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How has DEAL impacted Mama Hanifa Adjuman?

Detroit Equity Action Lab (DEAL) Director Asandi Conner speaks with DEAL 2 Alum Mama Hanifa Adjuman on her experience in our Racial Equity Fellowship. Mama Hanifa was a Racial Equity Fellow in our program for the DEAL 2 cohort (2015-16) and has been an active member of our network ever since. She is the Education and Outreach Director for the Detroit Black Community Food Security Network.

Detroit Equity Action Lab [DEAL]

5 months ago

I would recommend DEAL. You  know because it's that ... it's that incubator. You know, it's that  supportive incubator. And it allows them the space to grow, make mistakes,  develop, ask questions, question, and still bring the fullness of who they  are without fear of any repercussions. [Music] What impact has DEAL had on you? I have to be open to new experiences because  otherwise what barometer am I using to determine whether something is a fit for me or not? And am I  blocking a blessing tha
t I can be both giving and receiving? And so that's kind of how the ancestors  work with me. And so I applied, I was accepted, and I found these amazing people. You know  some of them I knew because I worked kind of ... Some of them I had actually worked  with, like Tawana, like Shane. But then there were these other amazing people: Dessa,  Alana, um um Lisa Leverette, you know. And being able to understand and appreciate on a  deeper level how these systems are so intertwined. Almost to the poi
nt where they can't be untangled. And then seeing you and Mama  Jahzara in this space. I'm like "See? Thank you ancestors! Thank you!" Yeah but  I'm ... That's the impact, you know, knowing that we're all connected in this work. We're all  connected in this work. I was thinking about that this morning about like how grateful I am  to ... to still be able to have this like to have this conversation with you um and  still be connected through our work. Yeah it's pretty amazing. I ... I hear what 
you're saying about the connectedness. Why would you recommend the fellowship to someone? Any young activist who is really seeking to  build a deeper understanding, a deeper foundation and fellowship within this work to understand ...  because a lot of times what I find um especially um with the younger people that I interact with,  they think it's only them in this ... in their particular area and not really being able  to make the connections of the interlocking systems. And so for those young
people ... and I  am intentionally saying young people. Those young people who are serious about carrying forth this  work in whatever aspects they're doing this work, I would recommend DEAL. Yes, I would recommend  DEAL. You know because it's that ... it's that incubator. You know, it's that supportive  incubator. And it allows them the space to grow, make mistakes, develop, ask questions, question, and still bring the fullness of who they  are without fear of any repercussions. [Music]

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