us were in love with an idea way bigger than that.  We saw, through the image of Obama, a vision of our own where we could organize our community.

What we imagined was a bloc of Ethiopian voters (now expanded to voters from the African Diaspora) that would vote on issues that matter to our community.  During one of our first meetings, we instantly settled trying on attempting to turn the Ethiopian community in Virginia into the same voting force as the Cuban community in Florida.  Supposedly, there are well over 120,000 Ethiopians who reside in Virginia.  No one really knows, nonetheless, there is a significant population of Ethiopians in the Old Dominion that has the potential of becoming a potent voice—if we band together.  So that was our hope; a vision to give the Ethiopian community a megaphone.

Thus, as we set out to organize for Obama, we were also organizing for Ethiopia.  We were taking notes for our community, we learned about phone banking, about networking, about viral marketing—we took a lot of notes.  And our aim two years ago was to register 10,000 Ethiopians in the span of 8 months in the state of Virginia and thousands more elsewhere.  Sure, a high number, but about 1,100 Ethiopians per month, I thought it was at least semi-realistic.  So we set out to various churches, coffee shops, held debate watching parties—all for the purpose of registering 10,000 Ethiopians in Virginia and thousands more elsewhere.  It was a slow and steady process; 10 here, 7 there, 12 elsewhere.  But we kept faith, we thought in due time our community would catch on.

So we were ecstatic when the Ethiopian Soccer Federation North America (ESFNA) gave us the approval to hold a registration drive during the soccer games in DC.  We thought we hit the jackpot, with over 30,000 Ethiopians slated to attend the games throughout the week, surely we could register at least 5,000 people in one week—Right?  To make sure we could accommodate everyone, we had registration forms from Virginia as well as a generic registration form that anyone from any state could fill out.  We were ready for a stampede of new registrars.

What unfolded throughout the week was enough to put despair in anyone’s heart.  We had to cajole and coax folks to register.  We were not selling t-shirts or injera—we were just selling hope.  So we stood there in the heat, in the rain, in the dark, registration forms in hand.  We were happy with each voter we registered, but for every one that stopped by, hundreds would look at us curiously and keep moving by.  In the span of 6 days, we registered a grand total of 125 voters.  That is 125 voters out of 30,000+ who attended the soccer games.  I tried to tell myself that maybe the majority were already registered or were not eligible to vote yet.  The things we do to deny the existence of the truth aydel?

We kept pushing on, UNDETERRED was our motto.  So we kept holding town halls, registration events and the like.  Another highlight was when we had Obama’s Constituency Director for the State of Virginia came specifically to ask for our votes.  Again, we thought jackpot!  An Obama official coming to speak to our community; surely this would lead to a packed house!  Apparently, there is a thin line between hope and  naivety—we made sure we had enough seats for a capacity crowd as well as standing room.  The moment of truth, we had 45 people come out.  Forty five people, despite, or is that in spite, of the fact that we made well over 4,000 phone calls to folks in Virginia to come out to this event.  So people knew; people just did not care—YOU did not care.

Last year, Ethiopians for Obama, through months of working with the Obama campaign was able to get a letter released thanking the Ethiopian community for our contributions in America and asking for our votes.  This was a truly historic moment, never before has a Presidential candidate reached out to the Ethiopian community to thank us and ask us for our votes.  The letter sent shock waves as people were overcome with joy and enthusiasm that Obama actually released a letter to our community.  Again, we thought this would generate a massive turnout to our following events.  Instead, the letter was picked up by most Ethiopian publications, yet when the time came to get a perspective about the letter, the people interviewed were not the organizers with Ethiopians for Obama; rather, it was Doctors and Professors who were contacted to give a perspective about this historic moment.  To their credit, Tadias Magazine reached out to us to get our feedback and included the “kids” behind Ethiopians for Obama in a feature article.

Magically, November 4^th comes around, all the sudden it’s party time.  Now all the sudden, there are Obama posters everywhere.  Eskesta, musica, beera, buna, whulum neger amta!  We disbanded Ethiopians for Obama that day; most of us thought that it was simply impossible to get our message through.  But a couple of us stayed behind, and we formulated, we studied what went wrong, we thought maybe we did not do enough to reach out to the older generation, we thought we had failed to make a bigger connection.  Thus, after 8 months of planning, we rebranded ourselves and started the organization we always aimed to start two years ago—Ethiopian-Americans for Change arrived!

In the span of 5 months, we implemented our lessons learned.  We reached out in different segments of the older generation; leaders, activists, media, radio stations.  We have and continue to do so, but I realized recently that we were not the ones to blame for our “failures” two years ago.  The failure resides in our community, the failure resides in a generation—not all, because we have some unbelievable supporters, mothers and fathers who encourage and prod us—but a generation generally who does not give a damn about what we are trying to do—the failure resides in YOU.

Then I started to think about it some more.  And now I think I know why.  You look at us as “lijoch”–kids.  Unless we are in our forties, unless we have a Doctor or a Professor in front of our names, unless we are part of the institutional structure, unless we have money—you don’t pay attention to us.  We are your kids, literally and figuratively, thus you ignore us even when what we are trying to do is truly visionary.  If we had your support, if we were able to deliver on our effort to organize our community, Ethiopians could be a powerful voice in America and Ethiopia herself could be transformed. If we succeeded in our effort, we could literally transform the Ethiopian community in Virginia into a powerful voting bloc, a bloc which could command respect and attention for the needs of our community nationwide.  A bloc which could be more powerful than a thousand marches and would be heard a thousand times louder than 10,000 protests.

But we stay a mere potential.  Two weeks ago Ethiopian-Americans for Change sponsored “Real Talk-Freedom of Speech and Democracy”.  We figured this would be a great way to attract folks who are passionate about events in Ethiopia.  Thus, we sent out 10,000 emails, facebook, twitter, text messages, the whole works—not counting the thousands of people who visit EA4C.org on a daily basis.  Over 40 people RSVP’d, when we arrived, one person showed up.  That’s right, and sew becha!  UNDETERRED!  That motto has not left us to this day.  We had a great event nonetheless.  However, I go down to the local Starbucks the very next day, and there sit 12 Ethiopian men, sipping buna, talking about politics in Ethiopia.  I shake my head and walk out thinking to myself “thanks for the Hebret”.

This was also the case last November, when we organized a “Meet the Candidates” forum at Meaza Restaurant.  We invited both the Republican candidate McDonnell and the Democratic Candidate Deeds.  The Democratic Party accepted our invitation and came out with Deeds, the DNC Chair Tim Kaine, Jody Wagner, state delegate Herring, and a representative from Moran’s office.  This was not some back door meeting seeking donations, this was an open event where the whole of our community was invited where Deeds came seeking our votes.  We made phone calls to over 4,000 Ethiopians in Northern Virginia.  Thus, on Saturday morning, again, being hopeful, or naive, we expected a full house.  When the event started at 12:00 PM, 35 people came out to listen to Deeds and Kaine ask for our votes.  Yet, a mile down the road, at a coffee shop, the place was packed with people sipping buna and talking politics.

This lack of Hebret is not indicative about the lack of support for EA4C events only.  It is an endemic that infects and impact everyone.  If you step back for a moment, you would realize that there are thousands of young and amazing Ethiopians who are toiling in the shadows and accomplishing great things.  The list is too far to recount, Liya Endale in Atlanta, Addis Embiyalo in Canada, Thomas, Wayna, Zewdy, Ellias Fullmore, Beshou and the Bernos crew, MGMP, Blen Inc, Paradigm 84 to name just a few.  These are some of the most AMAZING Ethiopian and Eritrean young men and women who are visionaries.  If even a tenth of our community banded to support them, they could be powerful forces and voices for our community.  Yet, sadly, they get more support from nechoch, Croatians, Russians, Moroccans, French, or insert any other community here than they do from our own.

They are young, they don’t have a doctor or professor in front of their names—so you ignore them, you ignore us.  I look at various publications who have their yearly nominations for outstanding contributors to our community, and it’s usually the usual suspects—again, doctors, lawyers, professors, and mostly in their forties and fifties.  Don’t get me wrong, I revere the accomplishments of the generation before us; I revere the sacrifice that my father and mother went through so I can today write this article.  I am by no means writing out of jealousy, I am writing out of despondency.  Why not shine the light on those who are younger, why not shine the light on those who don’t have a doctor in front of their names–young entrepreneurs and performers—so that you can encourage others to follow in their footsteps.

Let me give you another example. Last year, when Teza was released, I attended the last screening in DC.  The organizers of the movie were having a hard time getting a massive support from our community.  Keep in mind that this is a movie that documented the reason why most of us immigrated to America.  When Haile Gerima took to the microphone to take questions from the audience, one person asked him why there were not more Ethiopian movies like this.  His answer was succinct, precise, and heartbreaking.  He said “if people put down the cup of coffee and a drink from a local bar and instead came out to support movies such as this, Ethiopia could have her own Hollywood”.  Sad but true, we have in our hands the potential to be a powerful economic and political force; instead we keep drinking buna and lamenting the events in Ethiopia.

This is precisely why Ethiopian-Americans for Change came up with our own award last year called Eyasu Generation Award.  An award designated to highlight the accomplishments of those who toil in the ignominy instead of the spotlight.  A main requirement was that the nominees had to be 30 or younger; we caught a lot of grief last year when we announced this award.  One person wrote and said “how dare you not acknowledge the work of those in their 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond”.  To which we responded that there are countless organizations that already do that while hardly acknowledge the efforts of those in their 20s and younger.

The thing is that Eyasu would not have been able to lead his people to the promise land without the help and teachings of Moses.  We need our Moses, we need those older than us, with more experience than us, who are wiser than us to teach us, to support us, to guide us and stop treating us as “lijoch”.  Someone in her 50s recently told me “forget our generation, we are lost, focus on the younger generation”.  I wanted to heed her warning, but I still hold out hope.  Hope that the generation before us can support us, so that we can support our own and those that come after us.  I desperately want to believe in Hebret, though it gets harder and harder each day.

Just remember what it felt like when you came to America in the 70s and 80s, how you felt alone in a new world, how you wished for someone to support you.  How you longed for your people yet again, how you longed to feel connected.  Well guess what, we feel the same way you did in the 70s now in this new century.  The more things change, the more they stay the same.  It is my hope that one day soon, our Moses generation will start to support us, to stand behind us, because one day soon we will be the Moses generation that will lead the way for a new Eyasu generation.  Until then, I hold out hope that eventually—soon enough—we will get the support we have been waiting for.

We will continue pushing in the dark, knowing that we are the change that Ethiopia can count on.  We will not give up, we will not go silently into the night, for one day, our people will wake up and start to support us instead of dismissing us.  For we are the ones that “she”—Ethiopia—has been waiting for.  Never give up on your light, don’t let the antipathy of others extinguish your flame or passion.  And when we, the Eyasu Generation become the Moses Generation, I pray that we never become so jaded that we don’t support those that come after us.  Until that time comes, remain forever—UNDETERRED!

This blog submission was written by Teddy Fikre.  The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.

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Hair is such a cultural symbol that it truly plays a much larger role in our lives than we realize at times. I cut my hair off around the same time as Brittany Spears. I looked in the mirror one day and realized I did not know what I was truly meant to look like because I had been perming my hair since I was eight years old. It was one of the best decisions I have made. I learned so much about myself through the reactions of others.

Often times, some of us have a quality or trait that society values, having nothing to do with who we are as individuals. Because of this one trait, people treat us completely different. Take away this trait, and we are left to contend with a new environment where our personalities play a much larger role in how others see us. First, I learned that a black girl must be absolutely insane to cut off her hair. I certainly didn’t feel insane or even act any differently, but people began to project their judgment onto me. Some thought, like Brittany Spears, I had had a nervous breakdown. In fact, I had just landed a very lucrative job in Buckhead (Atlanta) and was having a great time. Others assumed I was contending with some tragic event and tentatively reacted to seeing me with a gasp and a timid, “What happened?”

Then I realized that I began to attract a different type of guy than I had with long, straight hair. This is just a correlation for which I have no causal evidence, but the men who approached me were older, more intelligent and grounded. Certainly, the number of ‘hollars’ I received on a night out decreased but the quality increased. Many things changed in my life. When I spoke to people, they listened to what I said. Others made it clear that they had no interest in hearing what I had to say at all. What I learned about myself during this time has strengthened my faith in myself. I discovered strengths I did not know I had.

These discoveries have deepened my understanding of myself. And the best thing of all, I can spot a guy full of crap much faster now than I had before. So, when my little cousin asked me one day, “you mean you didn’t cut your hair because you went crazy like the whole family thought?” I laughed and said, “Nah. I just wanted to get to know myself a little more.”

Here is a conversation I had about hair with an anonymous Facebook associate. It’s a perfect example of how hair is perceived as a cultural symbol– and how such symbols can be fluid. He was responding to my photo on the Miss Africa USA Pageant website which you can see above.

Anonymous: “Hey just voted for you and got a couple of my boys to do so, too. But I must say, the hair style wasn’t the best choice for an Ethiopian beauty u know. But still, go out there and REPRESENT!”

My response: “Wow! Well… I don’t know if I should be offended or flattered. Maybe a little bit of both. Anyway. Thanks for the votes. And remember what a true African represents… more than just ‘long straight hair’. That’s what we’ve been brainwashed to believe symbolizes true beauty. The essence of African beauty is encompassed by a woman who can rock a fro, still hold her head high, and turn heads. When she knows who she is and does not feel like she has to hide that with straighteners and chemicals, that confidence scares people. That is power, honey. And that is why I disagree with you and believe that this hairstyle is a perfect choice for this pageant. Thanks for the opinion though. And keep the votes comin’! I need your help if we’re going to rock this competition.”

Anonymous: “I see where you coming from and its all good sweety, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a hip afro and wouldn’t make a girl any less pretty. And probably real handy to blend in to the whole theme your aiming for. But still, I think if want to go all the way and represent your home land, then you should worry less about looking like a typical African woman n emphasize more on your true identity ”an Ethiopian”. As u said, most people are inclined to believe that straight hair is better looking But jus as much(specially westerners) think a big ol’ puffy afro is all an African woman could have. Now C one of them Eritrian contestants (Senayt Gaim) – sure she’s not all that dark chocolate, and an African girl’s afro but still, she is a Habesha- she is an African! Wether u walkin in the streets of addis or deep in a di bushes, it’s never a surprise to see girls similar in hair texture and also complexion and almost none of them have a direct Caucasian ancestor- which makes them a true African. Just a bit different but still an AFRICAN. See what I’m saying? So i still think you could go out there with a soft shoulder long curly hair and tell em all where u, your mom and dad and their’s are from…”

My response: “But that is me yo… like really me and I’m as Ethiopian as they come. So are you telling me I’m not a typical Ethiopian cuz my hair is kinkier than the Ethiopians YOU’VE encountered? I don’t know bout that bruh. Can’t co-sign on this one. I see what you’re sayin. Ethiopians have a rep for having light skin, softer hair… but you ever stop to wonder if that’s cuz them the Ethiopians you notice? I mean… truth be told, we come in all colors and hair textures ya know? So this is me. I’m Ethiopian. And this how I came out the womb. If someone doesn’t like it… there’s really nothing I can do about it.  So it seems like this is a case of me not fitting into the box you’ve created. I’m used to it. And I’m actually more comfortable outside that box sometimes. You know the crazy part though? How different peoples’ opinions are. Another chick said “I love your pic. You look so… Ethiopia.” Just goes to show that you can’t please everyone. It’s best to be yourself. That way the ones who stick around are there for the right reasons.”

This whole ‘going natural’ craze may be a fad. Perhaps I’ll go back to perming my hair at some point. However, for me this was one fad I would recommend to anyone who is trying to find a way to discover something new about herself. It takes courage. It is very frustrating at times, mainly on rainy days. But it’s worth it all.

This blog submission was written by Liya Endale.  The views of guest bloggers are not the views of Ethiopian-Americans for Change.  Guest bloggers represent the broad dissection of views and outlooks within our community.

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