MARGO, YE, ALEXANDRA & ASHANTE
IMMIGRANTS
Assimilation (from the perspective of immigrants) & Xenophobia (from the perspective of native-born Americans)
Alexandra: “We are part of the community of immigrants. Although, we have not been immigrants at some point in our lives, we have all felt like one. It does not always matter whether or not you have the passport, you can still feel like a total outsider. The feeling can derive from not having a clear understanding of the culture of the country, having a different accent or even not owning the same style as most. We are researching this topic further as it is also something very relevant in today’s society. This country, appears to be rejecting immigrants more and more, it is related to issues such as the illegal alien subject and the refugee crisis. We are being discriminated, almost every day for being from elsewhere. Our current President is a supporter of xenophobia, which is why we are addressing this problem in particular. We feel that this was very important to talk about this, especially as they/we are the minority”.
SOLUTIONS
MARKETS –
In London, there are various markets around the city. This derived from the covent Garden Market which was founded in 1656. There is a lot of immigration in London but also a lot of unity, this is due to the markets. In a typical London street market, you can find trinkets, jewelry but mostly food. The food is extremely diverse, you can find french food, just as well as Jamaican food. Although markets include various small stands, there are still right next to each other in a large area, creating a community market with so many different cultures at once. This could be even done during a specific day in the year such as unification day.
IMMIGRANT GATHERING – Unification Day in resistance of Xenophobia
Immigrant gatherings would be an opportunity for ethnic and non-ethnic groups to assemble in unity, to celebrate each other’s unique differences. This gathering would take form as a national event. It’s important for this form of unification to be advertised, especially during these times of separation that scars our community. This event would take form like the fourth of July is celebrated instead both parties are combined.
Integrating these solutions:
- Newspapers
- Food booths
- Cultural garments worn
- Flags displayed
- Everywhere
- Flash Mob and Parade
PERSONAL ANECDOTES:
Ashante: Although I was born in America after living in Canada for 10 years, I am a complete foreign to a country I am a native to. After being scrutinized by an acquaintance who is born and raised in America, I felt like an outsider as she intentionally judged me for my lack of knowledge of black history. She questioned me like I was supposed to know everything about all the black activists we know of every single aspect and detail at the top of my head. History in Canada is very different from the history that is taught here in America, I felt as if I missed a whole part of myself in the black community. As I was speaking to her, it’s as if I wasn’t valid. When it comes to justice and black lives matter movements it was a fight that I would only witness through my tv screen and social media, now living in this country, I have participated in a protest a recent one for Botham Jean, that I would have never imagined participating in, this is an environment I am currently adapting to, the most significant aspect of it is through the African American community I have not been able to connect with.
Margo: I am an American citizen, and I have always identified myself as a American until I moved to New York city. yet here, i am reminded almost every day that I did not grow up here. But how does that make me less of an American? I have had the passports for 18 years. Growing up in England and then Switzerland, the discussion about social injustice did not often rise in class. In England, there was a lot of diversity yet your color, nor ethnicity mattered as much compared to what you wore. Trends were very important and you were considered an outcast if you did not follow them. The way you spoke and what you wore mattered, there were few instances when race was taken into account. Here, i try to learn everyday about different perspectives.
Alexandra: I was born in Miami, Fl, but moved to Venezuela when i was just months old, so I’ve never felt like I’m from here nor belong to this community. Living here I sometimes feel like an outsider to the whole culture, so most of the times I become self conscious about speaking or saying my opinions in fear to say something ignorant or offensive towards someone else.
Ye: I was born and raised in Fujian, China, and moved to North Carolina when I was nine. I was very fortunate to have met a teacher who had a little insight into Chinese culture and tried her best to communicate with me when I first came here. I didn’t face much conflicts in terms of discrimination, however, I never saw myself as American even though I received citizenship at 16. I suppose this is because I was never involved in mainstream American culture and just observed it from afar. The trends among teenagers seemed ridiculous to me. While a typical American childhood consist of sleepovers, binge-watching movies, going to school events and partying at a friend’s house until 4am, I had never truly experienced that, but that’s mostly due to my unwillingness to participate, not because I was excluded. The thing that I feel most foreign to is the mainstream American culture, I am very unfamiliar with it and never took up any American social habits either. To conclude, although I live here and having an American passport, I don’t consider myself American at all, but rather as a Chinese temporarily residing here.
