Intersectionality, Resilience, and Ambitions: African Migrant Youths in the United Kingdom

Young people from African migrant backgrounds in the United Kingdom (UK) negotiate unique challenges compared to their white counterparts. There is a significantly darker side of their reality bundled within racial prejudice, financial difficulties, family expectations and juggling with social and financial dependencies and fears. Amidst this challenge, the youth struggle with changing cultural identities. Centering their voices provides insights into their hardships and success stories. Accordingly, it is essential to understand how they build toughness and future ambitions. This study offers a novel intersectional analysis of African migrant youth in the UK, bridging the gaps between cultural identity, systemic inequities, and resilience strategies. This study used intersectionality theory; data were gathered through desktop research. The primary results include familial pressures, systemic challenges and resilience mechanisms, presented concisely. This paper suggests that, despite facing challenges, African migrant youth residing in the UK demonstrate resilience and ambition. Their narratives emphasise the imperative of inclusive policies that facilitate integration, preserve cultural heritage, promote equitable opportunities, and eliminate systemic barriers. This research informs the UK’s 2023 Integration Strategy and empowers groups like “African Excellence UK,” reshaping policy and academic discourse on migration. Keywords: African youth migrants, ambitions, resilience, intersectionality, policy, United Kingdom.