TRIBUTE TO MEYMUNA HUSSEIN-CATTAN--28TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WOMAN OF THE YEAR; Congressional Record Vol. 166, No. 47
(Extensions of Remarks - March 11, 2020)
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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E297]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TRIBUTE TO MEYMUNA HUSSEIN-CATTAN--28TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT WOMAN OF
THE YEAR
______
HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF
of california
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Mr. SCHIFF. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of Women's History
Month. Each year, we pay special tribute to the contributions and
sacrifices made by our nation's women. It is an honor to pay homage to
outstanding women who are making a difference in my Congressional
District. I would like to recognize a remarkable woman, Meymuna
Hussein-Cattan of the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles,
California.
Meymuna Hussein-Cattan is an executive, social entrepreneur and
world traveler dedicated to shifting the narrative around refugees in
the United States. Born in an Ethiopian refugee camp in Somalia, Ms.
Hussein-Cattan's childhood gave her a first-hand view of the struggles
of refugee children. In 1983, Meymuna's father moved to San Diego when
he was resettled by the International Rescue Committee. Young Meymuna
and her mother, Owliya Dima followed the next year.
Growing up with a passion for human rights and advocacy, Meymuna
went on to receive her bachelor's degree in Social Sciences from the
University of California, Irvine and a master's degree in
Organizational Management from Antioch University. Hussein-Cattan wrote
her Master's thesis about Tiyya, which proposed creating a nonprofit
organization that supports refugees starting a new life in Southern
California. Tiyya means ``my love'' in Oromo, which is one of the
languages spoken in Ethiopia. Over the years, Tiyya has improved the
lives of refugees in the greater Los Angeles area through the arts,
education and recreational activities.
With generosity and public service as core principles and the help
of her mother, Meymuna made it her mission to assist refugees to find
stability and navigate the similar complex challenges that her family
went through. As co-founder and CEO, Ms. Hussein-Cattan has played a
vital role in Tiyya's successes over the past decade, which include
impacting the lives of hundreds of people each year with a variety of
programs. As funding sources dwindled, Meymuna expanded the
organization's mission by launching Flavors from Afar, a program that
helps refugees develop culinary careers in their new country and build
connections within the neighborhood.
Apart from her work at Tiyya, Meymuna is committed to broadening her
scope and reaching other advocates with her expertise. A speaker at
many organizations and universities, she enjoys sharing her insights
and experience to motivate and inspire the future wave of human rights
activists. The Los Angeles refugee community has greatly benefited from
the generosity and dedication of Meymuna Hussein-Cattan.
Meymuna and her husband, Shukry live with their daughter, Suraya in
Echo Park.
I ask all Members to join me in honoring this exceptional, well-
respected woman of California's 28th Congressional District, Meymuna
Hussein-Cattan.
____________________
