Start a Business or Seek a Job? Decision-Making and Challenges Among Refugees in Metro Atlanta

This research examines how refugees in Metro Atlanta navigate the economic decision of whether to start a business or seek a job, highlighting the structural and personal factors that shape their livelihood strategies. Using an ethnographic approach, the study draws on participant observation and semi structured interviews conducted with refugee women involved in a local non-profit organization. These methods provided insight into the everyday experiences, challenges, and aspirations that inform refugees’ employment choices. By foregrounding refugees’ lived experiences, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of economic integration and the complex realities of making a living as refugees in the United States, specifically in Metro Atlanta.