A Critique of Andera Voyeur's Speech on Multiculturalism

I attended a cultural event regarding multiculturalism, conflict, and community in America presented by sociologist, Andera Voyeur. The natural features of the environment were in a professional setting with several different speakers from multiple cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. The physical location was designated in the Grand Canyon which is known as the President’s Room; located in the university union while walking in the room there were snacks, tables, and chairs all located by the main entrance. The way the visitors navigated was very minimal because located in the center were the guest speakers while the chairs were on either side for visitors.

Also, the people in the environment were very respectful and they carried themselves very professionally, while one individual was giving the opening sepal about the cultural impact of the Somali refugee migrations Andrea Voyeur opens her lecture with how outsiders perceive the Somali refugees who settled in Maine.

As well as, the unsettled tension which builds between Somalia and the Maine residents the residents feel as if their town is becoming overpopulated with the migration of the Somali, and is outraged with the new strangers becoming now, neighbors in already their small towns Voyeur continues with her discussion by revealing the social stigma and cultural shock towards the refugees, by demonstration many cross-cultural conflicts.

An example that was given was how racist the original residents were towards the Somalis by spreading rumors, stating Somali wash their feet in the fossettes because in their homes they have dead goats in their bathtubs for future meals, how no one should hire them because they are always late, just in general would receive negative treatments.

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They mayor of Maine which was Raymond at the time wrote a letter to state his opinion bout the Somali refuges which, put the two communities against each other. He elaborates on how the Somalis are taking all the resources and how the resident who weren’t immigrants were right all along to not approve of the Somalis, Later when the letter was out, and stated the major didn‘t get the reaction he wanted and stated how everything was a big misunderstanding, how he didn’t mean to upset the Somali residents and some of his original residents. So, then the major decided to push towards the increase of cultural diversity, with multicultural training and seminars. The significance of the cultural change shows the revolution in American values to all citizens while illuminating a new beginning to a better future. This lecture was important because it showed how still in the 21“ century there is still in justice, inequality, and racism not only with Mexicans, and African Americans, which are the two common types to deal with these standards but with these Somali refugees who had to still fight for their American dream.

I would say the Somalis impacted America’s diversity by still being willing to share its cultural background with not only to the residents of Maine but to America. Without cultural diversity there will be no values to help shape our social identity to conclude my analysis, Andrea Voyeur taught me the importance of our social environment, and how our everyday lives depend on how we define our culture and heritage. Without that identification, we would lack so many qualities which help shape our race, and values, but most importantly our identity. However, learning about the Somali culture is like my own experience is because in the past couple of years, African Americans had to defend themselves against Police, racial slurs, and the idea of the Kul Klux Klan reappearing, but there are many people just like me, who have encounter way worse.