Senegalese: Push/Pull

Why here?: Push and Pull Factors of Senegalese Immigrants

Senegalese mass migration is not something that can be easily ignored. Senegal's economic crisis beginning in the mid 1970s drove 4% of the population to flee the country in search of employment. In the 1990s the economic crisis intensified so that the GDP per head sank 28.1%. The downfall of the economy, along with “isolation, financial need, exploitation, discrimination, and a strong social pressure for financial support” made emigration a promising alternative (Focus Migration). Another reason for Senegalese emigration is the exponentially growing population that quadrupled since 1960. Today ½ of the population in Senegal is under the age of 18, so that poverty levels are rising and the unemployment rate is growing. In it’s Past, Senegal has been haunted by the European shadow and placed under France’s control for several decades. This caused a deep hatred for the French population, and much tension between the two countries. A man named Mansour who we met in Harlem commented on his deep resentment for the white population. When he looks at white skin, he thinks French, and this observation plants a seed of desperation to break away from these people. Throughout his life, he has felt victimized by the French population, which is one of the reasons he came to America. He said, “America is no one’s country. Europe is a place for whites, but I want to find peace with my people.” Once Senegal broke free from the clasps of French government, the people were desperate to make clear that their culture belongs to them as a population and no one else. They do the same thing in America. Their settlement in South Harlem is isolated from the rest of the neighborhood, and this seems to be on purpose. The Senegalese people we met commented on their distinction between real Africans and African Americans. Senegalese were pushed to America to find solace in their individual culture, and this rings true in their Harlem neighborhood.

New York is known to be the mecca of the American Dream, therefore, many of these Senegalese emigrants decided to settle in New York. New York City’s reputation for diversity also allows these immigrants to settle more easily. As many immigrant groups find their own neighborhoods in the city, Senegalese immigrants are concentrated in South Harlem, a mainly African American community. About 70% of the immigrants from Senegal migrate for the purpose of employment; whether it’s seeking a job, pursuing a job offer abroad, or accommodating a career transfer (Focus Migration). Because the Senegalese immigrants are finding employment in America, their families back in Africa expect money to be sent home so that they can sustain themselves as well. Another prominent pull factor of Senegalese emigrants to America is education. The most integral part of getting a job is having experience and applying it to your work. Proving that you can be an important part in a professional business usually comes from a very thorough education that you include in your resume. Education in the United States provides an opportunity to further advance in the rungs of success. A young clerk at the money transfer office initially came to America to attend college in Atlanta, Georgia four years ago, then moved to New York City for a job opportunity in Petit Senegal in Harlem. She commented on the fact that it’s very hard to get anywhere in America without any education to support ones qualities as a member of an occupation.This is one of the main reasons many Senegalese people do not partake in American jobs, but instead bring their culture to the community they live in through shops and street vendors.