OLM declares TPS Solidarity Week

06/18/07 

Photo: OLM President Martha Sinoe

Brooklyn Center/Minnesota--June 18, 2007: The Organization of Liberians in Minnesota (OLM), in consultation with the Union of Liberian Associations in the Americas (ULAA), has declared “A TPS Solidarity Week”. According a release signed by the OLM Public Relation Committee, the Liberian Solidarity Week runs from Tuesday June 26 to Thursday June 28, 2007.

In a joint Board and Executive meeting held on Saturday June 16, 2007, the Board of Directors of OLM unanimously endorsed the TPS Solidarity Week. The Board praised President Martha Sinoe and the OLM Immigration Committee for their outstanding efforts and sacrifices and appealed to the Liberian community to join the process, to ensure the success of the Solidarity Week. In a similar vein, the OLM Board has encouraged the President to maintain a robust working relationship with the leadership of ULAA.

“Our goal is to ensure that the three remaining Minnesota US Congressional Representatives--James Oberstar, Collin Peterson,  and Michelle Bachmann, signed onto the Liberian Immigration Bill (HR 1941)”, President Sinoe noted. OLM Boss says that each day of the week will be devoted to traveling to the office of a congressional representative or district outside the Twin Cities. The areas identified are: Duluth, Detroit Lakes, and Rochester. These congressional districts could not be covered during the April 24 Solidarity Day, because they presented logistical challenges, especially for a one-day event, the President stressed.

On Tuesday June 26, a Liberian community delegation will visit the offices of Michelle Bachman at 10:00 am in St. Paul, Minnesota. On Wednesday, June 27, 2007, the delegation will visit the offices of Representative James Oberstar in Duluth, and the offices of Representative Collin Peterson in Great Lake, on Thursday June 28, 2007. As it stands, the Liberian community in Minnesota is blessed with five US Congressional signatures on HR 1941, more than any other Liberian community in the United States.

Earlier last week, the leadership of OLM held series of follow-up discussions and exchanged emails with staff of Congressman Tim Walz office in Rochester and Washington D.C, respectively, including the Communication Director, the District Director, and the Immigration Outreach Coordinator. As you may be aware, Representative Tim Walz signed onto HR 1941 on Friday June 15, 2007, living up to his commitment to the leadership of the Liberian community as well as to other American partner organizations involved with the Liberian community in Minnesota.

In a related development, a community TPS Town Hall meeting will be held on Sunday June 24, 2007, at the Brooklyn Park City Hall in Minnesota. The meeting is expected to begin at 4:30 Post Meridian.

Contact: Martha Sinoe (612-432-1367), Washington Yonly (612-251-3683), Abdullah Kiatamba (612-388-4767), Alonso Ngumbu (763-232-2831), &Tobay Segar (612-220-5121).