“An afternoon with Ahmed Ismail Yusuf”

League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area and Beagle & Wolf Books are excited to present “An afternoon with Ahmed Ismail Yusuf”.  Mr. Yusuf will discuss his personal immigrant story from Somalia to America and his new book The Lion’s Binding Oath.  Come join us at 3 pm on June 19th at the Northwoods Bank Community Room: 1200 1st St E, Park Rapids, MN 56470.  The program will last about an hour and half including time for questions. All programs are handicapped accessible and refreshments will be served.

Ahmed Ismail Yusuf arrived in America from Somalia as a high-school dropout, unable to speak English, and unsure of his actual age. He has lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota since 1997. Today he has two college degrees and is the author of Somalis in Minnesota, published by the Minnesota Historical Society Press, and Gorgorkii Yimi, a collection of stories in Somali, published by Ponte Invisible.  In February 2018, The History Theatre of St. Paul, Minnesota produced his play, “A Crack in the Sky,” a memoir about how Yusuf found inspiration in Maya Angelou and Malcolm X during his early days as an immigrant to the U.S.

Yusuf’s most recent work, The Lion’s Binding Oath, documents a country coming apart yet reveals its deep pride and a quiet hope despite the instability.  Yusuf hopes that his work shines a light on both the immigrant journey as well as the Somali people and the legacy of his homeland.

 League of Women Voters Park Rapids Area  (LWVPRA), a non-partisan volunteer organization, whose mission is to encourage informed and active participation in government. We influence public policy through education and advocacy which includes supporting activities to preserve the nation’s natural resources. Programs are always free and open to the public.

If you have any questions about the program contact Beagle & Wolf Books.  If you have any questions about LWVPRA activities, events or on how to join LWVPRA (not for women only), email  lwvparkrapids@lwvmn.org. Follow our activities, events on our website: http://lwvparkrapidsarea.blogspot.com/