Meg Webster and Tom McLaughlin tell story of Congolese immigrants in “Portland Phoenix” article

Tom Chalmers McLaughlin, M.S.W., Ph.D., and Meg Webster of the University of New England School of Social Work co-wrote an article in the Portland Phoenix titled, “Bana mboka in Portland — how three Congolese artists sustain a movement.”

The article tells the story of three Congolese artists living in Portland, Maine. The three men are part of a movement among Congolese youth that embraces artistic expression and political activism. They reflected on their experiences living under the oppression of the Congolese government, as well as the challenges they face in Portland, working to get an education, improve their English and pursue their art.

It’s the second feature from Webster and McLaughlin in the Phoenix that explores the themes of diversity and shared spaces in Portland. Their first article was titled, “The Shared Spaces of Ernest and Mike.”

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