Race and Racism: Multigenerational Perspectives of an African Immigrant Family in America
Mentor: Jennifer Johnson
In “The Realization of an American Dream,” I plan to illustrate the life and experiences of my father, Noah Desalegne, during his time immigrating to America. Noah was born and raised in Ethiopia where he lived in a middle-class household until the communist regime gained control of the Ethiopian government. During this time, Noah was in his late teens and fled with his immediate family to the U.S. with hopes of a more fair and comfortable life. In the U.S., Noah and his family began to rebuild their lives amidst unfamiliar territory. He faced many challenges and as a young man, he had to quickly learn how to navigate the new racial environment he was dropped into. My goal is to give a deeper understanding of Noah’s experience in order to showcase his own perspective of the present-day, coming from a Black immigrant’s point of view. His story will be given more context through interviews of family members who can attest to his experiences. For this project, I will conduct and write up an ethnographic case study.
See Gabe’s website Race and Racism
Reflection:
