By Sanpha Sesay, Dallas Fort Worth, Texas.
Just as the population of Texas is growing faster, so is the Sierra Leone community in the Dallas Fort Worth area in Texas.
This is a community that is growing faster than other communities in cities around the United States. The Sierra Leone community is spreading all over the metropolitan area making it difficult to meet and socialize; finding ways to better meet their community needs need expectation has become critically important.
At Fort Worth, another organization, the United Sierra Leoneans (USL) was launched on Saturday September 17 with Mambu Koroma as President and Doris Bright as the vice President. The United Sierra Leoneans is now becoming a new engine among the Sierra Leonean organizations at the Dallas Fort Worth area to enhance community development and growth in Texas.
The USL has as its main objective reinforcing a common identity and giving individuals a sense of belonging within the various counties of Fort Worth. The organization also plans to liaise with other organizations including churches, social clubs and alumni organizations. It also plans to be part of the umbrella organization, the Association of Sierra Leonean Organizations in Texas (ASLOT).
African culture on display
The launching of the organization on the 27th attracted many community leaders including the Honorary Consul general for Sierra Leone in Texas, Patrick Jackson who delivered the keynote address and Patrick Dangawalli, the Grand Chief Patron.
Elizabeth Bockarie, Tegloma President, Texas.
Other community leaders including the ASLOT boss, Reuben Ndomahina and the Mandingo Chief, Dr. Foday Christian Sesay, and many others who were all there to support the new organization. The Tegloma president, Elizabeth Bockarie was the MC.
Time to dance
In his speech, the Grand Chief Patron, Mr. Patrick Dangawalli informed the audience that the formation of USL was a wise decision, noting that it creates profound competition to capture the American dream. He said competitive self-interest is destructive and will not take us anywhere, but if we are united it will help us achieve our Diaspora cohesive goals.
Patrick Dangawalli
Dangawalli, who is the President of Sierra Stars soccer Association believes in the mechanism of change for progress and development. He advised the USL to be steadfast so that they can make a difference in the community taking into consideration the great number of organizations that are already existing in the area.
During the USL launching at the Torch of Class Event Center, members put on their African dresses designed to show case their cultural values, and performed cultural dancing while the DJ played mostly Sierra Leonean music as a significant aspect of the launching ceremony.
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