Who’s An Immigrant?; As For Today…
On the eve of Thanksgiving, I’d like to take this opportunity to pose a question to you–are we all immigrants? Joël Doty took a Nine Academy class in August and interviewed Virginia Guneyli, Assistant Professor of English at St. Charles Community College. She teaches a class on the “Melting Pot” that is America. It’s an interesting question to consider–some folks believe that Americans are all immigrants, and that the only true “native” is the American Indian. Others, though, hold that the U.S. has its own unique culture and that immigrants are different from “us.” In September we took this question to the community and asked if folks believe we are a nation of immigrants–click here to find out what people had to say.
And take a look at Ms. Doty’s video:
Video edited by: Joël Doty
Do you agree that we’re all immigrants? What is “American” culture?
I immediately thought of Ms. Doty’s video when I read an interesting article from The Atlantic that addresses how immigrants assimilate into American culture. The author makes an interesting analogy–immigrants in the U.S. are like marriages and blended families (The Atlantic):
In some ways, the demarcation line of loyalty for naturalized citizens is clear. You have to swear loyalty to your new home over your native land, even in case of war. But it’s easier to switch a passport than an identity. And while we may want immigrants to view their departure from their country of origin as a never-look-back divorce, I think the process of immigration and changing citizenship is more akin to a single person marrying into an existing family–with all the issues that come with that kind of blended family relationship.
We’ve heard this issue before–a young Nine Academy student produced a video that implores immigrants to maintain their culture (unlike what her mother did when she moved to the U.S. from the Caribbean). But is maintaining your culture while adopting a new one easy?
So what do you do about those conflicting needs to join and blend in, without losing your own identity in the process? In truth, it’s a question any married person struggles with, even without any blended or established family complications. And the answer is … it’s a tricky balancing act, and one not everyone accomplishes successfully.
On the one hand, most immigrants enthusiastically embrace many American traditions, values, and freedoms…
…At the same time, however, few immigrants cut their ties to their native culture entirely…We hyphenate our cultures the way many women hyphenate their married names: to retain a solid reminder of our previous identity, even in the midst of our new life.
I love this last analogy, because it makes a terrific point–people don’t want to forfeit who they are, but they also want to embrace the new person they become. So, how would you balance maintaining your culture while assimilating into a new one?
Continuing with our theme today, we have a Nine Academy piece made by a young refugee student who talks about what it means to be American. And don’t forget to check out the Homeland team’s special video in honor of Thanksgiving!
Category: Immigration 101
