Somali Immigrant
Settlement in Small
Midwestern Communities:
The Case of Barron, Wis.
Jessica Schaid
and Dr. Zoltan Grossman
(Assistant Professor of Geography)
University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire
Somali Refugees
After civil war broke out in
Somalia in 1991, 800,000
refugees fled. 450,000+
were in refugee camps by
2000 (mainly in Kenya)
At least 29,000 were
resettled in the U.S. (with the
largest group to Minnesota),
followed by family members.
KENYA
Somali Resettlement
Somalis have been drawn
by the Twin Cities’ job
market, schools, service
agencies for refugees
(Half of recent MN immigrants
are refugees.)
Minneapolis-St. Paul
has become a de facto
“capital” of Somalis in
North America, with an
community estimated at
tens of thousands
Urban-to-Rural Migration
Somali refugees have
recently settled in
smaller communities
around the Twin Cities.
Some move directly
from elsewhere in U.S.
Immigration Hinterland:
Rural ethnic mix
resembling Twin Cities
(Mexicans, Hmong,
Somalis, etc.)
Southern
Minnesota
Rochester
St. Cloud
Owatonna
Waseca
Marshall
Faribault
Mankato
Western
Wisconsin
Barron
Hudson (briefly)
Others in the future…?
Somali soccer
team in St
Cloud, Minn.
“Push Factors” from Twin Cities
Growing competition
for unskilled jobs
Need English,
driver’s license
Some factory jobs
moving to rural areas
Crime rate
“Pull Factors” to smaller towns
Job opportunities in
meatpacking industry &
other plants, due to
labor shortage
Jobs do not need high
level of skills, English
proficiency
Less crime; quieter;
Can walk to work/school
Intervening Obstacles:
Visible Minority
Like other recent
immigrants in rural
areas (Latinos),
Somalis have faced
cultural conflicts.
Somalis face greater
conflicts due to their
race and Muslim
religious identity.
Intervening Obstacle:
Negative Media Images
The cultural and religious
gap has been widened by
movies, such as Black
Hawk Down, that do not
realistically represent
Somalis.
Minnesota Somalis faced
intensified government
scrutiny and public
suspicions after 9/11.
Conflicts over Somali Immigration
In 2002, the Mayor of
Lewiston (Maine) and
white supremacist groups
asked Somalis to stop
settling in the city.
In Jan. 2003, a crowd of
4,000 rallied to support
the Somalis.
Lewiston, Maine
Conflicts over Somali Immigration
Several acts of racist grafitti
and arson in St. Cloud,
Minn., were aimed at
Somali businesses in 2002.
The community has been
working with the St. Cloud
Area Somali Salvation
Organization (SASSO) to
build understanding.
Somalis in Barron, Wis.
13% of total population
of 3,000, working at
meatpacking plant
facing labor shortage
Immigrant workers
offset loss of
population, tax base
Strengthening of
Somali cultural unity
“Pull Factors” to Barron
“Turkey Capital” of
Wisconsin
Jennie-O Turkey Store
employment
Jennie-O Turkey
Store in Barron,
where about 350
Somalis work
Lower standards than
Minnesota for driving &
high school graduation
(incl. older students)
Intervening Obstacles:
Uncooperative institutions
No mosque building
available
No Somali foods in
grocery stores
No invitations to
weekend community
festivals
Invisibility of “Visible Minority”
Somalis cannot stay in
Barron on weekends
Go to Twin Cities to
visit, shop, and worship
Lack of social
interaction with
Americans in Barron
Intervening Obstacle: Housing
Housing shortage in
Barron for Somalis
Most Somalis live in
one apartment bloc
Some commuting from
nearby Cameron, Rice
Lake, Menomonie, etc.
(secondary diffusion)
Intervening Obstacle:
Tensions in high school
Students’ lack of
awareness of Somali
culture
Resentment of head
covering, “privileges”
Fights in Fall 2001
Somali flag desecration
incident
Conflict resolution in high school
Superintendent Monti
Hallberg lived in
Muslim countries
School records from
Kenyan refugee camps
School staff training/
cultural day
Multiethnic soccer
team
Responses:
Preparing community agencies
Local governments,
State/federal agencies,
Schools,
Businesses,
Health clinics,
Churches,
Legal aid,
Law enforcement
Responses:
Educating Somalis
International Center
in Barron (Catholic Herald).
Enable Somalis to adapt.
International Center
(Workforce Resource)
Somali & American staff
Teaching immigrants:
English skills
Computer skills
Job skills
Cultural skills
Driving skills
Shortcoming:
Outreach to Americans
Barron relying on
public forums and
discussions
that draw mainly
enlightened residents.
Does not challenge
Americans’
preconceptions.
Wisconsin students’ Images of Somalia
Other
Survey
at
UWEC
Poverty
Famine
Violence/
war
Desert/
heat
Poverty and
Not images of
Famine images
violence & war
Wisconsin Students’ Image Sources
Other
Survey
at UWEC
Children's’
Fund ads
News/
Media
Black
Hawk
Down
School
Recommendations:
Proactive
education of
Americans
Develop programs/
materials, educational
curriculum
Go into schools, clubs
in new communities
Teach Americans on:
Somali culture,
Somali history,
Islamic values,
Immigration patterns,
Easing the transition
Goals of Research
To examine the push-and-pull factors that
influence the migration of Somali refugees
to small Midwestern communities.
To examine how factors such as age,
regional origin, gender, English
proficiency, etc., have influenced Somali
migration to and within the Midwest.
Goals of Research (cont.)
To compare and contrast the experiences
of Somali refugees in larger cities and
smaller communities.
To issue recommendations to rural
communities and schools anticipating new
Somali residents.
Methods of Research
Journal and newspaper articles.
Interviews with Somali group leaders,
other Somali immigrants, and local
American leaders and residents.
Nasra Xashi
(International Center)
and Jessica Schaid
(UWEC)
Methods of Research (cont.)
A bilingual questionnaire for Somali residents,
asking about their experiences in migrating
to small Minnesota or Wisconsin communities.
Additional materials supplied by local
communities and agencies, including
survey of mayors & school superintendents
Presentation of Research
The research will be presented in a paper
that will be submitted to academic journals
for publication.
The research will also be presented at the
Student Research Day at U.W.-Eau Claire
and at national and/or international
conferences.
This project is made possible
with funding by the UWEC Center of Excellence
for Faculty/Student Research Collaboration
Proposal and bibiliography at
www.uwec.edu/grossmzc/somali.html
This PowerPoint at www.uwec.edu/grossmzc/Somalis.ppt
Jessica Schaid, student researcher
schaidje@uwec.edu 715-838-1237
Dr. Zoltán Grossman,
Assistant Professor of Geography
grossmzc@uwec.edu 715-836-4471
www.uwec.edu/grossmzc