Summary Of Outcasts United

‘Outcasts United’ is the story of a refugee soccer team, their coach Luma Mufleh, and the town they live in, Clarkston Georgia. Clarkston, once a primarily homogenous white southern town, finds itself in the throes of extreme ethnic and cultural diversity after the relocation of thousands of refugees from Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Located just outside of Atlanta, Clarkston residents were accustomed to things being a certain way. The town motto “small town, big heart” came from an old white bread way of thinking. When relocation began causing diversification, instead of face it, or try to find a solution, many old white families merely moved away. Clarkston mayor Lee Swaney was the face of Clarkston’s “quiet, conservative southern
Lead by their coach, Luma Mufleh, the Fugees have something to teach everyone about overcoming diversity and perseverance even in the face of staunch resistance. This brings me to what I find to be 3 most important, and intertwined themes of the book. The first is Luma Mufleh as a second parent. The second is, Luma and The Fugees as determined. Than thirdly, the Fugees as family. The 3 three themes intertwine in undeniable ways, but I believe they are each worthy of separate acknowledgement and separate importance. We first get a since for the connection Luma has to her players and their families in chapter 7. We are being told about a trip Jeremiah Ziaty goes on to the supermarket while Luma is babysitting him overnight for Jeremiah’s mother Beatrice. Jeremiah asks for bacon, it being one of his favorite foods. Luma goes on to explain her cultural beliefs, and that she didn’t eat pork. Several weeks later, Jeremiah is in the grocery with his mother when she reaches for a package of bacon. ““You can’t eat that,” Jeremiah told his mother. “ Coach says it’s not good.”” (p79). This very clear instance of how Luma’s players respect her guidance and opinion as if it were law, show her parental like influence to guide their choices as young