Thank you sincerely for Peggy Roberts’ excellent piece on the Center for African Heritage’s summer youth employment program at River Point in Falmouth. It conveyed not only an appreciation of workplace issues confronting young African immigrants and refugees, but also of their idealism, their energy and their hopefulness for a brilliant future. For example, the three young women in the program all want careers in medicine and, God willing, we’ll help them get there.

The piece could not convey, however, how deeply grateful we are to the town of Falmouth, including the Town Council, which unanimously approved the project; Town Manager Nathan Poore, whose long-term vision for Falmouth’s open spaces was the foundation of our support, and Open Space Ombudsman Bob Shafto, who saw our program clearly for what it is, with its potential to serve Falmouth and Maine. The Center for African Heritage and our kids can’t thank these people enough for their confidence in our results, their warmth, and their willingness to open their community to us.

Dawud Ummah, president
Center for African Heritage
Portland


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