France 24 is not responsible for the content of external websites. Tim Walz said Friday, in response to a recent … MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Minnesota state government will continue to consent to refugee resettlement, Gov. In the last few years, the Trump administration has reduced the U.S. intake of refugees to historic lows. I felt anything was possible in this country where I could achieve much more than my biggest dreams. The total number of refugees arriving in Minnesota has dropped significantly in recent years as the U.S. accepts fewer people with refugee status. There is "something connects us," she said. Others were honored for their entrepreneurial spirit, providing bilingual and bicultural mental health services to adolescents and adults. All share a desire for what most of us want: Good health, satisfying work, safe neighborhoods, happy families, welcoming communities and opportunities to pursue our dreams. The state of Minnesota, where Minneapolis is located, has the highest percentage of refugees per inhabitant in the whole country, with two percent of the US population but 13 percent … Tim Walz said Friday, in response to a recent … Leaving her family and her country was hard, as was the journey to get to the United States, but she was determined to pursue her own American dream of peace, equality and democracy. But at the same time, a … Recently at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, we recognized 10 individuals with the Outstanding Refugee Award. They are willing to take risks to succeed. Minnesota's Refugee and International Health Program (RIHP) partners with local health departments, private health care providers, and community organizations to offer each new refugee arrival a comprehensive screening examination, appropriate follow-up or referral, and community-based health education. ", Daily newsletterReceive essential international news every morning, Take international news everywhere with you! She feels a close affinity to African Americans, many of them descended from slaves and who have been Americans for generations. They appreciate the supports they received upon arrival and give back to make Minnesota better for all of us. Audience ratings certified by ACPM/OJD. That has meant that for many refugees, an important facet of the American dream -- social mobility -- has broken down over time. Primary refugees are refugees who are initially resettled in Minnesota. Minnesota Department of Human Services Assistant Commissioner for Community Supports Gertrude Matemba-Mutasa is responsible for ensuring equitable access to services that support healthy outcomes for people to choose how to live, work and enjoy life in their communities. "We are all dehumanized, regardless of our cultural differences. There are 43,000 Somalis living in Minnesota. I have to protest.". That’s where the Minnesota Department of Human Services comes in. Who are the refugees? This is what I have learned about our neighbors who have come to this country to start their lives anew: But before they do this, they need a little help. That's not how we were welcomed," she told AFP. In 2018, over forty different ethnic groups make up the state’s Asian American and Asian immigrant and refugee communities. Since 2005, about 33,000 refugees have relocated to Minnesota. I came on a full scholarship to Bennett College in North Carolina to earn undergraduate degrees in accounting and business management, and then to the University of North Carolina to earn a master’s degree in business. While I know my experience is different from that of people with refugee status who have fled to Minnesota for safety, I hope they, too, felt supported upon their arrival. Minnesota is home to a Somali refugee population of more than 50,000 - and Omar herself, now a US citizen, came to Minnesota as a refugee. Then she spoke to a Liberian hospital worker, a Karen parent from school, a Jewish singer from Ukraine—and created “a collective refugee memoir.” Kao Kalia Yang at home in St. Paul, Minnesota. Since I arrived in America in 1992, I’ve frequently asked myself, “How did that little girl from Zimbabwe get here?” I have thrived because I was welcomed, supported and given the opportunity to reach my potential. After a century of aiding refugees from around the world, new laws are hurting agencies' funding. We have to be here for them.". The content you requested does not exist or is not available anymore. If you’re interested in joining the discussion, add your voice to the Comment section below — or consider writing a letter or a longer-form Community Voices commentary. © 2021 Copyright France 24 - All rights reserved. In 2016, 12 percent of the population of Minnesota was living under the poverty line, but that number rose to 31 percent among the Ethiopian community and 55 percent among Somalis. Minnesota accepted 4,523 refugees in the two-year period ending Sept. 30, 2015, according to the federal Office of Refugee Settlement. An immigrant is someone who chooses to le… While I know my experience is different from that of people with refugee status who have fled to Minnesota for safety, I hope they, too, felt supported upon their arrival. Refugees include refugees, asylees, entrants/parolees, victim of trafficking and Amerasians. Refugees are the most screened migrants to enter the United States. Over the years I have found what often divides us is our misunderstanding or lack of information about each other. They launch businesses. From day one, I felt welcomed here. Starting over in a new community is an immense challenge, especially if you’ve experienced trauma — from learning a new language to entering a new culture to processing the crisis from which one has fled. Refugee and International Health. A 2018 poll from The Star Tribune of Minneapolis reported that almost 50 percent of Minnesota Republicans wanted the state to temporarily stop … "We thought that everyone would be equal, that we would not be judged by religion, by color, by our dresses. President Donald Trump retweeted a post on Monday about “radicalized” Somalis in Minnesota, continuing a history of denigrating refugees and spreading Islamophobia. Their journeys and experiences differ in how and why they chose Minnesota to be their home. In Minnesota, 25 Syrian refugees made homes in the past year, landing mostly in Rochester and Minneapolis. "My permanent home is the US and my permanent color is black. MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota state government will continue to consent to refugee resettlement, Gov. Claim: A meme claims President "Obama resettled 70,000 SOMALIAN REFUGEES in MINNESOTA" to help elect Rep. Ilhan Omar. Community Voices features opinion pieces from a wide variety of authors and perspectives. Among them are a large number of people from the Horn of Africa -- Ethiopians and Somalis -- whose presence in the marches was noticeable because of the colorful robes worn by the women. Refugees from Somalia make up the highest number of arrivals in Minnesota, with over 13,000 refugees in the last 15 years, according to the Minnesota Department of Human Services. According to Minnesota Compass, a website that tracks the state's demographics, families from Africa are particularly hard hit. Art and posters at a memorial for George Floyd that has been created at the place where he was taken into police custody and later died in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, June 1, 2020. (Submission Guidelines). Minnesota refugee resettlement has been a huge part of the community in the state. Gertrude Matemba-MutasaFrom day one, I felt welcomed here. Minnesota's Somali community has a source of pride, though, in Ilhan Omar, a 37-year-old born in Mogadishu who was elected to Congress in 2018. Trump responded to the tweet by claiming he is “helping Minnesota greatly” and blaming his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden , and former President Barack Obama for a “Minnesota disaster.” The state also took in almost 1,100 Somalis, 166 Ethiopians and 66 Congolese — a … But she too has been the target of racial abuse, death threats and slander. They help us stay globally aware. The history of Asian immigration to Minnesota dates back to the mid-1870s, when the first Chinese immigrants sought to escape the hostility and racial violence of the West Coast. Over 3 million people have fled the country of Syria and 6.5 million have been internally displaced in the most urgent humanitarian crisis of our time. The Minnesota author's new book, "Somewhere in the Unknown World," began when she collected her uncle’s story about fleeing Laos. Now, she realises, "it's all a lie. Minnesotans for Syrian Refugees is a community initiative that was created in 2015 in response to the growing anti-refugee sentiment and Islamophobic rhetoric in the United States. For him and many others, the major concern is for their children. They enrich our communities with new food, music, cultures and ways of thinking that propel us forward. France 24 - International breaking news, top stories and headlines. They work hard to earn a living for themselves and their families while helping to meet Minnesota’s needs for workers. "I end up having two boys, 10 and six, who are afraid because we are not white," she said, full of rage. Now their dream is in tatters and they have joined their African American "brothers" in the streets to protest racism in their adopted homeland. Now we have to face that reality.". Minnesota has one of the largest populations of resettled refugees in the country. THE FACTS: The data shows a total of about 54,000 Somali refugees came to the U.S. while Obama was president from Jan. 2009 to Jan. 2017. As refugees become more established, we also support their contributions and successes. I felt supported. In the past three decades, Minnesota has welcomed and offered safety to more than 100,000 refugees from 100 countries. Minnesota state government will continue to consent to refugee resettlement, Gov. Deka Jama, a 24-year-old woman who came to the United States from Somalia in 2007, showed up with friends, all of them veiled, to protest the discrimination that met them in their new homeland. In the past three decades, Minnesota has welcomed and offered safety to more than 100,000 refugees from 100 countries. My country was at war," said Tiha Jibi, who arrived from South Sudan at age 15. For those who have had the privilege to live here your entire lives, I encourage you to reach out in kindness to refugees and other immigrants in our communities. I felt supported. They come with ideas and an understanding of new markets. In total, Minnesota has received refugees from over 100 countries since 1979. Primary Refugee Arrival Data Primary Refugee Arrivals to Minnesota by Initial County of Resettlement and Country of Origin, 2018 (PDF) Updated 11/2019 Ilhan Omar took home 78 per cent of the vote in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, becoming the first Somali-American, first refugee and first … She has not held back from telling people that, beyond acts of police violence, Americans have to address the core issue of inequality in the country. Refugees from Afghanistan, Belarus, Bhutan, Burundi, China, Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran, … “Our goals for refugees and immigrants are the same goals the state has for every person in Minnesota—that they’re able to thrive and contribute to their communities,” says King. Of those, only 6,320 settled in Minnesota. Minnesota resettled 775 refugees in 2019, according to the state Department of Human Services. But a growing number of refugees from … You have to support this movement, she said, "to stop racism, for the future. For those who have had the privilege to live here your entire lives, I encourage you to reach out in kindness to refugees and other immigrants in our communities. Somali … When individuals arrive from all over the world to take refuge in our state, our Resettlement Programs Office provides the kind of. "This could happen to our children," she said, encouraging protesters marching below on a highway. "I am very disappointed, very disappointed," Ahmed, a 42-year-old who arrived from Ethiopia a decade ago, said as he took in the blackened ruins of a burned building. 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But before they do this, they need a little help. Our reporters are only able to do their work thanks to support at all levels. Trump also touted his administration's willingness to deport a number of Somali refugees - a move that drew criticism from Omar and immigration lawyers. All share a desire for what most of us want: Good health, satisfying work, safe neighborhoods, happy families, welcoming communities and opportunities to pursue our dreams. One Ethiopian woman, who asked not to be named, said she has four sons and worries that, when they grow up, they too could be subjected to the type of police brutality that took the life of George Floyd. The United States resettled its 10,000th Syrian refugee last week. "So many people know a social and economic neglect," Omar said on Sunday. Minnesota refugee aid center's future in flux at 100. More than 480,000 immigrant residents in Minnesota make up 8.6 percent of the state’s population. The most recent refugee groups to arrive in Minnesota include Karen and other refugees from Burma, Nepali-speaking refugees from Bhutan and Iraqis. They contribute. (For more information about Community Voices, see our Submission Guidelines.). read more about their inspiring stories on our website. , but essential, help they need to get established – help understanding new systems, getting their first job in America, learning English, supporting their children’s success in school and applying for citizenship. When individuals arrive from all over the world to take refuge in our state, our Resettlement Programs Office provides the kind of temporary, but essential, help they need to get established – help understanding new systems, getting their first job in America, learning English, supporting their children’s success in school and applying for citizenship. Minnesota received only 6,320 Somali refugees under the Obama administration, according to data from the U.S. Department of State’s Refugee Processing Center. MinnPost | P.O. During Wednesday's rally, … Still others were recognized for their leadership as youth, helping newly immigrated families with enrolling children in school, finding housing and translating important information, and for their resilience and courage, helping other refugees resettle in Minnesota. learn about all our free newsletter options, Anisa Hajimumin Q&A: DEED’s new assistant commissioner talks about jobs for immigrants and refugees — and our common aspirations, Authentic coverage: Nine months in, Sahan Journal reports with nuance on Minnesota’s immigrants and refugees, As Minnesota counties vote on accepting refugees, here are the counties where refugees have actually moved in the last decade, What Minnesota knows about COVID-19 outbreaks originating in bars and restaurants, What you need to know about the reopening of bars and restaurants in Minnesota, How one Minnesota county managed to limit the impact of a second wave of COVID-19, The feds just announced over $400 million for rural broadband in Minnesota — three quarters of it is going to one small company with limited fiber optic experience, Comparing Minnesota’s COVID-19 death rate to rest of the country and the world, 'I needed to find a place to shelter': Minnesota's congressional delegation describes pro-Trump mob overrunning U.S. Capitol, 'Once you engage in political violence, it becomes easier to do it again' – an expert on political violence reflects on events at the Capitol, Seven months after Floyd unrest, Lake Street business owners optimistic, anxious about rebuilding, Remaining on alert till Trump leaves the White House. Member donations are crucial to the work of our nonprofit newsroom. African refugees living in Minneapolis were already struggling with their "American dream" when George Floyd died in police custody. I encourage you to. The Refugee Resettlement Programs Office is a federally funded office in the Minnesota Department of Human Services that supports the effective resettlement of refugees in Minnesota, and ensures their basic needs are met so they can live in dignity and achieve their highest potential. About 6,320 of those people were resettled in Minnesota, the highest number of any state. The state of Minnesota, where Minneapolis is located, has the highest percentage of refugees per inhabitant in the whole country, with two percent of the US population but 13 percent of its refugees, according to the most recent census. Once we take time to learn about each other as individuals, as parents, as colleagues, as young people with dreams, we often discover all that we have in common and all that we have to enrich each other’s lives. The majority are from Burma and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many of these refugees, including large populations of Somalis, Cambodians, and Hmong, to name a few, have resettled in large communities to create new ethnic neighborhoods in the Minnesota. It is humbling to know the responsibility and privilege I have today to support our neighbors in the same way I was helped; the same way we all need a helping hand at times. When I arrived in the United States as an immigrant from Zimbabwe, I was 18 years old, excited and enthusiastic about living in this country. “Biden has promised a 700 percent increase in the importation of refugees from the most dangerous places in … "I came here as a refugee but not as a white refugee," she said. 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