In recent decades, new geographies of immigrant and refugee settlement in the Midwest have transformed urban and rural landscapes across the region. While research suggests that immigrant and refugee youth often find spaces of belonging in secondary schools and non-profit organizations, they still encounter barriers to participation in local institutions and social mobility. In this paper, we examine how refugee and immigrant young adults in the Quad Cities, a small Midwestern metropolitan area, are constructing identities and belonging through civic engagement in mainstream and immigrant and refugee communities. We focus in particular on the less visible or ‘informal’ civic engagement and volunteer practices by young adult immigrants and refugees, such as childcare, interpretation in health services, and elder assistance. While immigrant and refugee youth of color often encounter negative stereotypes and misconceptions about their involvement in local communities, these informal volunteer practices represent an important form of civic engagement and placemaking in cities with limited social service networks.
Refugee and immigrant youth civic engagement and placemaking in the Midwest