Education, Training, & Emerging Leader Committee

1. Advance educational and training opportunities available in the State of Minnesota to African immigrants in the state

2. Seek opportunities that focus on:

   • Education access

   • Mentorship and student success

   • Career placements

   • Professional development/growth

3. To participate in the transformation of Minnesota and to ensure Equity and Inclusion, Minnesota Africans United (MAU) seeks partnerships with:

• Communities

• Non-profit Organizations

• K-12 Public Schools

• Public & Private Colleges and Universities

• Small Businesses

• Foundations

The intent is for these partners to provide opportunities to African immigrants.

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Meets Once a month

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HealthCare

1. Bring together a network of African doctors, nurses, lab technicians, pharmacists, etc. to collaborate with US healthcare professionals to improve health equities of minority communities

2. Educate the Minnesota African community on active health concerns

3. Screen Africans in Minnesota for medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension,  colon cancer, cervical cancer, risk factors for heart disease, mental health, etc.

4. Educate Africans on matters concerning COVID-19 disease and screening

5. Assist with job placement of African health professionals when applicable and possible

6. Assist with health safety standards of African Health professionals when possible – eg. providing PPEs when possible

7. Provide strategic planning support to other committees when needed

8. Apply for grants to address health concerns of Africans and to assist with health care access

9. Serve as a representative for MAU and work with local partners-MDH, health care organizations, and other NGOs to help improve access to health care by the African community.

10. Encourage health care wellness and  promotion of preventive care services through intermittent health fairs

11. Develop and recommend to the Board of Directors, policies, and procedures that will be helpful to the African Community and improve access and quality of health cares

12. Have a mentorship program to assist and guide young health care workers or students who want to go into healthcare as a profession

13. Support training for healthcare professionals to meet the need of our community

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Meets Once a month

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Unity & Tradition Committee

1. Raise awareness of the different African cultures from the African countries that are represented in Minnesota.

2. Increase cross-cultural education and support the effort of preserving our culture and tribal languages, with a particular focus on cultural issues

3. We want to maintain and pass on our traditional beliefs, languages, social practices, as well as experiential education about Africa

4. Celebrating our country heritage and independence day celebration

5. Organizing events that showcase our arts, food, song, film, theater, music, dance, and culture

6. Connecting with popular African sports, such as soccer

7. The end goal is bringing the African cultures to Minnesota

8. Highlight our stories and journeys to the United States

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Immigration & Foreign Relations

The Immigrant and Foreign Relations Committee is the committee devoted to the consideration of issues involving the role of the fifty-five (55) African countries in the world.

1. Negotiation to increase the economic prosperity of African immigrants

2. Ignition of foreign aid programs providing economic assistance to African countries

3. Influence US policies on Africa

4. Engagement of Africa as an economic partner in the United States of America (USA) and around the world.

5. Assess the demographic of Africans in the US

6. Identify reoccurring challenges of African immigrants living in Minnesota

7. ​There are American citizens, permanent legal residents, students, and residents all at different levels in the immigration system
8. Partner with African citizens, registered African country-specific organizations, and community-based organizations

9. Lobby for skilled professionals working in corporate, government, private sector, non-profit, and also individual large- and small-scale businesses

 

Meets Every Wednesdays at 6:00 PM

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Housing & Workforce Committee 

1. To be a resource for African immigrants, which aligns with the objectives of this committee

2. Connect MAU members with agencies/organizations that provide valuable services and address employment and housing needs that are prevalent in our communities

3. Assist African immigrants to find and purchase a home and reduce racial disparities in homeownership

4. Find self-employment opportunities for African immigrants including work as realtors, insurance professionals, and other areas conducive for self-employment

5. Improve the quality of life of families and communities by helping to work with agencies that develop, produce, and manage low cost but quality housing in safe neighborhoods, including rental units and homeownership programs for immigrants.

6. Partner with agencies such as KSW Construction that also help candidates seeking to be real estate agents.

7. Refer members seeking support services for legal and regulatory concerns regarding Homeownership and renters’ rights and responsibilities.

8. Work with academic institutions and other corporate partners to connect high-level jobs for African Immigrants 

9. Develop a marketing strategy that will project labor needs and partner with business communities and governmental agencies to identify labor needs that will protect the interest of African Immigrants

10. Be a resource/referral mechanism, and partner for job seekers

11. Develop and maintain a database of well-vetted potential employees

12. Set up a support/grooming process, interviews, and cover letter development for members seeking high profile jobs

13. Organize opportunities for internships (paid/unpaid) for college and other young adults seeking entry-level corporate positions.

 

Meets Biweekly on Wednesdays at 5:00 PM till September  

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Fundraising & Resource Mobilization Committee

Fundraising & Resource Committee is an integral committee of Minnesota Africans United with the goal of raising funds to ensure the financial viability and stability of the organization.

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1. $500,000 COVID-19 Fund

2. Scholarship money for financial needs due to college education

3. Money for community members that are interested in specific workforce training and development

4. Money to provide a way for Africans to support humanitarian needs in Minnesota and the continent

5. Money to assist in leveraging partnerships that will contribute to policy changes in support of Africans in Minnesota

6. Money that will provide access to our members to start and expand small African businesses

7. Money for community engagement activities

8. Money to conduct research in healthcare, business, agriculture, workforce, and education

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Meets Every Tuesdays at 5:00 PM

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Business & Economic Development

1. This committee is two-fold:

   1. We serve as a resource platform for the African Diaspora and African owned businesses in Minnesota

   2. We serve as a bridge for mutually beneficial exchange of goods and services between the African continent and the US.

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Our Mandate:

1. Create a database of all African owned and operated businesses in MN

2. Technical assistance to small and medium business owners

3. Access to financing/funding sources for small businesses

4. Access to relevant business resources (information)

5. Marketing and advertising within the African community and beyond

6. Facilitate the delivery of African goods and services to consumers

7. Build strategic partnerships with American business and stakeholders

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In the United States 

1. To seek potential strategic partners to facilitate an exponential growth
2. Positioning ourselves as a viable conduit to connect every stakeholder to Africa

 

In Africa

1. To serve as a catalyst to increase Foreign Direct Investments (FDI)

2. Build strategic partnerships with various governments and businesses in the continent

3. Identify potential partners and markets in Africa through our members’ businesses and partners

4. Identify creative ways to bypass existing funding challenges

5. Facilitate access to the US marketplace for African goods and services

6. Facilitate access for African goods and services into the US market

7. Identify potential, dependable US business partners

 

Meets Every Mondays on zoom at 6:00 PM

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Membership & Public Relations

This committee is focused on leveraging resources to improve Minnesota as a whole:

1. Build membership

2. Find fundraising opportunities

3. Accounts management

4. Events

5. Activity planning​​

 

Every other Sundays from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM

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 Agriculture Committee

1. To raise awareness on the importance of agriculture, develop agriculture markets, enable trade in Minnesota, and increase collaboration between the African continent and the US in the agriculture sector

2. Increase awareness around agricultural enterprises in the State of Minnesota

3. Act as a resource for agricultural information for MAU

4. Identify opportunities for African immigrants to support agriculture in the State of Minnesota

5. Provide information and guidance on agriculture-related issues to MAU and African immigrants

6. Provide information and guidance on careers in agriculture-related enterprises

7. Serve as a link between MAU and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA)

8. Identify Minnesotan African Diaspora businesses & professionals in the agriculture industry

9. Identify agriculture businesses in Africa that would benefit from a collaboration with MN businesses

10. Create a market tool & data to support members

11. Provide educational resources for members

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