As a JJC in the USA a few years ago, I had a few days on my hands with nothing serious to do, so I went touring my host city. My unplanned, near aimless itinerary took me to the train station where I met some Africans, mostly Nigerian cab drivers standing in line, waiting their turn to pick up passengers. It was mid afternoon, so the line was not moving very fast, which allowed time for congregation and discussion. I knew one of them so I joined their little group of three, to say hello. As we exchanged banters, a Nigerian who also had just arrived in the country, came near to ask for guidance. They gave him counsel. After he left, I told them the counsel they gave him was probably not the best since there were better options. To my amazement, they said they knew. They went further to say the guy needed to be “baptized” since he just came. According to them, every new person must go through some hardship. I was shocked.
A lady friend of mine told me of another incident. She told of two friends, whom I would call Mary and Margaret for the purpose of this piece. Both Mary and Margaret worked for the same healthcare company. They attended the same church and were really close friends. After a while, the company they worked for gave Mary the morning shift and the afternoon shift to Margaret. Mary was excited that it would work for them both since one could keep things going for the other incase one is having some delays getting to work, and so on. She looked forward to the cooperation and broke the news with the excitement to Margaret. Margaret pretended to share her excitement, even though she did not like the idea for whatever reason. Since she could not just say she did not want to work with someone else without a valid reason, she went to the Human Resources department to say negative things about Mary. Mary lost her job. Mary only got to know about this much later.
If you are in a foreign land and your papers are not fully done, it is your fellow African brother or sister that will go and call the law enforcement authorities to come get you. Yet, these are people you see in your church or mosque. They smile at you and pretend to have your best interest at heart. A friend of mine in Chicago had a pregnant wife who was looking to get into the civil service. She mentioned it to this man they looked up to in the church. His response? “Don’t even try it! They are very strict in those places. They don’t like to employ pregnant women in the civil service.” But that is not true, because in reality, the civil service has nothing against pregnant women. I saw one the other day at an agency and she looked like she was going to deliver her baby any second, but she was still working.
I remember a family who gave me my first air conditioner unit. They are no longer in my city, but every time I turned on the air conditioner, I sent a word of prayer to God on their behalf. Another family informed me about converting my foreign degree to the American equivalent so I could get a better job. That was a while back, but I never forgot. So, there are a few of us who are well intentioned and are willing to assist a brother or sister in need.
Every major city in America has a Chinatown. Ever heard of African town? The Hispanics also impress me a great deal. They are not as culturally or even linguistically homogenous as it appears, but as long as you speak any version of Spanish, they see you as one of them, no matter where you are from. From Spain to South America to Mexico and into the USA, you are Hispanic and that is all that matters. If they had their way, the southern border of USA would be left unchecked. Let everyone come in. I don’t blame them one bit. They are doing what they needed to do in order to give themselves an advantage and a future in this country. Right now, Spanish is the second language and it is gaining more ground because more and more services are available to those who don’t speak English, and who don’t see any reason why they should learn because they are not missing anything. Anyone says anything against their interest is immediately painted as racist and intolerant of minorities. They speak with one voice and fight for their collective interests. We can learn from them, or we become the powerless, voiceless minority not many years from now.
If an African becomes the manager in any place of employment, he would ensure there are no other Africans there. Make a Hispanic the manager and before long, half the work force is Hispanic. Same goes for the Asians. Someone jokingly mentioned to me the other day that when an Indian becomes a citizen, s/he files for the entire village so they can relocate to America. Africans will do whatever they can to make sure the few Africans here are deported. There is something in us about wanting to be the only success story so that everyone else can look up to us, but a lone success is a failure, really.
We can go on and on about these things. However, the question is, what can we do to turn the tide? Welcome the new forum at www.africansinphiladelphia.com that has just been created where those who are genuinely interested in giving back and causing a change can do so in their little and big ways. Even though the name is www.africansinphiladelphia.com, it is really a resource center for Africans in the Diaspora generally. It is constructed as a forum to allow free flow of discussions and communication. We are there to provide well researched answers if you have questions about how to get things done or where to get help with your situation. If you have material items, new or fairly used, that can still be of assistance to someone else, post it in the forum so that those who need it can make use of it. Anonymity is protected for those who need it. Everyone has something to give, and it does not have to be money.
Those who are still in Africa or elsewhere, but with the desire to come to America are encouraged to join in and ask their questions. Again, answers will be provided. Information is crucial. If you have information, news or latest developments, bring them on there. It might be just what someone needs to know. Posterity will remember you for what you do. If you are new in town and need guidance, it is the place to be. There are all sorts of forums there to meet specific needs. If we don’t help ourselves, no one will. No matter where you are in the Diaspora or would like to go in the Diaspora, your resource center is www.africansinphiladelphia.com.
