Somalis in the Twin Cities and Columbus Somalis in the Twin Cities and Columbus Immigrant Incorporation in New Destinations Stefanie Chambers TEMPLE UNIVERSITY PRESS Philadelphia • Rome • Tokyo TEMPLE UNIVERSITY PRESS Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122 www.temple.edu/tempress Copyright © 2017 by Temple University—Of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education All rights reserved Published 2017 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Chambers, Stefanie, author. Title: Somalis in the Twin Cities and Columbus : immigrant incorporation in new destinations / Stefanie Chambers. Description: Philadelphia : Temple University Press, 2017. | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2016042256 | ISBN 9781439914410 (hardback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781439914427 (paper : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781439914434 (ebook) Subjects: LCSH: Somali Americans—Minnesota—Saint Paul. | Somali Americans—Ohio—Columbus. | Social integration—Minnesota—Saint Paul. | Social integration—Ohio—Columbus. | Immigrants—Minnesota—Saint Paul. | Immigrants—Ohio—Columbus. | Saint Paul (Minn.)—Social conditions. | Saint Paul (Minn.)—Ethnic relations. | Columbus (Ohio)—Social conditions. | Columbus (Ohio)—Ethnic relations. | BISAC: SOCIAL SCIENCE / Emigration & Immigration. | POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Policy / Social Policy. | POLITICAL SCIENCE / Civics & Citizenship. Classification: LCC F614.S4 C56 2017 | DDC 305.893/540776581—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016042256 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials, ANSI Z39.48-1992 Printed in the United States of America 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For my children, Owen and Olivia, and my nephew, Sebastian Contents List of Figures and Tables ix Acknowledgments xi 1 / Immigrant Incorporation in New Destinations 1 2 / Columbus: Somalis in the Heartland 27 3 / The Twin Cities: Somalis in the North Star State 56 4 / Political Incorporation 86 5 / Economic Incorporation 133 6 / Social Incorporation 158 7 / Moving toward Incorporation 187 Appendix A / Challenges of Immigrant Incorporation in New Destinations: Somalis in the Twin Cities and Columbus 205 Appendix B / Immigrant Incorporation in New Destinations: Somalis in the Twin Cities and Columbus 207 Appendix C / Columbus Somali Incorporation Interviews 208 Appendix D / Twin Cities Somali Incorporation Interviews 211 References 215 Index 225 List of Figures and Tables Figures Figure 1.1. U.S. Somali concentration 15 Figure 2.1. Franklin County Somali population by census tract 29 Figure 3.1. Hennepin and Ramsey Counties Somali population by census tract 58 Figure 4.1. Somali representation 104 Figure 5.1. Somali household homeowners versus renters in Ohio, 2008–2012 sample 154 Figure 5.2. Somali household homeowners versus renters in Minnesota, 2008–2012 sample 155 Tables Table 2.1. Foreign-born population by country of birth, Greater Columbus, 2006–2010 estimates 39 Table 2.2. Ohio city population and employment, 1940–2010 40 Table 2.3. African American members of Columbus City Council 44 Table 3.1. Foreign-born population by country of birth, St. Paul, 2009–2013 estimates 66 x \ List of Figures and Tables Table 3.2. Foreign-born population by country of birth, Minneapolis, 2009–2013 estimates 67 Table 3.3. Twin City population and employment, 1940–2010 69 Table 4.1. Political incorporation 130 Table 5.1. Somali household income 142 Table 5.2. Somali employment status 145 Table 5.3. Economic incorporation 157 Table 6.1. Letters to the editor 167 Table 6.2. Social incorporation 186 Acknowledgments n 1994, I moved to Columbus, Ohio, to begin my graduate studies at The Ohio State University. During the five years I spent there, I was Iunaware of the influx of Somalis into my community. I might point to dedication to my studies as one explanation for this oversight, but as I reflect on my graduate education, I realize that it was more likely naiveté that caused my inattention to the demographic changes in the city. In 2012, I was drawn back to Columbus, a majority white city with a minority mayor (in this case, African American), for an article I was writing on that topic. Much of my fieldwork took place with African American respondents in Columbus. Fond memories of the city and the connection I felt doing research in African American communities made the trips feel like coming home. What surprised me most were the demographic changes in Columbus’s historic black neighborhoods: by then, Somalis were an easily identifiable group in these communities and in others that I visited during my trips. Once my piece on the mayor was published in 21st Century Urban Race Politics: Representing Minorities as Universal Interests (2013), I started researching Somalis in Columbus. I was intrigued to learn xii \ Acknowledgments that Columbus was home to the second-largest Somali population in the United States. My interest increased as I explored the reasons for this phenomenon and visualized new lines of research on the Somali experience in Ohio. My research to that point had focused on urban politics and governance, racial and ethnic politics, and urban edu- cation policy. Broadening my research to include the migration lit- erature appealed to me as an interesting challenge. Because so many Columbus respondents referenced the Twin Cities and because that region contains the largest Somali population, I decided to design a comparative case study on Somali incorporation in Columbus and the Twin Cities. As I moved forward with data collection and field research, one of my colleagues encouraged me yet cautioned me about the challenges I might encounter as a woman and a non-Somali. But as it turned out, Somalis in Columbus and in the Twin Cities welcomed me with open arms. Given my inability to speak Somali, my lack of training in the Islamic tradition, and my rudimentary understanding of Somali homeland history, the openness of the Somali respondents in both regions was extraordinary. My respondents encouraged me to ask questions and then patiently educated me on a range of issues. With- out their exceptional cooperation and assistance, this book would not have been possible. At Trinity College, where I have spent the majority of my aca- demic career, I am deeply indebted to several colleagues who helped me develop this project. I am particularly grateful to Zayde Antrim, Diana Evans, Tony Messina, and Abby Williamson, each of whom read draft chapters and provided important feedback. Tony Messina read the entire manuscript and offered his expert guidance on a range of theoretical and practical issues. Serena Laws and my good friend Roger Kittleson, at Williams College, spent considerable time read- ing sections of the manuscript. Sonia Cardenas, Andy Flibbert, Isaac Kamola, Reo Matsuzaki, Lida Maxwell, Kevin McMahon, and Mary Beth White each played a role in creating a rich intellectual commu- nity for me as I worked. President Joanne Berger-Sweeney and Deans Tom Mitzel and Melanie Stein offered vital support and encouraged me to prioritize the research for this book. Trinity College’s Faculty Research Committee and the American Political Science Association Acknowledgments / xiii provided generous funding that made the research possible. I am also extremely grateful to the committee that awarded me the Charles A. Dana Research Associate Professorship. Rachael Barlow, then the social science data coordinator at Trin- ity College, was enormously helpful with quantitative data collection and analysis. Dave Tatem, Erin Valentino, and Rob Walsh were also valuable library and IT resources. Several Trinity College research assistants helped me at various stages of the research and writing processes. Nasri Abdulai, Jessica Bosco, Julianna Maisano, and Kyle Pulik each contributed greatly to this project. A special thank-you goes to Will Schreiber-Stainthorp, one of my Posse Scholars. In addi- tion to co-authoring an article with me as an undergraduate, Will read the entire manuscript and provided feedback that was as good as any that I might receive from my colleagues who hold doctoral degrees. The brilliant scholarship of Ahmed Yusuf—specifically, his book Somalis in Minnesota—helped me get my bearings as I expanded this project from Columbus to the Twin Cities. Kadra Abdi and Char- ley Keys were also incredibly helpful with data collection on Somali homeownership. A number of friends deserve special mention. During the research for this book, I was diagnosed with cancer. My group of cycling friends showered me with love and helped my entire family cope with the fear and uncertainty we faced. Cathy Curis, Debbie Doucette, Mariann Fiori, Jill Harvey, and Diane Tucker were simply incredible friends. Zayde Antrim, August Kittleson, and Roger Kittleson were always there for us with comforting conversation and reminders of the important things in life. Mandi Hanes, then the senior admissions director at Trinity College, was also a gem. The extended Doucette family, especially Christopher, Claire (my former Trinity College stu- dent), and Rick, also helped me during this difficult time. Colleen Keane, even from a distance, also stood by my side, as she has done since we were in kindergarten. I thank them all. Other friends and colleagues who played a role in the produc- tion of this book include Tony Affigne, Laurel Elder, Emily Farris, Melissa Michelson, the late William E. Nelson Jr., Barbara Sicher- man, and Evelyn Simien. And, of course, I owe a great deal to my xiv \ Acknowledgments extended family. My mother, Donna Pollock, planted the initial seed that helped me to develop into the scholar I am today. My in-laws, Betty and Jim Chambers, took care of my daughter during several research trips to the Midwest. Bruce and Carol Lambert, my brother- in-law and sister-in-law, made my daughter’s time in the Midwest magical. My nephew and niece, Aleksis and Allison Kincaid, put me up on their couch in Minneapolis on more than one occasion. On the home front, I was fortunate to have an amazing family who understood how important this project was to me.