Reframing the Narrative with Akoth Ombaka: Why Immigration is a Fundamental Black Issue
On a recent episode of “We Live in Color,” host Deaunte Damper welcomed community organizer, builder, and healer, Akoth Ombaka, to discuss the intersection of Blackness and the immigrant experience. Ombaka shared a narrative that challenged preconceived notions on immigration and called for a more unified understanding of liberation.
A Journey Fueled by Survival and Resilience
Ombaka’s path to activism was forged in the stark realities of his upbringing in the Kenyan coastal town of Kilifi. Recounting the violence they witnessed as a queer child in Kenya, they described the "communal tossing away of humanity" that occurs when people are targeted for being different. This early exposure to injustice instilled a profound sense of purpose.
"Fundamentally, I just think everybody deserves to eat and live and be who they are. It’s that simple,” Ombaka said.
This pursuit of safety and authenticity led Ombaka from Kenya to South Africa, and eventually to the United States on a scholarship. However, arriving in Portland, Oregon, brought its own set of challenges—from the isolation of "half-fake smiles" to the realization that the image of America sold abroad rarely matches reality.
The Hidden Realities of Black Immigrants
Ombaka highlighted the important, yet often ignored, fact that the systems of oppression targeting Black Americans are the same ones impacting Black immigrants. He pointed to the disproportionate representation of Black people, particularly Haitians, in detention centers, where bail amounts are consistently higher and repercussions more severe.
"Immigration is a Black issue," Ombaka said, noting how systems like surveillance and private prisons bridge the gap between immigrant tracking and domestic urban zoning. They warned against the "divide and conquer" tactics that sometimes lead African American communities to view immigration as a separate concern.
"Antiblackness is a global issue," he said, echoing the sentiments of ancestors and civil rights leaders who understood that unity is strength.
Medicine as Community Care
Currently, Ombaka’s work spans several organizations, including the Liberation Medicine School, Queer the Land, and the Black LGBTQ Migrant Project. This work often centers on the most fundamental needs: housing and communal care. He advocated for a redefinition of medicine that moves beyond the industrial complex.
"Medicine is dancing to your soul," Ombaka said. "Community medicine is someone checking in if you drank water today. We take small things for granted and we need to be reminded what actual medicine for us looks like.”
A Call to Action for the Collective
Ombaka urged the community to look toward those immediately around them, emphasizing that "the small things have a butterfly effect.” For those with financial resources, he encouraged supporting established organizations already doing the work.
"We have to go back to our Blackness,” Ombaka said. "Nobody actually needs to recreate the wheel; you just have to be well enough to support your community.”
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