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Issue: 1193 Date: 7/3/2013
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Local Immigration efforts to jump-start growth in St. Louis
local leaders roll out St. Louis Mosaic Project to attract, retain foreign-born |
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June 27, 2013, St. Louis - Today, local leaders announced an action plan to transform St. Louis into the fastest growing region for immigration by 2020.
"This has the power to transform our region," said St. Louis County Executive Charlie A. Dooley. "If we can begin to attract more immigrants to our region, it will bring economic benefits to everyone."
In 2012, Dr. Jack Strauss, a Saint Louis University economist, released a study, tying the lagging St. Louis economy to its lack of new citizens. The study showed that increased immigration is intimately linked to a healthy growth in employment, income and wages for all.
Keeping and attracting newcomers is the mission of the St. Louis Mosaic Project. It is founded in research and tasked with an ambitious goal. The St. Louis Mosaic Project outlines ways St. Louis can become the fastest growing region for immigration by 2020:
* Create effective communication - St. Louis Mosaic Project
* Develop website (
www.stlouismosaicproject.org ) with 10 nationalities represented (under way)
* Launch a Welcoming Connection to help newcomers integrate
* Pilot a new program to connect international students with job opportunities
"Right now, our immigration system invites the best and the brightest from all over the world to come and study at our top universities, including Washington University in St. Louis and Saint Louis University," said St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay. "But once they've gotten the training they need to build a new invention or create a new business, our system too often tells them to go back home. We have got to change that."
"St. Louis Mosaic Project means our region is serious about being a more welcoming environment for those who are foreign born, along with new open attitudes for those who are originally from the region to be a part of this mosaic," said Betsy Cohen, immigration project director for World Trade Center St. Louis.
Regional leaders hailed the breadth of support that local efforts have received, welcoming the St. Louis Regional Chamber, St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission, International Institute, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Asian Chamber of Commerce as well as those from a number of other international and civic groups.
"I came to this country 25 years ago. Slowly, but surely, I feel a part of the community. That is thanks to Mayor Slay, County Executive Dooley, Bob Fox and everyone working on this project," said Dr. Julian Schuster, Provost, Webster University. "Once we embrace in St. Louis that being foreign-born is not the defining characteristic of a human being, but rather how much they contribute to our community, to our city and to the new people coming here. That is going to be what is going to distinguish our city from other cities in the United States."
In conjunction with the Mosaic Project rollout, St. Louis received national news that it has become the 12th region to join the Welcoming Cities municipal initiative and the first to have both its city mayor and county executive sign together. Welcoming America launched the program to support locally driven efforts to create more welcoming, immigrant-friendly environments.
"To be the first region for Welcoming Cities to have both the city and county on board, shows the St. Louis region's commitment to attracting immigrants as part of an active plan," said Cohen.
"This is about growing new opportunities in this region so that every person, at every skill level has more jobs available to them," concluded County Executive Dooley. |
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