Seeking asylum at age 62
Resolve Philly
Developing and advancing journalism based on equity, collaboration, and the elevation of community voices and solutions
After a bit of a slow start to the year, we’re glad to be back in your inbox.
First, we’re highlighting a profile about Moussa Diallo. Despite working as civil engineering technician and training young people through his nonprofit work, Diallo still remained a target for discrimination in his homeland of Mauritania in West Africa. At 62, he left behind his wife and child, looking for greater opportunity. Now, as an asylum seeker in Philly, Diallo is doing his best to establish stability and reunite with his family. This reporting is a collaboration between Fun Times Magazine and Love Now Media, part of an ongoing series spotlighting immigrants from African countries.
Our other story is a guide for giving public comment, published by the Philadelphia Journalism Collaborative.? Whether you're speaking up for the first time or looking to refine your approach, this guide breaks down the process, offering key guidelines, and expert insights from seasoned commenters. To clarify any potential questions, we reached out to spokespeople of some of the largest municipal bodies in Philadelphia, including City Council, the Department of Planning and Development, and the Board of Education. This story would never have happened if it weren’t for help and inspiration from our colleagues at Philly Documenters. We also translated it to Spanish here.
Happy reading.?
Andrew Lu
Collaborative Intern
Resolve Philly
Moussa Diallo Is Rebuilding His Life In America
Moussa Diallo’s journey is one of resilience, sacrifice, and the relentless pursuit of a better life. At 62, he left behind his wife and child in Mauritania, stepping into the unknown for stability and opportunity. The road to the United States was neither short nor easy, but Diallo has never backed down from a challenge.
Growing up Fulani in Mauritania, Diallo faced systemic discrimination. The Fulani, one of West Africa’s largest nomadic groups, often find themselves at the bottom of Mauritania’s rigid social hierarchy. As a young man, his dreams of higher education were cut short when the 1989 war between Senegal and Mauritania forced him into exile. He fled to Gabon, where he began working with a French company, gaining valuable experience as a civil engineering technician. In 2013, he returned to Mauritania, bringing years of expertise with him.
Back home, he worked for the Bureau of Control, an enterprise overseeing structural projects, before transitioning to the nonprofit sector. With organizations like Karitas and Grek, he dedicated himself to training young people through the SAFIRE program—an initiative to enhance food security, vocational training, and economic resilience for marginalized Mauritanians. Yet, despite his contributions, he remained vulnerable in a country where ethnic minorities were often targeted. By 2023, it became clear that he had to leave if he wanted a different future.
Demystifying Public Comment: Your Step-by-Step Guide for Philly Meetings
“I give public comment because I am an advocate. I think it’s a citizen’s responsibility,” states Judith Robinson, a lifelong Philadelphian and a long term real estate professional. Robinson is a seasoned speaker, and a member of the Philadelphia Documenters — an organization which recruits, trains and pays Philadelphians to attend and take notes at public meetings across the city. Documenters’ philosophy is that public meetings are workshops of democracy. For many, public comment offers a direct voice from constituents to those in power, providing crucial input in the decisions that affect one’s daily life.?
Yet, the process of giving public comment can be confusing and disorienting. Meeting rules vary. Some take all comments at the end, some before voting on each item. Some require signing up in advance, others allow anyone present to come forward at the last minute. And you may or may not get a response to your comment. It can be difficult to navigate, and especially frustrating to prepare a comment and to feel like you haven’t been heard.
To make this process easier for anyone trying to give public comment for the first time, I met with spokespeople at some of the biggest public administrations in Philadelphia to write this guide. By summarizing some of the processes and guidelines on being heard in public meetings, combined with the insight of seasoned public commenters, this guide will prepare you to tackle any Philly public meeting.