On Being Black, Muslim, and a Refugee: Stories of Somalis in Chicago

Abstract

Somali refugees are considered one of the largest African refugee populations in the United States and the fourth largest refugee population globally. Yet, there is limited scholarship on their overall migration paths and the ways in which their intersectional identities may impact their resettlement and integration in the United States. Study findings are from a qualitative study on the migration and integration experiences of 15 Somali Americans in Chicago. Findings illustrate the complexities associated with the Somali refugee narrative and how this population is often positioned at the intersections of anti-Black, anti-Muslim, and anti-refugee racism and discrimination in the United States.

Keywords:

• Somali refugees
• intersectionality
• stage of migration
• racism
• identity
• belonging

Acknowledgment

The author would like to thank faculty mentor at New York University Dr. Deborah Padgett for her feedback and support in writing this manuscript. The author would also like to thank the manuscript reviewers for their suggestions and feedback. Many thanks to every participant in this study who shared their stories and experiences of migration, resettlement, and integration.