Oso
As part of the Black Future Month series produced by The Huffington Post and Black Lives Matter, Tia Oso writes that “racial justice and migrant rights are not a tradeoff, but equally important fights.”
Oso, the coordinator of the Black Immigration Network, writes that “it is the sacrifice and struggle for Black liberation, from Abolition to Civil Rights, that has paved the way for the opportunities and success enjoyed by thriving immigrant communities today.”
Read an excerpt of her essay here and read the full post at The Huffington Post:
“Immigration may seem an odd topic to discuss during Black History Month, I would challenge that there is no part of our history that is not shaped by migration, be it the forced migration of continental Africans to the Americas through the transatlantic slave trade or the Great Migration of free Blacks from the South after Reconstruction. Our lives, language, culture, traditions and identities are constantly being shaped and created in a Diaspora context. Whether we are the distant descendants of displaced people, first- and second-generation children of immigrants or recent arrivals, we are connected to one another and inextricably linked by our shared kinship as African descended peoples and standing in the legacy of Black liberation struggles. Recognizing and embracing this reality will bring unity and lead us to a vision that celebrates our diversity and complexity.
“Immigration is a hotly contested topic, with rhetoric and media focus on Latino immigrants and conflict along the U.S.-Mexico border. Often ignored are the stories of over 3 million Black immigrants from countries in the Caribbean, Africa, Europe and Canada who live in the United States, comprising 10% of the U.S. foreign-born population. According to a recent Census report, the population of African immigrants is rapidly increasing, nearly doubling each decade. “Model minority” myths and exported stereotypes of African Americans would seek to divide Black immigrants from Black Americans when in fact, being Nigerian or Jamaican has not protected these communities from bearing the brunt of disproportionately high rates of deportation, unemployment, and economic exploitation, many living with the additional risk of undocumented status. The Black Immigration Network is dedicated to connecting these communities for action and raising our collective voices for social, political and economic justice.
“Often we obscure our immigrant backgrounds as we fight for social justice, leading to an oversimplified idea of what it means to be Black and making it seem as if the interests of Black Americans and immigrants are not connected. This is far from true.”
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“We can’t accept anti-immigrant rhetoric that lead to laws restricting Black American voter access. Nor should we accept immigration policies that ignore or penalize African and Carribbean migrants. As my organization, the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI) states, we demand social and economic justice for all. Working together at the intersections of our fights to create a just and equitable society that benefits us all is the only way to fulfill on the potential of a true democracy.”
The daughter of an African-American mother and Nigerian father, Tia Oso is the Coordinator of the Black Immigration Network and the Arizona Organizer for the Black Alliance for Just Immigration (BAJI).