From 2013 to 2018, Southwest Philadelphia’s Paschall-Elmwood neighborhood had seen a percentage growth of foreign-born residents at a rate that greatly exceeded the citywide rate– 24.9% in Paschall–Elmwood and 14.6% in the city. A recent report showed that as of 2022, 66% of the foreign-born population in Paschall-Elmwood are originally from Africa. Why are so many African migrants coming to Philadelphia, especially the Paschall- Elmwood neighborhood?

“Philly has a huge migrant population and you see it when you walk around. The first thing that comes to mind [when describing the city] is that it’s a melting pot,” says Louise Bittout, Communications Manager of  The Welcoming Center. “[Many migrants] go to cities like New York, because it’s popular, and then they realize it’s way too expensive to live there. Then they come to the next closest city, which is Philadelphia.”

The population boost in this area has helped create a net growth in the population of a city still reeling from years of deindustrialization and movement to suburban areas. From an Italian market filled with European, Hispanic, and African vendors to community-based organizations that repeatedly support these demographics, there are many ways people can find community here, which seems to be a crucial factor in why many come to the area and stay.

“Even people in Liberia know Woodland Avenue in Southwest Philly. If you [go there] from Liberia, you’re not going to see the difference,” says Muhammad Kenneth, organizer of various programs in the Condo Reconciliation Group that primarily serves Liberians in Philadelphia.

More than 20% of Philadelphia’s African migrant population now lives in Paschal-Elmwood, an area often referred to as “Little Africa”, and for some of the streets within, “Little Liberia”.  Kenneth describes the unity in the community to be appealing to fellow Africans because everything is the same; the same food, same language, and the same people. He says that people come to this neighborhood so that they can find a place to fit in and feel connected to the community around them. From 32nd street all the way to 72nd, African migrants are able to get a taste of home. There’s a high chance that each store you pass on the street is likely to be an African store, an African restaurant, or even an African hair salon and as you walk, flying above are flags representing countries from all over the continent. It’s a community that highlights African culture and is a place for African migrants, built by African migrants.

Last month, Kenneth set up a meeting with local law enforcement for new immigrants to engage with police in a supportive environment and realize they don’t have to be scared of the police. Initiatives like this from local organizations are providing migrants with opportunities to not only feel secure in their jobs and follow their passions, but feel safe in their communities. In Philadelphia, support seems to come more readily from local organizations and nonprofits than through state or city assistance. With this community support, the migrant population in Philly continues to grow and new migrants are able to gain their footing in a new country.

“When I first came to the United States, I thought they would be very welcoming, but it wasn’t,” says Mariama Korka Diallo, a new immigrant from Guinea who started her life again in Philadelphia just 11 months ago. She says, after many bad encounters with healthcare and DMV workers during her first few months in the United States, she started isolating herself at home. Coming from a big family community to a home with only her husband –and no one she knows or can relate to– she started losing confidence in herself and said, “I felt empty, like a baby. I didn’t know anything. I [said] this country is not mine. When I came back home, I [told] my husband, ‘I would like to go back to my country, because here, it’s not my country. I don’t feel secure.  I miss my community. I need to go back.’”

Diallo’s story underscores a common experience for many new migrants to the US who often face the language barrier early on. Regardless of what might have been a rocky start, Diallo now thrives in her new job as an administrative support specialist at The Welcoming Center in Central Philadelphia, after regaining her confidence in English by engaging in their International Professionals Program. She credits her successful adjustment to the Welcoming Center’s immigrant support programs that helped her find a community in America saying, “I met many different people from different communities. They all had the same problem as me and helped me understand that I’m not alone.”

The Center is one of many programs in Central Philadelphia that promotes economic development through community engagement, English and digital skills classes, career development programs, and assistance for people to start a business. They help hundreds of migrants involved feel more connected to their community and follow their passions with confidence.

For new African migrants in the area, they have the support of organizations like the Condo Reconciliation Group, the African Cultural Alliance of North America, and The Welcoming Center. Kenneth and other local leaders are taking on critical roles by providing services and resources that are often not as available at the city or state level, helping build trust and connections in the migrant community. As the Paschall-Elmwood neighborhood develops its own infrastructure, it continues to support the practical, social, and emotional needs for new African migrants, making the area a true home away from home.