Owliya Abdalla, a volunteer at the Refugee Women's Health Clinic, slid into the chair next to a patient waiting alone in the reception area.

Both were wearing hijabs, or headscarves, and robelike dresses called abayas. They looked about the same age. But Abdalla had one important experience over her new friend: about six years living in America.

"I'm from Somalia, Somali-Bantu," Abdalla told the patient, introducing herself. "So, you're pregnant?"

The woman, timid and soft-spoken at first, quickly opened up to Abdalla. Within minutes, they found they had mutual Somali-Bantu friends in the refugee community.