Independece day

Independence Day is celebrated by countries across the world, with most having claimed it from the British Empire. More than twenty of these countries celebrate their independence in July, including the United States, where SAMU First Response continues to receive large numbers of migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees. This month, we explore what it means to arrive to foreign country’s celebration, while grieving for the traditions you left behind

In the United States, there is perhaps no holiday more loved than the Fourth of July. The day commemorates the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, which made clear America’s intention to sever from Great Britain’s rule. Colonists had long been frustrated by taxes imposed by that government given a lack of representation in Parliament. “Taxation without representation” became the rallying cry for American independence.

Just one year after the Declaration was signed, the port of Philadelphia was swathed in the new nations colors: red, white and blue. Independence Day became synonymous with parades, originally culminating in 13 cannon shots representing each of the colonies at the time. A hallmark of the celebrations were fireworks displays so large that—in the words of Declaration signer and later president, John Adams—they could be seen “from one end of this continent to the other.”

Not much has changed in nearly 250 years. Independence Day is still marked by parades, concerts, family gatherings, and, of course, the quintessential American barbeque. On a regular day in the United States, you can’t throw a rock and miss the star-spangled banner, fondly nicknamed “Old Glory.” But on the holiday geared toward celebrating its freedom, American flags are hung from every possible edifice or flagpole, whether governmental, commercial or residential. They emblazon cars, clothing and even pets. Countless hands, young and old, wave miniature versions along parade routes across the country.

What must it be like to arrive in a strange country that takes its nationhood so seriously, particularly when you’ve left so much about the home you loved behind?

Homesick

Homesickness impacts migrants in different ways. In an article by Gail Tolley published on wellcomecollection.org October 22, 2020, Dr. Dieu Hack-Polay, an associate professor at the University of Lincoln in England, says it boils down to choice. Most people can choose to go home.

“In the case of migrants, we are faced with a difficult situation in terms of the distance, in terms of the circumstances that have led to them leaving the country, and the fact that they cannot return so easily.,” he said. “For refugees in particular, the fact that they cannot go home increases the level of stress.”

Tolley spoke to a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo who fled her home country due to long-term internal conflicts that resulted in civilian death and displacement. The woman shared that being in a foreign country where the language, culture and day-to-day life were so vastly different made her feel as if she were in jail. “Everything was new for me,” she said. “Even now, if you are not in your own country, you are not 100 percent free.”

For Becky Diaz, who immigrated to the United States from Honduras in 1989, that feeling is never more poignant than on America’s Independence Day. In an interview with National Public Radio aired on July 4, 2022, Diaz says that when she first arrived, it was a good excuse for a cookout. But things have changed since then.

“In recent years, it’s felt almost, like, dangerous. It just feels like things that shouldn’t have a negative meaning now have taken on negative meaning. Like nationalism, patriotism, the flag, the red, white and blue.

They just have a different meaning now. There was just such a shift in what it meant to love America.”

In that same piece, Nigel Gombakomba, who immigrated to the U.S. from Zimbabwe in 2002, shared Diaz’s concerns. He recognizes the long struggle his adopted home experienced to achieve the rights and equality that drew his family here. Although he’s optimistic, recent events have created challenges.

“Over the years,” he said, “The 4th of July holiday brings me to space where I think about, where are we going, as far as liberty and freedom and independence as the original goal of the founders of the nation? Are we living up to those ideals? Are people really free?”

In a fact sheet published on their website on August 31, 2021, the World Health Organization stressed the need for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers to receive support around their often traumatic experiences. These groups struggle with a disproportionate number of mental disorders, including anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Given barriers to accessing mental health services, or achieving continuity of care during the settlement process, this group is particularly vulnerable and requires special care.

What can SAMU do to help?

Here are five strategies

1. KEEP IT SIMPLE

Our job is to provide the basics consistently, and with respect and dignity. What migrants experience can often cause distrust, making it hard to connect to our clients. Keeping interactions with those we serve routine and predictable lends to our credibility. Positive interactions build trust, making promises you cannot keep don’t.

2. PROVIDE CULTURALLYCOMPETENT SUPPORT

We do not know what our guests have experienced on their migration journey, nor the details behind what caused them to leave their country of origin. Even if we believe we understand, there are nuances we cannot fully grasp.

We must extend the same welcoming spirit toward every person that walks through our doors, regardless of culture, values, religion, languages spoken, sexual orientation, and political or economic realities. Each individual is unique.

3. IDENTIFY

The signs of mental health crisis are not always apparent, even to the person experiencing it. Team members must watch for subtle clues that indicate a client needs support, including experiencing trouble sleeping, increased hunger or loss of appetite, low or no energy, chronic pain, issues with concentration, or strong feelings of sadness, anger, or fear.

4. CONNECT

When we suspect someone in our care needs additional support, we must provide resources to the best of our ability. Many organizations can help— to not only provide support in a crisis, but to help avoid one.

We can proactively connect guests to support groups offered by Immigrants Rising or the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (NNIRR) provides impressive lists of resources for migrant and refugee communities, including specialized solutions for families separated at the border or who have experience torture.

5. REMIND

It’s easy to get lost in a traumatic experience. Reminding those we serve about how resilient they are and what they’ve accomplished can help set them on a road to recovery.

For

some,

Remembering

celebrations from home can also be therapeutic. In Tolley’s wellcomecollection.org article, Dr Hack-Polay says that, in his perspective, “you can’t treat migrant stress without referring to home.” To that end, let’s look at how independence is celebrated in the home country’s of the populations we serve.