The Somali Community Association of Ohio website provides many useful information about the Somali community and their background. It’s essential for individuals and governments to learn the history of the different groups in society to gain more knowledge and understanding of those groups and find ways to assimilate them into the wider society. Before 1991, Somalia was one of the most powerful countries in Africa militarily and economically but when the central government was overthrown the country slipped into chaos. The civil war the followed the collapse of the central government forced millions of Somalis to flee their country and seek refuge in neighboring countries like Ethiopia and Kenya to find safe shelter for their for their families and children.
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Because of the past history between Somali and its neighbors, many of them denied entry for Somali refugees into their countries but the UN was able to convince them to create refugee camps with help from the international community. As a result of the UN efforts, they created many camps including Dadaab which is considered the largest refugee camp in the world to help the people who are fleeing the conflict in Somalia. Due to the escalating violence in Somalia and the dire situation in the camps, handful of countries around the world decided to resettle the refugee in their countries and the United States was one them. The article state that “Most of the Somali refugees arrived in America in 1991”. Ohio and Minnesota is where most of the Somali refugees that arrived in America settled down and started their news life because they would be close to people who speak the same language as them and would help them if need be. It’s always difficult for refugees to start a new life in country they have little or no knowledge of the culture, history and language. Many Americans didn’t want their government to bring in refugees and as result the refugees suffered discrimination from many sectors of society including the government, which pledged to help and assimilate the refugees into the wider society forced those same people to be alienated for society. After the horrific 9/11 attacks, the Somali community again found itself dealing with new wave of discrimination from the communities they lived with due to the fact they follow the Islamic faith. All of these discriminations forced the Somalia community not integrate fully into the communities they live with instead they stay with their own and not assimilate. In the documentary, “The Letter: An American Town and the Somali Invasion.” By Hamza, Ziad explains why the Somali community feels that they are been discriminated against and failed to adjust to their new lives faster. Many of them felt that they were unwelcome in America and therefore they decided to avoid engaging with other members of society as mechanism to avoid any conflict and discrimination from other communities in society. The central story of this documentary revolves around a small town in Maine where a number of Somali refugee families were brought from the refugee camps they lived in to start a new life and find a better education for their children in this town. The residents …show more content…
The article also explores the latest Census Bureau growth projection of the Somali community in the United States and especially in Minnesota. This estimates are based on surveys that the bureau took from 2009-2010 and new updates suggest that the population of the Somali community in Minnesota is around 36,000 (William). The Somali community thinks that they are more than the estimates form the Census Bureau. The Somalis have been the largest group to immigrate to Minnesota as part a wider arrival of people from east Africa. This community is estimated to grow in the coming years as a result of the young people marrying and having children of their own. The article also notes that like many immigrants, the Somalis in the United States “are younger than the general population with a median age of about 25 years.’’ The author also informs the reader that more than half of the Somali population in Minnesota is below the age of 24 in a state where the average age is around
Because of the past history between Somali and its neighbors, many of them denied entry for Somali refugees into their countries but the UN was able to convince them to create refugee camps with help from the international community. As a result of the UN efforts, they created many camps including Dadaab which is considered the largest refugee camp in the world to help the people who are fleeing the conflict in Somalia. Due to the escalating violence in Somalia and the dire situation in the camps, handful of countries around the world decided to resettle the refugee in their countries and the United States was one them. The article state that “Most of the Somali refugees arrived in America in 1991”. Ohio and Minnesota is where most of the Somali refugees that arrived in America settled down and started their news life because they would be close to people who speak the same language as them and would help them if need be. It’s always difficult for refugees to start a new life in country they have little or no knowledge of the culture, history and language. Many Americans didn’t want their government to bring in refugees and as result the refugees suffered discrimination from many sectors of society including the government, which pledged to help and assimilate the refugees into the wider society forced those same people to be alienated for society. After the horrific 9/11 attacks, the Somali community again found itself dealing with new wave of discrimination from the communities they lived with due to the fact they follow the Islamic faith. All of these discriminations forced the Somalia community not integrate fully into the communities they live with instead they stay with their own and not assimilate. In the documentary, “The Letter: An American Town and the Somali Invasion.” By Hamza, Ziad explains why the Somali community feels that they are been discriminated against and failed to adjust to their new lives faster. Many of them felt that they were unwelcome in America and therefore they decided to avoid engaging with other members of society as mechanism to avoid any conflict and discrimination from other communities in society. The central story of this documentary revolves around a small town in Maine where a number of Somali refugee families were brought from the refugee camps they lived in to start a new life and find a better education for their children in this town. The residents …show more content…
The article also explores the latest Census Bureau growth projection of the Somali community in the United States and especially in Minnesota. This estimates are based on surveys that the bureau took from 2009-2010 and new updates suggest that the population of the Somali community in Minnesota is around 36,000 (William). The Somali community thinks that they are more than the estimates form the Census Bureau. The Somalis have been the largest group to immigrate to Minnesota as part a wider arrival of people from east Africa. This community is estimated to grow in the coming years as a result of the young people marrying and having children of their own. The article also notes that like many immigrants, the Somalis in the United States “are younger than the general population with a median age of about 25 years.’’ The author also informs the reader that more than half of the Somali population in Minnesota is below the age of 24 in a state where the average age is around