Fathia Absie

Fathia Absie is a Somali American writer and filmmaker. She is a former Voice of America broadcaster. Ms. Absie was a social worker before she decided to pursue a life-long dream of storytelling. Ms. Absie's first film is Broken Dreams, a documentary that explores the collective outcry against the recruitment of the Somali youth in Minnesota by religious fanatics. The case brought unwanted attention from the U.S. government to the Somali community in Minnesota and around the country. Following the disappearances of the young Somali men, the FBI launched the largest US counterterrorism investigation since the 9/11 tragedy. Her second film is a narrative called The Lobby, a story about friendship and cultural differences. In 2014, Absie also published the graphic novel The Imperceptible Peacemaker, through the CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. An allegory on vigilante justice, its superhero protagonist and a tech billionaire creates a suit that gives him the ability to become an invisible force for good, fighting tyranny and injustice around the world. Ms. Absie also worked with Twin Cities PBS where she hosted countless programs and the documentary, Giving Thanks. She is also the founder of Eat With Muslims project and web series which brings together American Muslim families and their non-Muslim neighbors, co-workers, classmates, and peer groups, over a meal with facilitated conversations among the participants. The project held it's first dinner Jan 14, 2017. Video's are then uploaded to various social media platforms and outlets as a web series and can be shared across the country. Each gathering will also be available on the website, Eatwithmuslims.org.