Mohammad Usman, a DePauw University ‘13 alumnus and Bronx native, delivered a lecture last Thursday afternoon titled, “Ghanaians in the Bronx: (Il)legal Status and Pathways to Housing."
The lecture highlighted how the demographics of West Africans, Ghanaians in particular, have developed a unique urban-living dynamic in the West Bronx in New York City.
DePauw history and City Lab professor, Glen Kuecker, gave Usman’s introduction before his talk. “I think the significance and importance of this is that we know quite a little bit about migration,” Kuecker said, “But it tends to be in the context of Latin America.”
Usman’s lecture was developed from his graduate studies at Cambridge University’s Department of Land Economy. He covered topics such as distribution of government housing resources to legal citizens, and how West Africans have influenced the communities economically and politically. Usman said, “[the lecture] describes the understanding of how Ghanaians find housing in New York, whether or not they have legal status.”
In 2014, The New York Times featured this migration phenomenon in a larger context of African influx into the United States. A year later, they published a follow-up, reporting specifically about West Africans in the Bronx.
Although having a limited perspective on urban studies, junior Annie Dixon said, “I’ve been to, not necessarily the Bronx, but to New York City and Brooklyn a few times, and I mean it’s an enthralling place. To hear his analysis was interesting.”
Usman returned to campus after being invited by Keith Nightenhelser, a film studies and history professor who helped Usman with his graduate studies. “I was very excited,” Usman said, “I love DePauw.”
Usman transferred from Naropa University in Colorado to DePauw his junior year. Much of Usman’s DePauw undergraduate studies were influenced by the Gate Scholarship. The scholarship helped pay for his tuition and helped with applying to Cambridge University for graduate school. Usman was a double major in Urban Policy and Conflict Studies and double minor in Psychology and Religious Studies.
At the end of the lecture, Usman recalled some of his most memorable moments at DePauw. “I loved just being there (at Safe Ride) from 9 to 2 A.M. every Friday and Saturday night just talking my little heart out and helping DePauw kids have a good time,” said Usman.
Usman ended with some advice for current DePauw students. “Don’t be afraid to take the initiative, try something,” said Usman.“Often the mentality shift can make all the difference.”
