Hi all. This week I decided to post a blog on an interview I had with a worker at DHHS--Social Services-Refugee program a few months ago. We had extensive conversation about the refugee population and the Somali population. I would like to note that this man was great and inspiring and he had strong opinions based on his observations and work with the refugee population and, even though I can respect all he had to say, his words in some aspects may not necissarily reflect my values and opinions.

The man I interviewed was named Efrem Wel. He is a Human Services Counselor at the Refugee Services Program, Health and Human Service Department. Efrem asked me to come in for an interview and I asked him all about what I needed to know from someone who has worked with refugees since October of 1992. He said that the refugees go through their agency when they come to Portland and he believes he has a pretty accurate knowledge of the community.

The geographic profile of the Somali community in Portland, Efrem explained, is mostly in the housing authority projects such as Kennedy Park, Sagamore Village and Riverton and in subsidized housing complexes on Munjoy Hill, Danforth Street and Saint John Street. They live among a mix of refugees not all of Somali origin. The average economic status of Somalians in Portland is, unfortunately, low. He told me that where most came from was rural backgrounds and they may have been farmers or laborers definately living in a whole different culture. Then they were moved to Portland or as secondary immigrants were move somewhere else in the U.S. and moved themselves to Portland because their family or friends were here. Now in Portland they do not have the skills and education to make livable wages because it is all completely different from their lifestyles, cultures and living situations back home.
This brings me to explain one of the major social problems affecting the risk population: why many refugees seem to end up in the criminal system. Efrem says that he sees most of refugee cases where, because of the above scenario, parents are forced to work many hours for unlivable wages and the kids are left without structure and parenting so many hours a day. They observe this living style and become easily influenced by drugs/alcohol and other peers doing illegal things and they begin to realize that drug dealing, stealing and other illegal activities will get them what they want faster than working for it and also they believe they have no choice because they do not think they can ever have the opportunity to rise above it.

Another major social problem involving Somali refugees in Portland, according to Efrem, is dropout rates. Because the parents are working so much and because they do not know the lessons being taught in American schools, the kids have a hard time getting good grades. They may not be able to get into college and they end up dropping out of school and staying at home. These are other instances when they may be influenced to get into trouble because they watch T.V., get ideas, and want to make money fast and now. The only option, because they have dropped out of school, is to get a minimum wage job, or make lots of money the easy way they have learned from media or the streets and that is to sell drugs and hustle.

The Portland Somali refugee population, I found out through my interview with Efrem, is not as oppressed as I thought they may be. He told me that in his 27 years of working with refugees in Portland he has observed that in general all refugees “have been well received by American government. They have been highly welcomed and well coordinated with government, state, hospitals and social workers.” Of course there are always the same biases, racism and discrimination by some in the community who feel that the Somali population are causing trouble and live off "the system".

Now I will move onto the most important part of the interview: The strengths of the Somali population and how their strengths might contribute to their empowerment. According to Efrem many Somalians are Muslim and Muslims are made up of all strengths. He explained to me that the social problems I described earlier dealing with the refugee community is few and far between when we deal with Muslims. Efrem exclaims “those who speak English well are extremely hard workers, they hate crime. They don’t want to be involved in criminal activities. They are honest, peaceful and motivated. Most Muslims in Portland are educated and very willing to learn and go to school. Because of the religion they are ethical people who teach religion and values to their children; don’t steal, be respectful to elderly, don’t do drugs, etc.”

Efrem goes on to explain that a lot of Somalian refugees are taught culturally that when they grow up it is their responsibility to take care of their family and elder parents so most stay focused and work hard to send money back to their parents and family in other countries. He says “Many refugees are wholly family oriented, culturally. There is no system in the U.S. like the this system". And about the Somali Muslims he says "America has the highest crime, divorce and single parent rate in the world; this is very little in the community of Muslim Somalians.”