Autism – what the heck is it and why is it so famous in our community.  Did we have it in Somalia – maybe.  Was it this high – definitely NOT – that – is the $400,000 question.

Autism is such a wide spectrum that it affects no two children alike.  Every child has it ever so slightly different.  In the  Somali community – most of our children have it on the classic end of the spectrum.  Some of our children are not talking yet, some have no fear of safety, and some have eating issues, safety issues  among other challenges.

Autism alters and changes parent’s dreams.  It is like no other condition because as a parent – when your child gets sick you take them to the doctor and get the medicine or the treatment.  For autism you get more questions and no answers in sight.  This is a very difficult to process and makes a parent mad, frustrated, sad, confused and helpless all at the same time.

As a result, countless Somali parents asked, worked, traveled and pleaded with local, state and national health agencies to look in this and find out what is going on.  We were received very well in an unprecedented with a unique grant opportunity to finally answer our questions and concerns.

A funding of $400,000 was announced by Center for Disease Control, National Institute of Health and Autism Speaks whereby any university anywhere in the country can apply.  University of Minnesota – Institute of CommunityIntegration decided to apply.  At first we were ecstatic then we found out rather quickly that they only had eyes for the dollars and brought their corrupt friends along to share.  They decided to exclude trustworthy community leaders including parents that were responsible in working tirelessly for this opportunity.

Needless to say, we were saddened and frustrated by this big university’s lack of respect for our community and our parents that worked extremely hard.  We also believe that any research they might do will be dismissed beginning with us and others because it will be bias, non-objective, will have conflict of interest and fraudulent activities disguised as research activities.  Therefore, it will not be credible and scientifically accurate. (waa iyadoo qof jeego u seexday oo ilmahiisana la sheekaysan kara uu naga faaidaystay) That is unfair and unjust.

We ask that they don’t apply, don’t exploit our community and take advantage of our pain.  They have no right to bully immigrant Somali parents that worked on this without their assistance.

Furthermore, this department of ICI has a tendency for taking advantage of minority communities and getting grants but not really helping them.  For example, their immigrant/diversity staff is a Caucasian male.  That alone speaks volumes of their out of touch with our reality.  Their autism clinic has seen less than five Somali children that also speaks volumes of the staff they hire and train to see us who are notoriously known to be fraud and have no respect for the autism families.

We are very sad that rather than help desperate parents University of Minnesota – ICI would take advantage of vulnerable and a community in despair. We hope that they don’t do this research as it would be waste of money, time and effort.  No research would be better than a bad discredited

research without the backing and support of the very families that autism is effecting and advocated for this.

Our gratitude to all of you is endless – Thank you very much for reading this and truth and justice will always prevail.

May God Bless our children and all children with autism.

Sincerely,

Somali Autism Parents

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