Announcement
Refugees have made countless contributions to their host countries, from technology (Intel founder Andy Grove), to music (rapper M.I.A), to leadership (first female Secretary of State Madeline Albright), to art (painter Marc Chagall). On September 29th, the IRC in Sacramento will for the second time celebrate the contributions of this last category, refugee artists,to Northern California. On deck to create the night’s soundtrack is Ahmed Hashim, a well-known part-time disc jockey in the Bay Area. Known professionally as DJ Ahmed, he has put his talent to good use over the past few years offering pro-bono spinning services to organizations that support refugees. What is Ahmed’s motivation? Personal experience.
In 1991, Ahmed’s father, Saad found himself caught in the middle of Iraq’s civil war. Sentenced to 24 years in a political prison, he was freed during a brief rebel uprising. With little time and uncertain of the future, he and his wife decided it best if he fled the country without his young family. Unsure of when, or if, they would see each other again, he left for Saudi Arabia. After two years there, Saad was resettled as a refugee by the IRC in San Francisco. He petitioned for his wife and three young children, including 9 year-old Ahmed, to join him and on January 28, 1994 they touched down at SFO. The IRC helped the family find a new apartment and access to social services. "Growing up in San Francisco, I quickly learned that everyone has a story that's drastically different than mine. World events have shaped the lives of most people that I've met. As hard as it was to leave our families, other refugees became our chosen family in San Francisco."
Today this American family is grown and spread out over the Bay Area. Ahmed spins on top of his full-time job in tech recruiting. His sisters are students in the fields of child development and business management. Jannat, the baby of the family born in the Bay Area loves to paint. According to Ahmed, “the most powerful tool a refugee can use is a platform to share their story. What better way to do that than through art? Music and culture are unifying element among humanity."
Join the IRC in Sacramento at Art for Humanity on September 29th to see and hear the creations of refugee artists across Northern California.
Art for Humanity
