A Stray

A STRAY tells the human story of one young man’s personal journey for belonging. The film—hailed as a “visually striking film,” and a NY-Times critics pick, follows Adan through the little-seen, vibrant world of Somali refugees in Minneapolis. Adan’s story provides a window into what it means for some of the most marginalized Americans to find their place in this country.

Featured Panelists:

Hamza Perez is Puerto Rican Muslim and has been ranked as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world by The Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre for his work with youth. Hamza is the founder of the S.H.E.H.U. Program (Services Helping to Empower and Heal Urban Communities) and is one of the co-founders of the Light of the Age Mosque, located in the North Side neighborhood of Pittsburgh, PA. In 2009, PBS released a movie entitled “New Muslim Cool” about his life, music, and community. He now serves as the Youth Director at The Islamic Center of Pittsburgh.

Haji Muya was born in Somali during the civil war. Haji moved to Dadaup refugee camp in Kenya before coming to Pittsburgh in 2004. With an Associates Degree in Filmmaking & Video Productions, Haji is now a freelance filmmaker and has worked with Netflix, Lifetime, PMI and more. Haji is currently working on their first episodic series, which will premiere on Amazon prime.

Suad Yusuf is dedicated to human rights, youth empowerment, and local and international development. This passion led Suad to pursue a dual Masters’ degree in Social Work and International Development at the University of Pittsburgh where, in 2017, she became a graduate fellow with the African Studies program. In this role, she researched and studied issues related to Africa, and assisted with preparing high school students for Model African Union simulations. After completing her graduate studies, she traveled to Somaliland to teach at Abaarso School of Science and Technology. She currently works for Global Minds Initiative, a for-youth by-youth nonprofit that bridges the gap between English language learners and the general student population through youth-led programming.

Ilham Abdi was born in the Netherlands to Somali parents who had fled the civil war. Ilham moved to the United States in 2000 and to Pittsburgh in 2018 to pursue a Master is Healthcare Administration at the University of Pittsburgh. Currently they are working for UPMC and entering their second and final year of graduate school.