December 6, 2016
A Day in the Lives of Refugee and Other Immigrant Families Settling into New Cultures. Where Does Extension Fit into the Picture?
Why do people emigrate? That is, what makes a family leave its own country and venture into an unknown land, in many cases, across oceans? People have been coming to these lands for centuries. It has been said that these United States in a country of immigrants. When European colonialist began settling these lands (by process of displacing indigenous populations), fleeing religious persecution, that began a steady stream of emigration that continues today. In most cases, this movement is considered, “Forced Migration,” which is displacement because of religious or political persecution, armed conflict, generalized violence, human rights violations, natural or environmental disaster, famine, ineffectual government, or lack of financial opportunities (Baker, 2014; Goetz, & Rupasingha, 2007). Often times the process of migrating is dangerous and may take 10 or more years with many stops along the way (Salgado de Snyder, 2007). Humans have always migrated, and likely, that will never stop because of constant changes in governments and other political policies, food supplies, societal mainstream notions, and religious views.
For the past 25 years, immigrants of all levels of status, have been part of my daily life living in Garden City, Kansas, both professionally and personally. I’ve worked with Southeast Asian and African refugees, from 12 African and six Asian countries. I’ve worked with immigrants from all of the Americas (Meso, Central, South and North (I call them economic refugees), and with immigrants who come with professional careers from India, Mexico, Peru, Philippines, China, four African countries, Brazil, the Caribbean, Canada, and different parts of Europe. It is an enriching experience to learn from those who come from other backgrounds. It expands my world to learn about their cultural customs, their foods, their faith practices, and their goals in life.
All the immigrants who have come to the United States and, specifically those in Kansas in the past 30-plus years, have one thing in common. I say “all” because I’ve asked what I think is a representative sample in my work of the past 24 years. The immigrants have come to the United States to seek better ways of lives. Period. They want lives without conflict and strife. Lives filled with hopes for their children’s futures. It is not different from the reasons early settlers came to these lands. While their stories of how they arrived on the shores or across the borders into this country vary, there are common denominators in the challenges of which they face. The greatest challenge, possibly, is that of acculturation (I am not now speaking of the early settlers here). That is, fitting into these new lands, learning the folkways and mores of the people, and understanding how their own cultures either blend or clash with the “mainstream.” The families, of which I speak, do all this while trying to earn a livelihood for their families’ survival and hoping to thrive in their communities. There are many struggles and challenges of acculturating to new lives in new cultures. Granted, the Canadians and Europeans with whom I’ve studied or interviewed don’t have as many challenges because of a common language and similar ancestry as the U.S. mainstream. However, the most obviously “different” immigrants do have challenges. For example, here are some of the questions and comments that I hear along the way. Some, you may notice, are topics on which we take for granted:
• How and where do our children go to school?
• What are the rules for school?
• Is there a place for me to learn English?
• My older children are still in Africa. How do I begin the process of bringing them to the United State?
• How do I use this washing machine, and what do I put into it?
• How do I use this stove?
• Where do we get an identification and address immigration status?
• What are rules for driving a car?
• Where do we get the foods of our traditions?
• What are the rules for schools regarding age of entry, immunizations, school readiness?
• Where do we find a child care provider for our children?
• Where do we find a doctor?
• Is there public transportation?
• Are we safe to walk to where we need to go?
• “We are starting all over, and I need items for my home, again, and I don’t know anybody, so I have to make new friends, too.”
The United States is heading toward a demographic where there will be no one majority of population. Should the United States continue in its growing ethnic and cultural diversity trajectory, it will become a minority-majority country by 2043 (Hernandez & Wright, 2014).
If we are extending educational topics such as, essential living skills, community development, health and well-being, nutrition, etc., wouldn’t it make sense that our communities’ families at greatest risk be beneficiaries of these important educational opportunities? How do we make headway in reaching those who are hardest-to-reach? Is there an interest in reaching the aforementioned populations? In terms of the state and county partnerships, would there be conflict if Extension would reach out to these burgeoning family groups? Do we have the capacity to reach such populations? Kansas Extension Family and Consumer Sciences has a reputation of reaching new audiences with nutrition programming (Snap-Ed and EFNEP). We are seeing greater need beyond nutrition and physical health education. Families, from our recent multi-lingual study, want to learn more about general education development around career readiness, community leadership, healthy communities and walkability, youth development, educational partnerships, and community integration.
There are ways to reach out to emerging audiences without being multi-lingual. Look to our cultural bridges. We find cultural bridges in our churches, in shopping areas, at recreational sites, at community health coalitions, and at school activities. With keen observation, those leaders are easily identified. With practice, it becomes easier and easier to start those conversations. I have made many mistakes, but I find it worth it to learn from others and take the opportunity to share the Extension story.