The Oromo Community of Minnesota's Mission and Vision

​Humble and People Based Beginnings

The OCM started out as an informal mutual assistance association. It was formally constituted as a community organization in 1985 and became a 501 c-3 non-profit organization in 2000. It was created to assist the growing number of Oromo immigrants successfully settle in Minnesota and in the Twin Cities in particular. Today, with strong forty thousand (40,000) members. We are the second largest East African Immigrants in the State of Minnesota. We are also the second Oromo population outside of Oromia and we headquarter over 37 Oromo Communities in the USA.

The OCM’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for all. Our vision seeing all people getting equal access to all social services and living a harmony. Currently, the Oromo in Minnesota and others in our community are counting on us. Key organizational goals include: expanding access to health, health education; employment counseling, youth enrichment, self-sufficiency, improving seniors’ social engagement, promoting academic excellence, and creating a vibrant and cohesive community.

Solidly Rooted

One of the distinct competencies of OCM is that it is solidly rooted within the Oromo community and active engagement with other communities and positive reputation. It was with this strong grassroots support that in 2008 OCM purchased its own community center in St. Paul by mobilizing the community’s own resources. Following several fundraising events, the OCM was able to end the mortgage on its building on August 31, 2013—making it the first African immigrant community to fully own a community building in the state of Minnesota. We must continue our growth and give our community bigger capacity and ability.