Do You Think I Was Horn Yesterday? Kingdom of Ethiopia, 1529-1543
Do You Think I Was Horn Yesterday? Kingdom of Ethiopia, 1529-1543
A Traditional Crisis Committee
About The 1529-1543 Kingdom of Ethiopia
Chair
Alfredo Briceno
Alfredo Briceno (He/Him) is a rising third-year from Miami, Florida. Alfredo is majoring in Finance with minors in Business Analytics and Entrepreneurship. This past year, he served as the Director-General for the University of Miami’s high school MUN conference, MICSUN XII. At 305MUN II, Alfredo served as the crisis director for “The Marineford War: Whitebeard Pirates vs Marine Headquarters” and chaired the “Jamaican Parliament: Chaos, Crime, and Corruption” Committee at MICSUN XI. He has also competed several times with the travel team!
Outside of MUN, Alfredo works as a financial advisor and peer ambassador at UM’s Money Management Program. He also represents the Miami Herbert Business School as a senator in the Student Government. He is an Equity Research Analyst for Century Fund and the Treasurer of the Miami Undergraduate Consulting Club. Among his other responsibilities on campus, Alfredo is also a brand ambassador and True Inspiration Scholar for Chick-fil-A. Alfredo enjoys cooking, playing tennis with Luca La Monaca, listening to a wide variety of music genres, sim racing, and watching lots of soccer and Formula 1 on the weekends (Hala Madrid and Forza Ferrari)!
Alfredo is excited to chair “Do You Think I Was Horn Yesterday? Kingdom of Ethiopia”. If there are any questions, please feel free to reach out to him at axb3015@miami.edu
Crisis Director
Everett Little
Everett Little (He/Him) is a rising second-year from Washington D.C studying both Political Science and International Relations at the University of Miami. After being Secretary General of his high school Model United Nations club, he joined the Miami MUN team during his freshman year. He chaired the “The Marineford War: Whitebeard Pirates vs Marine Headquarters, 1520” crisis committee at 305MUN II and directed the “Scarface: Rise of Al Capone” crisis committee at MICSUN XII. Alongside this, he has traveled and competed with the UMMUN team!
Outside of Model United Nations, Everett participates in Greek life as a founding member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. He spent the first year out of high school abroad on a gap year, working with community service organizations such as FUNDEMAR DR and Verde Profundo, as well as attending the Education First language school in Malaga, Spain. Additionally, Everett interned at the House Democracy Partnership in Washington D.C and the American Chamber of Commerce in Stockholm, Sweden. Outside of university and work responsibilities, Everett is a licensed bartender, plays basketball, watches tons of movies, and listens to a wide variety of music artists ranging from Billy Joel to the Wu-Tang Clan.
As the Crisis Director for “Do You Think I Was Horn Yesterday? Kingdom of Ethiopia, 1529-1543,” Everett is extremely excited to dive into the crisis with the delegates. For any further questions on his committee, feel free to reach out to him at ejl182@miami.edu
Assistant Crisis Director
Evan Flynn
Evan Flynn (She/Her) is a rising second-year from Maine, currently studying Law & Politics, Political Science & Business Law on the Pre-Law track. Evan recently joined the Miami Model UN delegation in January of 2025, however, she has had plenty of Model UN experience since her induction. She has chaired at MICSUN XII on the “Cosmic Crossroads: Disarmament and International Security Committee, 2025”. Along with this, she is a beloved member of the UMMUN Travel Team.
Outside of Model UN, Evan is actively involved in organizations on campus; One to note is her work with the UM Hanley Democracy Center. There, she recently worked on and presented a policy proposal to Florida state Legislators on solving the housing crisis in Miami-Dade County. You can find Evan in the library, at the University Center pool, or at one of the hammocks on campus. She finds joy in reading by the pool or at Peet’s coffee shop on campus. Off-campus, Evan loves to go and explore Brickell with friends for dinner, or go on a nice boat ride on a Sunday. Her favorite restaurant in Miami at the moment is Casaneos.
Being the Assistant Chair Director of “Do You Think I Was Horn Yesterday? Kingdom of Ethiopia, 1529-1543”, she is so very excited to meet all participants. Should you have any questions, reach out to her at ejf163@miami.edu
The Kingdom of Ethiopia stood for centuries as one of the powerhouse empires in the Horn of Africa. Established in 1270 by Yekuno Amlak, who claimed to be a descendant of the Aksumite empire, a succession of crusades throughout the 14th and 15th centuries allowed the empire to enter a golden age under the rule of Zara Yaqob. Yaqob centralized the government of the empire, oversaw the construction of numerous churches, and encouraged plenty of literature and art. The kingdom was a bastion of Christianity in a region of the world predominantly dominated by Islamic caliphates.
However, in the early 16th century, the neighboring Adal Caliphate repeatedly threatened invasion backed by the Ottoman Empire, finally succeeding in 1529. In a moment of desperation, the kingdom appealed to the Christian kingdoms in Western Europe for support. The Portuguese empire answered, marking the beginning of a proxy war between Portugal and the Ottoman Empire. This conflict marked the first use of gunpowder weapons on African soil and the devastation of Ethiopia's territory.
As delegates dive into the world of 16th century East Africa, Ethiopia faces a crossroads. On the one hand, the kingdom does not want to fall to the Islamic caliphate that threatens them, as that could mean the possible downfall of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and its copy of the Bible. This copy is one of the oldest in the world and the church it spawned is one of the most unique and culturally rich branches in all of Christendom. On the other hand, Ethiopia does not wish to give into the imperial influence of European powers, as the consequence of heavy reliance could lead to eventual colonization. The preservation of a historically significant religion and empire is at stake, and this committee's actions will decide Ethiopia's future. Delegates must navigate the complex geopolitical landscape where faith, power, and cultural identity intersect, determining whether Ethiopia will maintain its sovereignty or become yet another pawn in the struggle between expanding empires.