The document discusses the experiences of African immigrants in America. It describes how many immigrants fled to America due to violence and unrest in their home countries caused by political turmoil and ethnic conflict. Immigrants leave behind lives, careers, and wealth in search of safety, opportunity, and peace. Though adjusting to a new culture and country is difficult, immigrants are determined to make new lives and contribute to their adopted communities in America.

2. All of us have had personal and public encounters
with African Immigrants in our day to day
activities, in our places of work, job, the church,
the malls and even on the streets. The great thing
about these Immigrants is that all of them have a
story about the reason that led them to America
and that is what motivates me- a past story. What
can be more fascinating than sitting down and
allow them to narrate what they have to share in
their hearts? The revelations can be heart
breaking, stirring while others just funny.

3. Many years ago I come to this country as an
Immigrant from Africa after post-election violence
tore apart cities and left us homeless and refugees
in my own country. The situation was hostile and
tense when country men rose against each other
and brought everything to a devastating state of
bloodshed. I have since met many brothers and
sisters from Africa and some from other parts of the
world whom we share my experience some far
worse as peace was never known to them prior to
coming to the United States of America.

4. I will share three things that include who
immigrants are, why they left their country and
how it is to adjust to a totally new developed
environment.

5. I will start by sharing why most of them migrate to
America. Three factors have been identified as driving
migration: reuniting with family members, searching for
work the need for humanitarian protection according to
the 2013 American Psychological Association
Most immigrants left their country due to hostilities
caused by political reasons and leadership that causes
unrest where country men kill the minority tribes and
destroy the entire group. Others come through the Green
Card lottery program which selects over one hundred
thousand people all over the world to come and work in
the United States while others still come for business and
education.

6. Who are they really? One may be tempted to ask. They are people who were
going about their daily lives, education, professional callings among other
things when violence erupted, or an opportunity cropped up and they decided
to migrate for the search of peace and the American Dream. They have stayed
in the forest in hiding, they have missed gun shots and machetes, they have
gone hungry for days. I have met Engineers, Doctors, Nurses, teachers, great
performing students and business people and those who had nothing at all, all
striving within the safe borders of America to make ends meet. I have met
refugees like me who from birth never saw peace but war and were living in
hiding until they escaped the cruel hand of fate in their respective
motherlands. “Immigrant clients may often feel out of control in a new culture,
so therapists may focus on issues of environmental mastery—helping clients
understand how systems work, where to get assistance, and how to access
resources—in addition to more typical therapeutic concerns”. Working With
Immigrants with Rita Chi-Ying Chung, PhD Part of the
Multicultural Counseling Video Series.

7. “How do members of marginalized groups cope with identity and
discrimination in everyday settings like school and the workplace? How can
stereotyping and discrimination be reduced among members of society's many
cross-cutting categories?” Social Categories in Everyday Experience-
Book/Monograph (December 2011). Change is never easy and it can be
misunderstood considering many factors, more so when you have to start all
over again desperate to make ends meet with people who don’t understand
your past. Literally some immigrants left their big titles and wealth to start over
in colleges taking basic classes to be somewhere. According to the Book
Dream: A Memoir. By Harry Bernstein “In a continuation of the acclaimed
memoir, The Invisible Wall, the author describes his family's move to America
to find a better life; the hardships, perils, and disappointments they are forced
to confront as they chase the American Dream Things are never the same but
better considering that they still hold on to life. But there is hope and
determination the driving forces that make things go by fast each passing day.

8. America is such a blessed country because it opened up its
doors to the wounded neighbor and gave water to them and a
secure shelter.
“Diversity involves including, understanding and valuing
differences in individual and
group characteristics such as race, religion, ethnicity, gender,
gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, age,
(dis)ability status, and sexual orientation”. APA Diversity
Implementation Plan- Publication Report (April 2012)
Today we mingle with people from all walks of life with a burred
bruised life forging forward knowing we have been given
equality united in one spirit- nation building.

9.  Dream: A Memoir. By Harry Bernstein
 Psychology of Immigration 101-
2013 American Psychological Association, Task Force Report
(January 2012)
 Social Categories in Everyday Experience Edited by
Shaun Wiley, PhD; Gina Philogène, PhD; and Tracey A.
Revenson, PhD- Book/Monograph (December 2011)
 Working with Immigrants with Rita Chi-Ying Chung, PhD Part
of the Multicultural Counseling Video Series- (October
2008)
 APA Diversity Implementation Plan- Publication Report
(April 2012)


10.  Dream: A Memoir. By Harry Bernstein
 Psychology of Immigration 101-
2013 American Psychological Association, Task Force Report
(January 2012)
 Social Categories in Everyday Experience Edited by
Shaun Wiley, PhD; Gina Philogène, PhD; and Tracey A.
Revenson, PhD- Book/Monograph (December 2011)
 Working with Immigrants with Rita Chi-Ying Chung, PhD Part
of the Multicultural Counseling Video Series- (October
2008)
 APA Diversity Implementation Plan- Publication Report
(April 2012)
