05/16/2026
SLPA headed to the South for our 7th Regional Event — where everything is bigger in Texas! 🤠
Hosted at the Embassy Suites in Dallas, Texas, we welcomed members and supporters from across DFW, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Oklahoma, and Louisiana for one of our largest and most impactful regional gatherings yet.
With over 140 attendees and some members driving as far as 7 hours to attend, this quickly became one of our most memorable regional events to date. Many attendees shared that this was the first event of this scale and caliber for the Somaliland community in the region and encouraged SLPA to continue expanding its presence across the South.
The gathering brought together professionals, students, entrepreneurs, organizers, and community leaders from a wide range of industries and backgrounds. Throughout the day, attendees were able to network, reconnect with old friends, build new relationships, and engage in meaningful discussions centered around professional growth, mentorship, community building, and the future of Somaliland.
Our first keynote speaker was Mohamoud Egal, Founder of Amoud Foundation, who spoke about the importance of unity and education in transforming our communities and future generations. He reflected on the power of investing in young people, building institutions that last, and creating opportunities that empower future generations to succeed.
He also commended the work SLPA continues to do across North America and expressed excitement to continue the strong 7-year partnership between SLPA and Amoud Foundation. His remarks served as a reminder of how impactful long-term partnerships and consistent community work can be when organizations share a common mission and vision.
Following the keynote session, attendees participated in roundtable discussions focused on strengthening engagement across the region, expanding mentorship opportunities, and identifying ways professionals can use their skills and expertise to contribute toward the continued development of Somaliland.
Discussions also explored how Somaliland can better leverage opportunities within the oil & gas industry and the expertise of diaspora professionals to support future resource exploration efforts. Attendees shared thoughts on how professionals in engineering, finance, policy, technology, and infrastructure can all play a role in helping Somaliland responsibly develop its natural resources and broader economy.
One of the highlights of the event was hearing from our second keynote speaker, our very own petroleum engineer Abdisamad Arten, PE.
Abdisamad shared his personal and professional journey from Hargeysa to studying petroleum engineering and later earning a master’s degree in energy economics from Rice University. His story resonated deeply with many attendees, especially younger students and aspiring professionals who were inspired by his path and achievements.
During his presentation, he provided a deep dive into Somaliland’s oil & gas exploration journey from the 1960s through today — discussing the opportunities, challenges, historical context, and recommendations for the future of the sector.
He drew important parallels between Somaliland and several resource-rich countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting lessons Somaliland can learn to avoid many of the governance and economic challenges experienced elsewhere on the continent. His presentation sparked thoughtful conversations around sustainability, governance, economic planning, and ensuring that future development benefits the people and institutions of Somaliland for generations to come.
We also held a panel discussion featuring local chapter leaders and professionals across AI & Engineering, Technology, and Medicine who shared valuable career insights and perspectives from their respective industries.
Panelists discussed navigating their professional journeys, overcoming challenges, finding mentors, and creating opportunities for the next generation of Somalilanders entering competitive industries. The conversation encouraged attendees to continue striving for excellence while remaining connected to their communities and committed to giving back.
Midway through the event, attendees enjoyed an amazing catered lunch thanks to fellow Dallas Somalilander Ubah, owner of Cafe Madina. We encourage everyone in the DFW area to support her restaurant, one of the only Somaliland-owned restaurants in the region.
The lunch break also gave attendees additional time to network and continue conversations sparked throughout the day. One of the most meaningful aspects of SLPA regional events continues to be the ability to connect people across cities, professions, and generations in ways that are both impactful and long lasting.
Toward the end of the event, we presented Certificates of Appreciation to the Dallas Somaliland Community and Mohamoud Egal for their unwavering support and contributions to SLPA.
Their continued support, encouragement, and partnership have played an important role in helping SLPA continue to grow and expand its impact across different regions.
After the formal program concluded, attendees continued networking at Nehemiah Coffee House in Dallas, where conversations, board games, and drinks carried the connections well into the evening.
The networking session gave attendees a more casual environment to continue building relationships, exchange ideas, discuss future collaboration opportunities, and strengthen bonds across the community.
A huge thank you to our Dallas chapter organizers and volunteers across the region for helping make this one of our best regional events yet. Events like these are only possible because of the countless hours of planning, coordination, outreach, and volunteer support that happen behind the scenes.
We are deeply grateful to every attendee, speaker, organizer, volunteer, and supporter who helped make this event such a success.
As SLPA continues to grow nationally, gatherings like this continue to show the importance of creating intentional spaces for mentorship, networking, leadership development, professional collaboration, and community engagement.
From conversations about education and mentorship to discussions on engineering, medicine, AI, technology, and energy, this event showcased the incredible talent, ambition, and potential that exists throughout our community.
Most importantly, it reminded us that when communities come together intentionally, powerful things can happen.
Stay tuned for the recap report, full video recap, and reflections from members who attended.
Where to next? ✈️
