Cuisine prepared by six chefs from across the globe will be presented this weekend at “A Night of Nations,” a fundraiser to benefit refugees in Syracuse.

Refugee and Immigrant Self-Empowerment, or RISE, was founded to serve oppressed, persecuted and disenfranchised people, Executive Director Haji Adan said. Funds from this event will serve to advance this mission.

RISE is partnering with pop-up restaurant My Lucky Tummy for the fundraiser on Saturday. “A Night of Nations” will feature a ceremony that recognizes Dr. Cynthia Morrow, Professor Murali Venkatesh and Abukar Awayle for their efforts to empower refugees in the city. The event will also showcase cultural entertainment, dress and decor, as well as a silent auction.

In partnering with My Lucky Tummy, the event will feature food from the cultures of some of the people RISE serves. My Lucky Tummy was founded by Adam Sudmann in 2012, who was inspired after seeing how much diversity there is in Syracuse. While many of the chefs for My Lucky Tummy are often refugees, not all of them are.

“We reached out to My Lucky Tummy because our missions are aligned (as) we both look to empower new Americans,” Adan said in an email.

“A Night of Nations” will be catered by six chefs from the countries of Bhutan, Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, Somalia and Pakistan.

One of the My Lucky Tummy chefs providing food for the event is Habiba Boru. Boru, who is from Ethiopia, will provide three dishes from her culture.

“(There are) a lot of people from different countries, so you get introduced to all kinds of foods. (It) lets you explore imagination, exchange stories,” Boru said. “Food always unites people.”

RISE has a long history in Syracuse under a different name, the Somali-Bantu Community Association (SBCA). Founded in 2004, the organization formed from the sense of community felt by Somali-Bantu refugees who had experienced civil war and hardships in refugee camps. The organization worked to empower refugees and their children through education and a collective voice. In the fall of 2015, SBCA changed its name to RISE to reflect its commitment to serve people from all over the world.

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A number of grants have allowed the organization to develop increasingly popular education and women’s empowerment programs and expand its personnel. RISE employs 13 staff members, most of whom are former refugees themselves, Adan said.

Those who work at RISE represent the inclusivity of their mission, Adan said, as it’s an organization run by refugees, for refugees.

RISE has many programs that teach English as a Second Language classes, after-school programs, citizenship education, financial literacy and youth professionalization programs, Adan said.

Tickets are $65 and can be purchased from a link on RISE’s website. The event will be held on Saturday from 6-9 p.m. at the Temple Society of Concord, located at 910 Madison St.

Said Adan: “This event will not only provide ongoing support for new Americans in our community, but will be instrumental in fostering cross-cultural knowledge and dialogue.”

Published on April 4, 2018 at 10:04 pm

rtanweer@syr.edu