Born in an Ethiopian refugee camp in Somalia, Meymuna Hussein-Cattan is an executive, entrepreneur and world traveler. For the last decade, Meymuna has been the Founder/Executive Director of The Tiyya Foundation, a local nonprofit that provides economic and educational opportunities for families of refugees, immigrants and indigenous communities residing in Orange County and Los Angeles County. In her work, Meymuna has been helping to transform sentiments and narratives around refugees in Southern California. Her solutions-oriented mindset has led the way on record-breaking initiatives, including the creation of innovative programs and services that impact nearly 1,000 people a year. This includes increases in job creation, entrepreneurship opportunities and recreational sports inclusion for children from low-income immigrant households. Meymuna has been recognized by the Office of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, was a PBS/ KTLA Local Hero nominee and received a Congressional Recognition as Woman of Year by Congressman Adam Schiff. She established Flavors from Afar, a social enterprise that employs former-refugee chefs in Orange County and Los Angeles. Today, the restaurant is located in Little Ethiopia on Fairfax.
“I grew up with the philosophy to ‘give to your neighbor what you would want for yourself.’ To me, giving is cyclical. What you give to others should always be a gift that you would personally cherish.” – Meymuna Hussein-Cattan