Ethiopian Americans
In 1919, an official Ethiopian goodwill mission was sent to the United States to congratulate the Allied powers on their victory during the First World War.
[5] The four-person delegation included Dejazmach Nadew, the nephew of Empress Zawditu and Commander of the Imperial Army, along with Blattengeta Heruy Welde Sellase, Mayor of Addis Ababa, Kentiba Gebru, Mayor of Gondar, and Ato Sinkas, Dejazmach Nadew's secretary.
Overall, approximately 20,000 Ethiopians moved to the West to achieve higher education and conduct diplomatic missions from 1941 to 1974 under the Selassie's rule.
Citation: Delbar, Vered, et al. "Transcultural Mental Health Care Issues of Ethiopian Immigration to Israel."
They also act as networks and support systems crucial to the well-being of both recent immigrants from Ethiopia and more established Ethiopian residents.
[20] Through public performances (e.g. cultural events on college campuses), these traditions are shown to communities of outsiders who are interested in Ethiopian music and dance within an American context.
Although they mainly live in other parts of the capital, these entrepreneurs purchased old residential property, which they then renovated and converted into new office spaces, restaurants and cafes.
[23] Additionally, Ethiopian businessmen in the District of Columbia own various parking garages, taxi firms, social establishments, grocery stores, and travel agencies.
Ethiopians are most concentrated in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, in the areas of Phillips, Powderhorn, Near North, University, and Longfellow,[27] alongside many Somali Americans.
[4] New York Abay Ethiopian Sports Club (NYAESC), and its local football team, is located in the Bronx borough of the city.
Younger Ethiopian immigrants in particular may go through a dynamic process where they balance assimilating into their new environment's cultural norms with preserving ties to their heritage.
Young Ethiopians' identity trajectories are significantly shaped by language, social interactions, and educational experiences in metropolitan Washington and other similar immigrant-receiving contexts.
"By focusing on the multiple and changing dimensions of identity and its situational variations among the children of first-generation Ethiopian immigrants, this article provides insight into the subjective understandings of these various labels in an increasingly diverse city."
These people navigate their Ethiopian heritage in the context of the United States' diverse cultural landscape, looking at the obstacles and victories they face in maintaining parts of their identity while interacting with American society.
Comprehending these dynamics offers valuable perspectives on the wider subjects of acculturation and identity construction in immigrant populations.
Seeking better work opportunities, escaping poverty, and aiming for higher living standards are examples of economic motivations.
The diaspora of Ethiopians in the United States must delicately strike a balance between the demands of assimilation and the preservation of their cultural identity.
