By Michelle Wright
When Somali Bantu refugees first arrived in Lewiston, Maine the people of Maine had both a positive and negative response. Although the negative is what people tend to focus on more the positive reaction to the refugees was also apparent. Positivity not only coming from large organizations set up for the refugees but also for individuals in the community.
A woman leaving one of the many shops owned by fellow Somali immigrants who have settled in Lewiston, Maine, 2017. Photo by David Goldman
In Cathrine Besteman’s book, Making Refugee, the story of many positive responses is explored including the efforts of Kim Wettlaufer. Kim Wettlaufer is a man native to Lewiston that directs a community center called Trinity Jubilee Center which acts as a food pantry and a clothing donation as well as a general gathering place for the less fortunate. This center happily accepts struggling refugees with open arms helping them to get on their feet in such a new and strange place. Kim’s contributions to this center create a safety net for all people from less fortunate circumstances including, but not limited to, struggling refugees. Although these refugees may need assistance, in the beginning, many refugees do get jobs and join the workforce eventually causing a positive turn in the economy.
Many Lewiston natives viewed the rush of refugees into their community as a negative impact on their economy due to refugees needing economic assistance in the beginning but give them time and refugees to become positive economic agents. Once Somali Bantus get the proper education to live in such a new environment they don’t continue to rely on the handouts from Lewiston and proceed to join the workforce. With the large amounts of refugees joining the workforce the economy of Lewiston will raise a significant amount. This can be seen in 2014 immigrants made $136.6 million in revenue and paid $40 million to taxes which adds an extra contribution to the economy of Lewiston. Sadly, refugees and immigrants in the workforce tend to work what Besteman calls invisible jobs, which means that they aren’t seen working. This leads to the misconception that refugees are living off handouts from the government and the community. This invisibility will not last forever, school systems are providing refugee children with better education then their parents received leading them to be better prepared for the American workforce.
A diverse group of students is seen in a school gymnasium. Photo by Melanie Stetson Freeman
ELL classes were put in place specifically to educate refugee students and other students with less knowledge of the American education system. Although refugee students still face many challenges when it comes to school the teachers and staff that work in the ELL program are extremely helpful to these students. In an article by Claire Galofaro, How a Maine Community Changed By Refugees Came To Embrace Trump, a statistic is given by Lewiston Superintendent Bill Webster which states that 78.3% of immigrant students graduate from his district whereas only 73.3% of native students graduate. This is leading to many refugee children going to college and getting degrees in much more visible jobs than their parents.
Lastly, the introduction of refugees into the community adds a level of diversity into the community that the majority of people accept with open arms. Cynthia Anderson wrote an article, Refugees Poured into My State. Heere’s How it Changes Me, explaining her experiences as a Lewiston native including the increased diversity. One example that Anderson gives is when a man rolled a pig’s head into a mosque, in response to this event the community rallied behind the Muslims getting the man criminally charged. This is just one example of the community overwhelmingly positive response to the diversity brought from the refugee community. Another example also given by Anderson was when longtime Lewiston residents painted over the words “Get Out” that were graffitied onto the side of a Somali apartment building. With Lewiston having one of the highest per capita Muslim populations in the United States, according to Anderson’s article, the positive response to the increased diversity is extremely important to the growth of the community.
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