Black Refugees in East Tennessee: A Conversation on Community Integration
Conference Topic
Unifying the Black Community
Program Abstract/Summary
This program is organized by a case manager at Bridge Refugee Services, the local nonprofit that resettles refugees in East Tennessee. The vast majority of clients resettled by Bridge over the past three years have been Black refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bridge Knoxville has also resettled Burundian refugees over the past 10 years. This panel aims to educate attendees about the services that Bridge provides and the clients we serve and to open a conversation between Black refugees and Black community organizers about how to address misconceptions and animosities between the refugee and African American communities and how Black students and faculty at UT can become more involved in assisting refugees with integration upon arrival. A Bridge case manager will begin with a short 10-15 minute presentation on the services offered by Bridge and the client populations served. The remainder of the session will consist of an all-Black panel, including a Black moderator. Invitees to the panel will include community organizers including David Hayes and Constance Every, scholars such as Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin, as well as Bridge Refugee Services clients and interpreters. Materials on how to get involved with Bridge Refugee Services will be provided.
Learning Outcomes
- Participants will gain knowledge of refugee communities in Knoxville, including an overview of their languages and cultures.
- Participants will understand the local effects of global conflict, displacement, and migration patterns.
- Participants will learn how current federal policies are affecting the local refugee resettlement system.
- Participants will discuss and evaluate existing tensions between African Americans and Black Refugees.
- Participants will identify opportunities for building community between African Americans and Black Refugees in the resettlement period and beyond.
- Participants will leave with tangible resources about how to get involved with Bridge Refugee Services as a volunteer, donor, educator, or other capacity.
Relationship to Theme
In working with Black refugee clients from DR Congo and Burundi, Bridge staff members often notice that clients have many misconceptions about Black Americans upon arrival to the United States. Black Americans in low-income housing where clients live often also express hostility toward refugees; they may perceive refugees as receiving benefits not afforded to native-born Black Americans. In our Congolese men's and women's support groups, clients have detailed instances of bullying and other animosities at school and in housing complexes. This panel aims to open up conversation between the two communities to increase the involvement of Black churches, students, and faculty in the welcoming process. Fostering positive interactions between Black refugees and Black Americans early on in the resettlement process will enhance the prospects of integration and allow for solidarity and community building.
Presenter Bio
Summer Awad is a case manager with Bridge Refugee Services. Panelist bios will be included if accepted to the conference.
Black Refugees in East Tennessee: A Conversation on Community Integration
This program is organized by a case manager at Bridge Refugee Services, the local nonprofit that resettles refugees in East Tennessee. The vast majority of clients resettled by Bridge over the past three years have been Black refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bridge Knoxville has also resettled Burundian refugees over the past 10 years. This panel aims to educate attendees about the services that Bridge provides and the clients we serve and to open a conversation between Black refugees and Black community organizers about how to address misconceptions and animosities between the refugee and African American communities and how Black students and faculty at UT can become more involved in assisting refugees with integration upon arrival. A Bridge case manager will begin with a short 10-15 minute presentation on the services offered by Bridge and the client populations served. The remainder of the session will consist of an all-Black panel, including a Black moderator. Invitees to the panel will include community organizers including David Hayes and Constance Every, scholars such as Dr. Enkeshi El-Amin, as well as Bridge Refugee Services clients and interpreters. Materials on how to get involved with Bridge Refugee Services will be provided.
Comments
Because this is a Q&A style panel, the full text of the presentation has not been included. A link to our agency's website is provided.