A Somali Mom Speaks Out

[Guest guest]

From: " Kirby " <dkirby@...>

Hello - These letters speak for themselves. –

They are being published at Huffington Post and Age of Autism today.

Many thanks to Idil for agreeing to make them public.

SOMALI GLOVES COME OFF – A mother’s letters to

the Minnesota Department of Health

When I first wrote about the Somali situation in

Minneapolis, back in August, I was contacted by a

young mother named Idil, who told me she had been

trying for more than a year to get Minnesota

officials to pay attention to all the sick kids in the local Somali community.

Idil, like a few other Somali parents in

Minnesota, is “taking off the gloves,” as they have put it.

(NOTE TO THE TIM PAWLENTY ADMINISTRATION: These

Somali parents are smart, tough, media savvy, and

very primed for a fight – I for one would not

like to have them as adversaries).

What follows is a series of letters between Idil

and the Minnesota Department of Health. I asked

Idil if they could be published online at AoA,

and this is what she wrote back to me:

“ - Yes, from now on you can forward

anything I write to you to anyone. I am done

waiting for them to take us seriously. Please go

ahead and post it on the site. I would be honored.

Idil”

----------

Here is Idil’s letter to MPH Commissioner Magnan,

as well as Judy Punyko and , also

of the health department, sent on Sunday:

----------

From: idil

judy, Sanne, patricia

Subject: what is next towards progress

Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 13:55:05 -0600

Hello Dr Magnan, Judy and Pat.

When I was young and lived in Somalia I used to

believe that America was the last bus stop in the

world. There was no country better than America

and everyone was equal regardless of race, color

or religion. This was an image carefully created

and exported by the American people to the rest of the world.

No one and no country is perfect however,

yesterday I realized that most of what I believed was and is still true.

Was I disappointed that Judy did not have the

report that was promised to us by Nov 15th. Of

course. I am also hopeful that the truth will

prevail and all three of you will think long and

hard how and what you do and what you say effects so many of our children.

Regardless of what that report would have said,

my eyes tell me the real numbers. All one has to

do is visit any Minneapolis pre-school autism

program and see that in every class of 6 kids 2-3

are Somali children. Judy, I know that you said

every number there is a family and a story behind it.

I like you to think about that every night as you

go to sleep. Think about how there is a Somali

family that thought America was the last and best

stop in this world, yet they are struggling with

their child that has autism. They have no idea

of what to do and how to help. Chances are they

have never heard of autism. I don't read minds,

but if I tried to read your body language

yesterday, it seemed to say that you think there

is no real problem here and whatever you report

will try to put the fire out among the Somali

community. Since you said every number

represents a face, please visit any pre-school in

Minneapolis and tell the parent of that child

that you don't think there is a problem here.

We want to trust you (our government officials

that is suppose to serve all people) to do the

right thing for us. Treat us the way you would

want to be treated if you were in our

country. Please don't tell us the status quo is

fine and to expect different results. Autism is

real, it is happening to our people higher than

the rest. It will not go away be doing the same things.

We all Somalis believe that children are the best

gift god can give a person. Autism is

interfering with that precious gift god gave us

and we will not watch more and more families’ god

given gift be destroyed by it. We ask that you

validate our concerns not by just telling us

everything is fine and don't panic, but opening

your minds and souls and take what we say

seriously. I urge you all to start looking into

doing a study on Somalis. Perhaps the real cause

and cure of autism will be found in one of

us. We are not blaming any one thing, but this

is real and all areas from Low Vit D, to our

immune system, to etc etc must be looked at a

non-bias and objective manner that will benefit all of us.

I would like some response from all of you on how

you really really like to address

this. (Insanity is defined by doing the same

thing and expecting different results). Please

tell us how and what you will do that is

different, positive, productive and beneficial to the Somali community.

Finally, I am so grateful to three of you for all

that you have done so far. We just would like

action towards this not just polite

words. Please help us help you find the cause

and cure of autism. I whole-heartedly believe it

is in one of us. And what a waste if we did not

take advantage of such an opportunity.

Thank you so much and I look forward to hearing

from you and what your thoughts are as we move forward.

Idil

And here is the response that Idil got on Monday:

> Date: Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:50:39 -0600

> From: Edie.French

> Idil

> Subject: Response to e-mail 11/16/08

>

> Dear Idil,

>

> Thank you for your e-mail yesterday morning to

Commissioner Magnan, and Judy

Punyko. We have had a long conversation about

follow-up, both short and long term, and I have

been asked to respond on behalf of all three.

First, please do not mistake my letter of thanks

to the Forum planning committee as any indication

that the Minnesota Department of Health feels

that our work in this area is done. We know that

we still have a long way to go and we are

committed to working on this issue until it is resolved.

>

> Please know that we hear your voice and the

voices of so many others that are affected. The

Minnesota Department of Health is committed to

protecting, maintaining, and improving the health

of all Minnesotans. We are committed to continue

to work with the Somali community on the

concerns, doing what we can at MDH, and

advocating for further investigation at higher levels.

>

> This is just a preliminary response to your

letter to let you know that it has been received.

I will continue to be your faithful liaison and

to keep you updated on the work that is being

done at MDH, and with other agencies as that

information is available. Thank you for your

courage and your commitment to action on behalf

of your community. I am happy to meet with you in

person, or on the phone any time.

>

> Warmest regards,

>

> Edie French

> Special Populations Coordinator

> MDH Communications

And this what Idil sent back to MDH on Tuesday –

(In private, she uses much stronger language than this).

From: idil

Edie

Subject: FW: what is next towards progress

Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 01:23:09 -0600

Hi Edie,

Thanks for replying the email that I sent to

Sanne, Judy and Pat. I understand that you are

the person that answers for the dept and that is

fine. I will also include Huda in this email

because we (the Somali community) would really

like more substance than empty words. I can not

believe that Judy does not have her numbers since

August and it will take her another six

months. Why so long? the school district

already gave her the numbers. Could it be

perhaps she saw what we see with our eyes and is in panic mode?

MDH must be honest with us if they truly are the

people's agency. No sugar - just straight talk.

If MDH is telling us everything is fine and lets

keep doing everything the same way, then they

either are lying to us or lying to themselves.

Either way no one wins. I think everyone at MDH

knows there is a huge problem here and we must work together.

What is it that now this department is

proposing? We need action now no more empty

words. Tell us in plain English what is next?

You know the commissioner is hired by the

governor of Minnesota and the governor is hired

by the people of Minnesota and the people of

Minnesota elect who will address their needs and

concerns. The Somali parents of children with

autism and the Minnesota parents of children with

autism have been extremely polite and politically

correct in waiting for this department who is

suppose to work for all people of Minnesota to

address our needs. As far as I can see that has not happened.

Autism did not exist in Somalia, if it did we

would have a word for it. We would have seen

Somali adults with autism. I have no idea what

is causing this, but I know it is only happening this high in Minnesota.

Therefore, Minnesota dept of health must take

action now not later but now. Autism does not wait to why should MDH?

thank you!

Idil