International cuisine from Latin America, the Middle East, South Asia, and more was put on display in a community potluck hosted at Concordia College. Fargo-Moorhead community members and tri-college students attend the event, sharing and embracing their distinct cultural backgrounds.
Community organizations partnered with international students to help fund dishes for the potluck. Fargo-Moorhead is no stranger to International Potlucks. The event, before the Pandemic, used to be held monthly at various locations. Currently, the goal is to hold an event quarterly.
This event drew a large crowd due to its collaboration with Concordia and its many international students from all over the globe.
To kick off the feast, Siam Shimul shared his personal journey, starting in Bangladesh, and how embracing diversity and using it to build meaningful connections has transformed his life.
“My story commenced in the bustling streets of Dhaka…, I was immersed in a rich tapestry of traditions, languages and beliefs… These formative years instilled in me the values of curiosity, resilience and unwavering appreciation for the beauty of diversity.”
In 2019, his “life underwent under a systemic shift,” leaving his family behind to attend United World College in New Mexico. “Picture this: a campus nestled in the high desert surrounded by awe-inspiring landscapes and inhabited by a community of 200 students, hailing from more than 90 different countries. This experience, I can confidently say, has been nothing less than life-changing living in a microcosm of global diversity.”
Shimul’s next step was to continue his education at Concordia. Here, with his involvement in organizations such as the Concordia Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Commission, he continues to contribute to a more accepting campus and community.
“I’ve had the privilege of connecting with peers from around the world, fostering a sense of unity amidst diversity,” he said.
Just as diverse as the food, so too were the numerous faiths present. Demonstrating the commitment to diversity, following Shimul’s keynote address, attendees took part in an inter-faith blessing to show gratitude for the occasion.
“The potluck and food is a way you connect people,” said Siham Amedy, who helped organize the event. Adding, “We have such an incredibly rich community that a lot of people don’t know about.” She also said how an opportunity, like a potluck, is something that everyone can enjoy. Who doesn’t like great food?
The event not only served as a way to discover new and intriguing cuisine but also as a way for the international community to get connected and support each other.
“Anytime you move somewhere, it’s very challenging,” said Amedy. “People have misconceptions. They don’t think you’re as civilized as they are.”
There are many challenges new Americans face that natural-born citizens never consider. Basic facts of life like language and finding any employment can be difficult. “If you come here as a teenager or younger, you can pretty much pick up the language. If you’re older, it’s much more challenging,” said Amedy.
Adding, “There’s not so much now, but it used to be quite a bit of discrimination that would happen. There’d be some practices in place, like employers would make you take a written test. It wasn’t necessary for a little job.”
New Americans also do work that other Americans don’t prefer. Disproportionately, they do a lot of frontline work like food service, cleaning and industrial production. Amedy said, “We saw during the COVID pandemic new Americans are on the far line of working, so they are the most susceptible and vulnerable.”
Additionally, Amedy shared about the social problems they face. One such is that they “deal with subtle discrimination and, you know, just not feeling like you belong, and that causes mental health challenges too.” Also, moving across the world to a totally different culture, “especially if you don’t have any family in the area, it can be very isolating.”
One organization in the community that tries to address these problems is the New American Consortium, which Amedy is the vice chair of in Fargo. “There is a lot of case management education and support that happens.”
Additionally, “Each community has their own organization and community leaders that help facilitate their groups and help them, you know, help to support them any way they can as far as workforce, business development.”
Another organization is Cultural Diversity Resources. Many smaller community organizations are connected here. They also offer training and host events for the international community.
Amedy also mentioned how the resources “certainly have increased by a lot, especially the last few years.” Adding, “a lot of new Americans make their way to Fargo because they know those resources, the jobs are available, and it’s a welcoming community.”
“I think we all can work together for a better, supportive community, and I’m really proud of how far we’ve come,” Amedy said.