Most of the Somali refugees in central Minnesota were resettled in early 2001, and they have being living and working in communities there for the last decade. Generally, the refugees have had tumultuous experiences while transitioning, although each community dealt with challenges differently.
Ask any Somali and they will tell how they are very grateful to their host country. Having undergone civil strife in their home countries, at least now they are far from the sounds of mortars and the barrels of guns. But every new place has barriers that must be traversed.
Navigating the system posed the greatest challenge for many Somalis, because Somalia was colonized by Italy. Many middle-aged people who arrived spoke either Italian or Arabic; a majority of Somalis, however, spoke their native language. Functioning in a country where they didn’t speak the language made finding housing and jobs daunting, not to mention deciphering the education and healthcare systems.
Adjusting and integrating into employment positions is also a major hurtle. Workplace discrimination in the form of racism and workplace safety are two big issues. Most found jobs in meat packing plants, like Jennie-O and Golden Plump, which requires intensive labor. The corporations providing a majority of the jobs to refugees were not at first understanding of the faith and background culture of Somali communities. Prayer is the second pillar of the Muslim faith and is performed by every Muslim. This has become a very contentious issue in the workplace where Somalis are bound by their faith to take breaks in order to pray. It became a safety issue as companies attempted to sidestep the issue. Today, there are some companies that have accommodated their employees’ religious practices and outlined safe policies after lawsuits, but there continue to be companies that refuse to accommodate their workers.
The injury rate of plant workers is very high and most lose their jobs if the company figures out that it may be liable. Workers are often caught in the middle of the dual hardship of not getting medical attention, and also being unable to fight for their rights. However, this new population of Somali-Americans is here to stay, and it improves the quality of entire communities if they are respectfully integrated and supported in their efforts to make meaningful community contributions.
Such contributions and positive impacts are being made through the Midwest Immigrant Health Project. Somali community leaders are working hard to address the pressing issues facing not just Somalis, but many central Minnesota residents, such as plant safety, bullying in schools, and interpreter issues at hospitals and clinics. Overall, they hope to improve the infrastructure for navigating a sometimes desperately overwhelming system.
The effects of a refugee population eager to become contributing members of American society can already be felt. There is a hardworking man that I know personally who has spent years supporting his family by working at a meat processing plant. He always advised his children to take their education seriously; his first son graduated from Saint Cloud University last year. He is now employed in the school district as a counselor helping young disadvantaged students to succeed.