Josselyn Lee
Research Mentor: Melissa Borja
Mentor Department: American Culture, LSA
Author(s): Josselyn Lee
Session: Session 4 (1:00 PM – 1:50 PM)
Presentation Type: Poster 22
Abstract
This study examines the motivations of people of faith who choose to get involved in projects that serve and advocate for immigrants and refugees. Using oral history interviews with religious individuals who resettled Southeast Asian refugees through congregational sponsorship in Minneapolis and St. Paul during the 1970s and 1980s, the study investigates why people of faith choose to engage in refugee support and which values guide their involvement. The findings reveal that participants were primarily motivated by ideals of neighborly love, moral responsibility, and a desire for cultural exchange, rather than by charity alone. These motivations also influenced the types of assistance the volunteers offered, emphasizing building relationships, providing mentorship, and creating opportunities for mutual cultural learning alongside material support. This study argues that faith-based refugee aid is best understood as a form of community-building based on mutual respect and recognition. The significance of this research lies in its contribution to existing studies on religion and migration by showing how moral and cultural values influence local, community-based responses to displacement (Borja, 2023). This research also helps us understand current immigration topics in Minnesota, where faith communities continue to play an important role in supporting immigrants as enforcement by agencies like ICE has increased. By linking earlier refugee resettlement efforts to present-day immigration advocacy, this study shows that faith-based values continue to shape how communities support immigrants today.
