Migration.

Mural of children by Jessica Sabogal; located in Oakland, CA. Photo credit: William Newton.

The movement of people from one region to another, or “migration,” is intertwined with other factors. One can not think critically about migration without thinking about it in relation to other contemporary realities, such as anti-blackness, sexuality, environmental pollution, national policies, gender, and so on. Our learning topics are created and selected to educate visitors about the various contemporary realities which influence Black, LGBTQIA+ people’s decision to migrate and the realities which influence their experiences of migration.

Why study migration?

It is important to understand migration to better understand a wide range of factors, like:

  • the factors that influence migration

  • the experience of migration through national borders

  • the experience of migrants in their destination or host countries

In our contemporary moment, migration to the U.S. South is burgeoning. This is not new. For instance, Texas has been a popular destination for national and international im/migration since the 1950s. Houston is an important site, both as a destination city and a transit city, and The Greater Houston Area is home to thriving immigrant communities.

However, this moment registers a shift in the treatment of im/migrants. In Houston, there are a growing number of immigrant detention centers and an increased frequency of anti-immigrant raids. The city has become a site for the detention and deportation of immigrants.

Among im/migrant populations, Black LGBTQ+ migrants are disproportionately impacted during processes of migration (Foner 2018; Transgender Law Center). In our learning topics, we engage visitors to think critically about the realities of anti-blackness and the intersecting structures of oppression which create these differential experiences of migration.

Our learning topics address the following topics:

  1. Key factors driving the migration of Black LGBTQ+ migrants to the US South today

  2. The depth and breadth of queer and trans Afro-Caribbean and Afro-Latinidad histories and cultural productions related to migrations

  3. The current realities of structural racism and anti-blackness within the U.S. as it impacts Black LGBTQ+ migrants

  4. Uses of this knowledge to serve Black LGBTQ+ migrants

Our treatment of migration is informed by a broad feminist approach which is grounded in the work of Black, Latina, and transnational feminists. As a group, our connection to migration comes from varied experiences, including the personal experience of migration, the experience of being raised by im/migrants, and research on migration within various academic disciplines. Our learning topics will continue to expand to reflect our varied research and engagements.

Learn more.

To learn more about transnational migration in the Americas, please see: