African Voices Podcast: Episode 11!

• Recruiting and cultivating youth activists
• Creating opportunities for youth-led initiatives
• Promoting inter-generational learning

The workshop was a great success. We would like to thank Bryan Echols for facilitating the event, as well as all of our participants!

African Picnic-
Despite the rain, our First Annual African Community Picnic & Back-to-School event held on Saturday, August 4 was a success. We look forward to next year, and hope to see even more people from the community!

African News:
We at United African Organization extend our heartfelt condolences to the Ghanaian community here and in Ghana over the untimely passing of their President, John Atta Mills, early Wednesday on July 25, 2012. More than 10,000 people gathered in and around the square.

Among those who viewed the body as it lay under a glass case before the service were Alassane Ouattara, Ivory Coast’s president, and his Liberian counterpart, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Leaders of Benin and neighbouring Togo also attended the funeral. Africa has lost an illustrious son! May his soul rest in peace!

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/08/20128101419431132.html

Anti-government protesters rally in Morocco– Demonstrators accuse ruling party of not fulfilling its pledges to address social grievances and fight corruption.

Hundreds of activists have rallied in Morocco’s main cities to protest against corruption, the high cost of living and other causes of discontent.

Rights groups, trade unionists and the February 20 protest movement had called the demonstrations, amid frustration at the perceived failure of the Islamist-led government to make good on its electoral promises.

In Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, nearly 1,000 people gathered, chanting anti-corruption slogans, denouncing the sharp rise in prices, and calling for the release of jailed activists, a witness said. The protest ended without incident at midnight, an activist reported on social media.
Around 300 people gathered near the main boulevard in Rabat, the capital, chanting slogans criticising Prime Minister Abdelilah Benkirane, and waving anti-government banners

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2012/08/201281223234231883.html

Olympics:

African Nations Medal Standings

UAO Leadership Workshop in August
Topic:  Women and Leadership
– Women’s leadership in a patriarchal
society
– Empowering women as change agents in the community
Date: Saturday,August 25,2012
Time: 9am-1pm
Venue: University Room,6th floor,
10 West 35th Street
Chicago, IL 60616
Email: training@uniteafricans.org
Call: (312) 285-5024

The Diaspora Council of Tanzanians in America
2012 Convention, Chicago
August 30-Sept 2
Chicago Marriott Hotel at O’Hare Airport

Citizenship Workshop
Thursday, August 23rd
Time: 12-3pm
Where: Devon Bank 6445 N. Western, Chicago, Il.

Recipe:
Bobotie is a South Africa dish consisting of spiced minced meat baked with an egg-based topping. The recipe is likely to have originated among slaves from South-East Asia who were brought to Cape Town in the 1600s and 1700s. It is usually made with curry powder, giving it a ‘tang’.

Ingredients

• minced beef, or lentils (for veggie version)
• 2 onions, chopped
• Small amount of orange juice
• 2 ml (1/2 teaspoon) crushed garlic
• 15 ml (1 tablespoon) curry powder
• 2 slices bread, crumbled
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) milk
• 1 egg
• 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt, milled black pepper
• 100 g (3 ounces) dried apricots, chopped
• 1 Granny Smith apple peeled, cored and chopped
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) sultanas (golden raisins)
• 50 g (1 1/2 ounces) slivered almonds, roasted in a dry frying pan
• 6 lemon, orange, or bay leaves

TOPPING

• 250 ml (1 cup) milk
• 2 eggs
• 2 ml (1/2 teaspoon) salt

Instructions

Set the oven at 160°C (325°F). Butter a large casserole dish. Fry the onion and garlic in the orange juice until translucent. Stir in the curry powder, and cook briefly until fragrant. Remove the pot from the heat.

Mix in the minced meat and cook. Mix together the crumbs, milk, lemon rind and juice, egg, salt, pepper, apricots, apple, sultanas (golden raisins) and almonds and mix in. Pile into the casserole and level the top. Roll up the leaves and bury them at regular intervals. Seal with foil and bake for 1 1/4 hours. Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (400°F). Mix together the topping milk, eggs and salt (you may require extra topping if you’ve used a very large casserole), pour over and bake uncovered for a further 15 minutes until cooked and lightly browned. Serve with rice and chutney.

Advice Box:
Advice on the DREAM Act
On June 15, 2012, the Obama Administration announced that it would offer many DREAM Act- eligible youth temporary relief through ‘deferred action’. The memorandum offers hope to many eligible young adults by providing a work permit. The State of Illinois is home to over 75,000 DREAM Act-eligible youth.

To Qualify, you must:

1. Have been under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012;
2. Have come to the United States before reaching your 16th birthday;
3. Have continuously resided in the United States since June 15, 2007, up to the present time;
4. Have been physically present in the United States on June 15, 2012;
5. Have entered without inspection before June 15, 2012, or your lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012;
6. Be currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a general education development (GED) certificate, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the United States; and
7. Have not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors.

It is important to note that USCIS is will start Accepting Applications on August 15th, and not earlier. There is also a fee of $465 dollars to file the application. This fee also includes background checks and fingerprinting.

Prepare your documents:

• Documentation demonstrating identity and age includes:
• Birth certificates and copies of birth certificates
• Foreign passports and consular identification cards
• School ID cards with photograph
• Library cards
• Tourist visas
• U.S military cards or draft records
• U.S Coast Guard Merchant Mariner cards
• Documentation demonstrating arrival in the U.S. before the age of 16, residence in
• the U.S. since June 15, 2007, and presence in the United States on June 15, 2012:
• School records such as certified transcripts, report cards, or diplomas

Documentation demonstrating enrollment in school, graduation from high school, or receipt of the GED includes:

• Diplomas
• GED certificates
• Report cards
• School transcripts

Documentation demonstrating honorable discharge from the Coast Guard or Armed Forces includes:

• Report of separation forms
• • Military personnel records such as payroll records, morning reports and separation
• rosters, or military service records
• • Military health records

AIC interview with: Festy Natty