The New Americans Study: Promoting Opportunity, Equity, and Justice for Refugees

Background and Purpose

Buffalo, New York – the City of Good Neighbors - has experienced waves of immigration throughout its history. Today, the city has become a refuge for those fleeing religious, political, and ethnic conflict in places such as Somalia, Bhutan, Burma, Iraq, and Syria. While these “New Americans” represent potential for growth and positive change for Buffalo, they regularly face numerous structural barriers and confront stigma and discrimination as they engage in the larger community.

In 2014, Mayor Byron Brown commissioned The New Americans Study, a community-based participatory research project which called for: 1.) An analysis of the city’s current and projected refugee populations; 2.) An outline of current population needs; 3.) An assessment of currently available services, service gaps, and a description of possible improvements and opportunities for integration; and 4.) A plan that specifies policies and procedures to improve the experience of refugees and address stigma and discrimination.

Methods

Data collection activities took place over a six-month period and involved more than 185 community stakeholders through eleven (11) focus groups and sixty-two (62) key informant interviews with representatives from more than forty (40) organizations. The research team also collected information on more than 25 community indicators and conducted a thorough review of fifteen (15) research studies and more than a hundred national, statewide, and local best practices.  

Results

The study yielded findings related to initial resettlement; acculturation and generational challenges; educational experiences (children, youth, adults); employment; housing and neighborhoods; public safety; access to health care and other supports; and overall community response to refugees.

Findings suggest that:

• New arrivals are frequently overwhelmed and not sure where to turn for help and/or culturally appropriate resources;
• Many refugees are isolated by a lack of English language skills and limited knowledge of how to navigate the community – highlighting the critical importance of language access; 
• Acculturation is an ever-present concern for refugees involving the gradual loss of ties to home country culture, traditions, and customs; and
• Many refugee communities have developed their own organizations to meet various cultural, economic, and social needs of community members as they do not feel safe or welcome within the larger community.

Conclusions and Implications

The main outcome of the study was the creation of the City’s Office of New Americans and the development of a strategic action plan to advance refugee integration and success. The plan incorporated twenty-seven (27) strategies to address four critical stages:

• Welcoming (focusing on improving the initial experiences of refugees related to the resettlement experience, acculturation, and community organization);
• Settling In (addressing issues of housing, neighborhoods, and public safety);  
• Strengthening (describing the importance of social services, healthcare, education, and employment to providing a solid foundation); and
• Moving Forward (outlining actions that the City can take to further integration of refugees, improve access to existing services, and develop initiatives where the city is uniquely positioned to make a difference).

The poster will highlight critical changes that have taken place since study conclusion related to language access, education, and employment.