hello obviously you can tell from the
hello obviously you can tell from the way that I sound I’m not from here but
now I am this is my home I’m a
now I am this is my home I’m a passionate leader and promoter of this
passionate leader and promoter of this
passionate leader and promoter of this community growing up in Africa my mother
community growing up in Africa my mother
community growing up in Africa my mother died when I was young my father
died when I was young my father
died when I was young my father emigrated to Europe when I was about to
emigrated to Europe when I was about to
emigrated to Europe when I was about to enter middle school I am the oldest in
enter middle school I am the oldest in
enter middle school I am the oldest in my family three sisters one brother we
my family three sisters one brother we
my family three sisters one brother we did not grow up together we were
did not grow up together we were
did not grow up together we were separated
separated
separated among extended family when our mother
among extended family when our mother
among extended family when our mother passed the community in which I grow up
passed the community in which I grow up
passed the community in which I grow up in was an integral part of my life it
in was an integral part of my life it
in was an integral part of my life it shaped Who I am today at a very young
shaped Who I am today at a very young
shaped Who I am today at a very young age very young I learned to be involved
age very young I learned to be involved
age very young I learned to be involved in my community on a young age I learned
in my community on a young age I learned
in my community on a young age I learned to take action
to take action
to take action I learned to collaborate with people to
I learned to collaborate with people to
I learned to collaborate with people to get things done when I was in high
get things done when I was in high
get things done when I was in high school I worked with Peace Corps
school I worked with Peace Corps
school I worked with Peace Corps volunteer on initiative to fight AIDS to
volunteer on initiative to fight AIDS to
volunteer on initiative to fight AIDS to fight glaucoma and also to bring
fight glaucoma and also to bring
fight glaucoma and also to bring activities that can generate revenues I
activities that can generate revenues I
activities that can generate revenues I was also the secretary of the youth
was also the secretary of the youth
was also the secretary of the youth African works in my hometown in 2007 I
African works in my hometown in 2007 I
African works in my hometown in 2007 I immigrated from Africa to Washington DC
immigrated from Africa to Washington DC
immigrated from Africa to Washington DC it was not easy I was feeling isolated
it was not easy I was feeling isolated
it was not easy I was feeling isolated not speaking the language taking classes
not speaking the language taking classes
not speaking the language taking classes at night working but which time I
at night working but which time I
at night working but which time I started
started
started to realize that there are so much more
to realize that there are so much more
to realize that there are so much more than I needed to know so I started to
than I needed to know so I started to
than I needed to know so I started to interact and I learned a lot of words
interact and I learned a lot of words
interact and I learned a lot of words Spanish word but all of them were not
Spanish word but all of them were not
Spanish word but all of them were not nice they were not nice so in late 2008
nice they were not nice so in late 2008
nice they were not nice so in late 2008 my wife and I we moved here to Vermont
my wife and I we moved here to Vermont
my wife and I we moved here to Vermont and it’s in Vermont that I truly started
and it’s in Vermont that I truly started
and it’s in Vermont that I truly started to pay attention to the beauty of the
to pay attention to the beauty of the
to pay attention to the beauty of the environment to the lakes rivers
environment to the lakes rivers
environment to the lakes rivers mountains and also which time I started
mountains and also which time I started
mountains and also which time I started to realize that Vermont is way of life
to realize that Vermont is way of life
to realize that Vermont is way of life is truly to care for one another to care
is truly to care for one another to care
is truly to care for one another to care for the beautiful environment we live in
for the beautiful environment we live in
for the beautiful environment we live in I agree with Gus this is paradise but
I agree with Gus this is paradise but
I agree with Gus this is paradise but only summer winter
so I was a stay-at-home dad when we
so I was a stay-at-home dad when we moved here taking care of my
moved here taking care of my
moved here taking care of my six-month-old child but I wanted to
six-month-old child but I wanted to
six-month-old child but I wanted to belong I wanted to be part of this
belong I wanted to be part of this
belong I wanted to be part of this community just like when I was in Africa
community just like when I was in Africa
community just like when I was in Africa I wanted to help so I started to think
I wanted to help so I started to think
I wanted to help so I started to think about how I can I find work how can I be
about how I can I find work how can I be
about how I can I find work how can I be part of this beautiful community and I
part of this beautiful community and I
part of this beautiful community and I started working at the after-school
started working at the after-school
started working at the after-school program at JJ Flint Elementary and I
program at JJ Flint Elementary and I
program at JJ Flint Elementary and I identified the need to share my culture
identified the need to share my culture
identified the need to share my culture to West African drumming because I drum
to West African drumming because I drum
to West African drumming because I drum so I needed to teach that to kids I
so I needed to teach that to kids I
so I needed to teach that to kids I directed summer recreation and nutrition
directed summer recreation and nutrition
directed summer recreation and nutrition program for Parks and Recreation I
program for Parks and Recreation I
program for Parks and Recreation I served as AmeriCorps diversity outreach
served as AmeriCorps diversity outreach
served as AmeriCorps diversity outreach to bring people who are different in the
to bring people who are different in the
to bring people who are different in the schools and finally I became a family
schools and finally I became a family
schools and finally I became a family outreach coordinator for Burlington
outreach coordinator for Burlington
outreach coordinator for Burlington school district expanded learning
school district expanded learning
school district expanded learning opportunities and my work is basically
opportunities and my work is basically
opportunities and my work is basically to connect with families to help them
to connect with families to help them
to connect with families to help them access services and programs for
access services and programs for
access services and programs for themselves and for their children
themselves and for their children
themselves and for their children because refuge is an immigrant when they
because refuge is an immigrant when they
because refuge is an immigrant when they come to this country they are sometimes
come to this country they are sometimes
come to this country they are sometimes given some temporary support finding
given some temporary support finding
given some temporary support finding work having food-stamp but what about
work having food-stamp but what about
work having food-stamp but what about education refugees and immigrants of the
education refugees and immigrants of the
education refugees and immigrants of the time they excluded from the larger
time they excluded from the larger
time they excluded from the larger community so I identified this gap that
community so I identified this gap that
community so I identified this gap that we needed to do more so I created parent
we needed to do more so I created parent
we needed to do more so I created parent University parent University is an
University parent University is an
University parent University is an educational program for parents of
educational program for parents of
educational program for parents of students in the Burlington school
students in the Burlington school
students in the Burlington school district it worked in collaboration with
district it worked in collaboration with
district it worked in collaboration with many different community organizations
many different community organizations
many different community organizations comes in the school to teach valuable
comes in the school to teach valuable
comes in the school to teach valuable life skills so that parents can
life skills so that parents can
life skills so that parents can understand the system and be able to
understand the system and be able to
understand the system and be able to help their children succeed parent
help their children succeed parent
help their children succeed parent University works because it’s not only
University works because it’s not only
University works because it’s not only from an educational perspective
from an educational perspective
from an educational perspective to seek better outcome for students but
to seek better outcome for students but
to seek better outcome for students but pair University works because now
pair University works because now
pair University works because now community organization that we partner
community organization that we partner
community organization that we partner with are working together now we see
with are working together now we see
with are working together now we see Champlain Valley office of economic
Champlain Valley office of economic
Champlain Valley office of economic services working collaboratively with
services working collaboratively with
services working collaboratively with generator to help new Americans with
generator to help new Americans with
generator to help new Americans with their artistic skills to open their own
their artistic skills to open their own
their artistic skills to open their own business to be able to seek and find
business to be able to seek and find
business to be able to seek and find ways to belong we need and want to
ways to belong we need and want to
ways to belong we need and want to belong to be part of this great and
belong to be part of this great and
belong to be part of this great and wonderful community parent University
wonderful community parent University
wonderful community parent University works because it’s always important to
works because it’s always important to
works because it’s always important to see refugees from Africa interacting
see refugees from Africa interacting
see refugees from Africa interacting with refugees from Asia
with refugees from Asia
with refugees from Asia that’s what thot mean to say we are
that’s what thot mean to say we are
that’s what thot mean to say we are building a stronger community most of
building a stronger community most of
building a stronger community most of these people are isolated they stay in
these people are isolated they stay in
these people are isolated they stay in their own bubbles but this program is to
their own bubbles but this program is to
their own bubbles but this program is to now make sure that we all belong in one
now make sure that we all belong in one
now make sure that we all belong in one wonderful community the way that parent
wonderful community the way that parent
wonderful community the way that parent university works is that behavior
university works is that behavior
university works is that behavior concerns for parents for students of
concerns for parents for students of
concerns for parents for students of parent enroll in the program declined
parent enroll in the program declined
parent enroll in the program declined considerably kids are no longer missing
considerably kids are no longer missing
considerably kids are no longer missing out of school parents have now the
out of school parents have now the
out of school parents have now the confident to come to the school and ask
confident to come to the school and ask
confident to come to the school and ask questions we are building a community
questions we are building a community
questions we are building a community and we all need and want to make sure
and we all need and want to make sure
and we all need and want to make sure that every single person that live in
that every single person that live in
that every single person that live in Burlington whether you are elders
Burlington whether you are elders
Burlington whether you are elders whether you are a refugee a youth we
whether you are a refugee a youth we
whether you are a refugee a youth we would like to want to make sure we find
would like to want to make sure we find
would like to want to make sure we find community gaps and work collaboratively
community gaps and work collaboratively
community gaps and work collaboratively to find solutions
to find solutions
to find solutions I am proud that I successfully found my
I am proud that I successfully found my
I am proud that I successfully found my way in this community
way in this community
way in this community I am proud that I created so many
I am proud that I created so many
I am proud that I created so many programs and helped so many families to
programs and helped so many families to
programs and helped so many families to get ahead and I’m also proud that I am
get ahead and I’m also proud that I am
get ahead and I’m also proud that I am now representing over 6,000 people at
now representing over 6,000 people at
now representing over 6,000 people at the City Councilor in Burlington the
the City Councilor in Burlington the
the City Councilor in Burlington the most diverse
most diverse
most diverse and biggest city in Vermont what I
and biggest city in Vermont what I
and biggest city in Vermont what I learned from my experience in Africa
learned from my experience in Africa
learned from my experience in Africa without my mother and father and all my
without my mother and father and all my
without my mother and father and all my experience here in Vermont is working
experience here in Vermont is working
experience here in Vermont is working together is critical we all gonna win no
together is critical we all gonna win no
together is critical we all gonna win no one can do it alone working together is
one can do it alone working together is
one can do it alone working together is critical so I’m going to end with this
critical so I’m going to end with this
critical so I’m going to end with this African proverb that says if you want to
African proverb that says if you want to
African proverb that says if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go
go fast go alone but if you want to go
go fast go alone but if you want to go far let’s all go together thank you
far let’s all go together thank you
far let’s all go together thank you [Applause]
hello obviously you can tell from the way that I sound I’m not from here but
now I am this is my home I’m a
now I am this is my home I’m a passionate leader and promoter of this
passionate leader and promoter of this
passionate leader and promoter of this community growing up in Africa my mother
community growing up in Africa my mother
community growing up in Africa my mother died when I was young my father
died when I was young my father
died when I was young my father emigrated to Europe when I was about to
emigrated to Europe when I was about to
emigrated to Europe when I was about to enter middle school I am the oldest in
enter middle school I am the oldest in
enter middle school I am the oldest in my family three sisters one brother we
my family three sisters one brother we
my family three sisters one brother we did not grow up together we were
did not grow up together we were
did not grow up together we were separated
separated
separated among extended family when our mother
among extended family when our mother
among extended family when our mother passed the community in which I grow up
passed the community in which I grow up
passed the community in which I grow up in was an integral part of my life it
in was an integral part of my life it
in was an integral part of my life it shaped Who I am today at a very young
shaped Who I am today at a very young
shaped Who I am today at a very young age very young I learned to be involved
age very young I learned to be involved
age very young I learned to be involved in my community on a young age I learned
in my community on a young age I learned
in my community on a young age I learned to take action
to take action
to take action I learned to collaborate with people to
I learned to collaborate with people to
I learned to collaborate with people to get things done when I was in high
get things done when I was in high
get things done when I was in high school I worked with Peace Corps
school I worked with Peace Corps
school I worked with Peace Corps volunteer on initiative to fight AIDS to
volunteer on initiative to fight AIDS to
volunteer on initiative to fight AIDS to fight glaucoma and also to bring
fight glaucoma and also to bring
fight glaucoma and also to bring activities that can generate revenues I
activities that can generate revenues I
activities that can generate revenues I was also the secretary of the youth
was also the secretary of the youth
was also the secretary of the youth African works in my hometown in 2007 I
African works in my hometown in 2007 I
African works in my hometown in 2007 I immigrated from Africa to Washington DC
immigrated from Africa to Washington DC
immigrated from Africa to Washington DC it was not easy I was feeling isolated
it was not easy I was feeling isolated
it was not easy I was feeling isolated not speaking the language taking classes
not speaking the language taking classes
not speaking the language taking classes at night working but which time I
at night working but which time I
at night working but which time I started
started
started to realize that there are so much more
to realize that there are so much more
to realize that there are so much more than I needed to know so I started to
than I needed to know so I started to
than I needed to know so I started to interact and I learned a lot of words
interact and I learned a lot of words
interact and I learned a lot of words Spanish word but all of them were not
Spanish word but all of them were not
Spanish word but all of them were not nice they were not nice so in late 2008
nice they were not nice so in late 2008
nice they were not nice so in late 2008 my wife and I we moved here to Vermont
my wife and I we moved here to Vermont
my wife and I we moved here to Vermont and it’s in Vermont that I truly started
and it’s in Vermont that I truly started
and it’s in Vermont that I truly started to pay attention to the beauty of the
to pay attention to the beauty of the
to pay attention to the beauty of the environment to the lakes rivers
environment to the lakes rivers
environment to the lakes rivers mountains and also which time I started
mountains and also which time I started
mountains and also which time I started to realize that Vermont is way of life
to realize that Vermont is way of life
to realize that Vermont is way of life is truly to care for one another to care
is truly to care for one another to care
is truly to care for one another to care for the beautiful environment we live in
for the beautiful environment we live in
for the beautiful environment we live in I agree with Gus this is paradise but
I agree with Gus this is paradise but
I agree with Gus this is paradise but only summer winter
so I was a stay-at-home dad when we
so I was a stay-at-home dad when we moved here taking care of my
moved here taking care of my
moved here taking care of my six-month-old child but I wanted to
six-month-old child but I wanted to
six-month-old child but I wanted to belong I wanted to be part of this
belong I wanted to be part of this
belong I wanted to be part of this community just like when I was in Africa
community just like when I was in Africa
community just like when I was in Africa I wanted to help so I started to think
I wanted to help so I started to think
I wanted to help so I started to think about how I can I find work how can I be
about how I can I find work how can I be
about how I can I find work how can I be part of this beautiful community and I
part of this beautiful community and I
part of this beautiful community and I started working at the after-school
started working at the after-school
started working at the after-school program at JJ Flint Elementary and I
program at JJ Flint Elementary and I
program at JJ Flint Elementary and I identified the need to share my culture
identified the need to share my culture
identified the need to share my culture to West African drumming because I drum
to West African drumming because I drum
to West African drumming because I drum so I needed to teach that to kids I
so I needed to teach that to kids I
so I needed to teach that to kids I directed summer recreation and nutrition
directed summer recreation and nutrition
directed summer recreation and nutrition program for Parks and Recreation I
program for Parks and Recreation I
program for Parks and Recreation I served as AmeriCorps diversity outreach
served as AmeriCorps diversity outreach
served as AmeriCorps diversity outreach to bring people who are different in the
to bring people who are different in the
to bring people who are different in the schools and finally I became a family
schools and finally I became a family
schools and finally I became a family outreach coordinator for Burlington
outreach coordinator for Burlington
outreach coordinator for Burlington school district expanded learning
school district expanded learning
school district expanded learning opportunities and my work is basically
opportunities and my work is basically
opportunities and my work is basically to connect with families to help them
to connect with families to help them
to connect with families to help them access services and programs for
access services and programs for
access services and programs for themselves and for their children
themselves and for their children
themselves and for their children because refuge is an immigrant when they
because refuge is an immigrant when they
because refuge is an immigrant when they come to this country they are sometimes
come to this country they are sometimes
come to this country they are sometimes given some temporary support finding
given some temporary support finding
given some temporary support finding work having food-stamp but what about
work having food-stamp but what about
work having food-stamp but what about education refugees and immigrants of the
education refugees and immigrants of the
education refugees and immigrants of the time they excluded from the larger
time they excluded from the larger
time they excluded from the larger community so I identified this gap that
community so I identified this gap that
community so I identified this gap that we needed to do more so I created parent
we needed to do more so I created parent
we needed to do more so I created parent University parent University is an
University parent University is an
University parent University is an educational program for parents of
educational program for parents of
educational program for parents of students in the Burlington school
students in the Burlington school
students in the Burlington school district it worked in collaboration with
district it worked in collaboration with
district it worked in collaboration with many different community organizations
many different community organizations
many different community organizations comes in the school to teach valuable
comes in the school to teach valuable
comes in the school to teach valuable life skills so that parents can
life skills so that parents can
life skills so that parents can understand the system and be able to
understand the system and be able to
understand the system and be able to help their children succeed parent
help their children succeed parent
help their children succeed parent University works because it’s not only
University works because it’s not only
University works because it’s not only from an educational perspective
from an educational perspective
from an educational perspective to seek better outcome for students but
to seek better outcome for students but
to seek better outcome for students but pair University works because now
pair University works because now
pair University works because now community organization that we partner
community organization that we partner
community organization that we partner with are working together now we see
with are working together now we see
with are working together now we see Champlain Valley office of economic
Champlain Valley office of economic
Champlain Valley office of economic services working collaboratively with
services working collaboratively with
services working collaboratively with generator to help new Americans with
generator to help new Americans with
generator to help new Americans with their artistic skills to open their own
their artistic skills to open their own
their artistic skills to open their own business to be able to seek and find
business to be able to seek and find
business to be able to seek and find ways to belong we need and want to
ways to belong we need and want to
ways to belong we need and want to belong to be part of this great and
belong to be part of this great and
belong to be part of this great and wonderful community parent University
wonderful community parent University
wonderful community parent University works because it’s always important to
works because it’s always important to
works because it’s always important to see refugees from Africa interacting
see refugees from Africa interacting
see refugees from Africa interacting with refugees from Asia
with refugees from Asia
with refugees from Asia that’s what thot mean to say we are
that’s what thot mean to say we are
that’s what thot mean to say we are building a stronger community most of
building a stronger community most of
building a stronger community most of these people are isolated they stay in
these people are isolated they stay in
these people are isolated they stay in their own bubbles but this program is to
their own bubbles but this program is to
their own bubbles but this program is to now make sure that we all belong in one
now make sure that we all belong in one
now make sure that we all belong in one wonderful community the way that parent
wonderful community the way that parent
wonderful community the way that parent university works is that behavior
university works is that behavior
university works is that behavior concerns for parents for students of
concerns for parents for students of
concerns for parents for students of parent enroll in the program declined
parent enroll in the program declined
parent enroll in the program declined considerably kids are no longer missing
considerably kids are no longer missing
considerably kids are no longer missing out of school parents have now the
out of school parents have now the
out of school parents have now the confident to come to the school and ask
confident to come to the school and ask
confident to come to the school and ask questions we are building a community
questions we are building a community
questions we are building a community and we all need and want to make sure
and we all need and want to make sure
and we all need and want to make sure that every single person that live in
that every single person that live in
that every single person that live in Burlington whether you are elders
Burlington whether you are elders
Burlington whether you are elders whether you are a refugee a youth we
whether you are a refugee a youth we
whether you are a refugee a youth we would like to want to make sure we find
would like to want to make sure we find
would like to want to make sure we find community gaps and work collaboratively
community gaps and work collaboratively
community gaps and work collaboratively to find solutions
to find solutions
to find solutions I am proud that I successfully found my
I am proud that I successfully found my
I am proud that I successfully found my way in this community
way in this community
way in this community I am proud that I created so many
I am proud that I created so many
I am proud that I created so many programs and helped so many families to
programs and helped so many families to
programs and helped so many families to get ahead and I’m also proud that I am
get ahead and I’m also proud that I am
get ahead and I’m also proud that I am now representing over 6,000 people at
now representing over 6,000 people at
now representing over 6,000 people at the City Councilor in Burlington the
the City Councilor in Burlington the
the City Councilor in Burlington the most diverse
most diverse
most diverse and biggest city in Vermont what I
and biggest city in Vermont what I
and biggest city in Vermont what I learned from my experience in Africa
learned from my experience in Africa
learned from my experience in Africa without my mother and father and all my
without my mother and father and all my
without my mother and father and all my experience here in Vermont is working
experience here in Vermont is working
experience here in Vermont is working together is critical we all gonna win no
together is critical we all gonna win no
together is critical we all gonna win no one can do it alone working together is
one can do it alone working together is
one can do it alone working together is critical so I’m going to end with this
critical so I’m going to end with this
critical so I’m going to end with this African proverb that says if you want to
African proverb that says if you want to
African proverb that says if you want to go fast go alone but if you want to go
go fast go alone but if you want to go
go fast go alone but if you want to go far let’s all go together thank you
far let’s all go together thank you
far let’s all go together thank you [Applause]
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