Earlier this week, one of the founding members of A Little Something
died. To call her a founding member doesn't really describe the role she
played in helping to establish this organization. We'd like to take a
few minutes to tell you about Moumina Marketi, known to most as Mama
Moumina. She came to be a bit legendary in the history of A Little
Something.
When A Little Something was still just an idea and not yet an organization, the majority of the women who were interested
were ethnic Bantu from Somalia. The Somali Bantu arrived in the U.S.
with more challenges than most, but they had a solid community structure
that helped them work together to navigate their resettlement and the
overwhelming cultural differences they encountered upon arrival. The
community was led by a council of elders, and Mama Moumina was the apex
of that hierarchy. She was deeply respected and her opinions held
tremendous influence in the Bantu community.
It wasn't until Mama Moumina met with us and then gave her blessing
deeming A Little Something to be a good idea that the Somali Bantu women
felt that they could be a part of it. She encouraged all of the women
in her community to at least give it a try. She knew that for these
women to be able to earn their own money (that they could keep) was
going to be deeply empowering and she wanted to see it happen.
Mama Moumina was what many would call a character. She was a small
woman with a huge personality and a commanding presence (we were all a little afraid of her, to be honest). She was wise,
strict, and often very, very funny. She could silence a room with a
withering stare or say just a few words and leave everyone in fits of
laughter. She was a force to be reckoned with, and if it hadn't been for
her endorsement of our project in those beginning days--and her
willingness to lead by example by trying something new and unfamiliar
herself--A Little Something probably wouldn't have gotten started.
Mama Moumina had been a skilled basket weaver in Africa and wanted to
continue weaving in Denver. Unable to find the traditional African
materials she was familiar with, she worked with our co-founding member,
Anna, to try applying her skills using unconventional materials such as
plastic bags and fabric. Making jewelry did not come easily to her, but
she was determined to try--and keep trying. Eventually, her husband,
Shamura, followed her lead and he became the first and only male
participant in A Little Something.
Mama Moumina didn't care for
Colorado winters, so after two years in Denver, she moved to be with
relatives in Arizona. We didn't see her much after that, but others in
the community let us know she was doing well and was happily enjoying
the Phoenix sunshine.
Today we mourn the loss of someone who deeply influenced our organization. Our thoughts are with
Shamura and all of Moumina's family today.
