"This capstone is meant to spark a conversation regarding current refugee policy in the United States through analyzing different frameworks of assimilation. Rather than view assimilation as straight-line or segmented, assimilation can be viewed as a relational process, as highlighted by Tomás Jiménez. Current refugee policy now however does not allow for relationships to form. As it stands now, successful resettlement is deemed as successfully accepting a job offer, with little to no regard for how refugees will become a part of their communities. Success is monolithic, where the goal is job placement for every refugee.

1951 Coffee in Berkley, CA provides a different way to view refugee employment. Through their two-week Refugee Barista Training Program, refugees are trained in the specialty coffee industry and supported to find jobs in the coffee industry. Through prolonged contact and an emphasis on community and relationships, 1951 demonstrates how employment can be seen through a lens of relational assimilation that allows refugees to thrive in their new communities."