Tue 3/28 @ 4PM
With the goal to inform the community and leaders on several aspects of immigration often left out of the national news, Global Cleveland will be facilitating a panel discussion on the 2017 state of downtown affairs, The Economic Success of Migration and Immigration. On Tue 3/28 @ 4-6pm at the City Club, Global Cleveland invites civic and business decision makers, downtown Cleveland stakeholders, nonprofit service providers and Cleveland area residents who want to learn more about the impacts of immigration on our economy and on downtown Cleveland’s development to engage to the conversation.
“Global Cleveland believes that international newcomers in our community create new companies, revitalize neighborhoods, pay taxes, attract investments from overseas, and expand economic opportunities for all residents,” expresses Amaka Uwagba, communications associate at the organization. “Immigration and international diversity open up opportunities and drive the innovation economy. Our city and region are the beautiful and great places they are for many reasons. One integral reason is the welcome we gave decades and centuries ago, and continue to give today to immigrants and refugees.”
Cleveland has thrived, in part due to the importance of a foreign-born population that has provided labor and entrepreneurial abilities needed for the city’s growth. Ohio’s immigrant population has grown by 2.5% between 2010 and 2014. Today, Ohio is home to over 480,000 foreign-born residents. In 2014, immigrants in Ohio earned $15.6 billion and donated $4.4 billion in local, state and federal taxes. Foreign-born workers make up 6.7% of all entrepreneurs in the State of Ohio despite only accounting for 4.2% of the population.
“Economic growth and development is a bipartisan goal, and events like this can grow support and awareness of the fact that immigration is not only a social issue, it’s an economic issue with tremendous impact to business, workforce, community development and investments,” says Amaka. “Immigration is a hot topic right now. After all it takes courage and faith to move to a different country with the hopes of making it and fitting into a new society.”
“The hope of foreign-born newcomers should show the U.S. population how determined immigrants are, in addition to how they benefit the community from their hard work, by creating new businesses and by generating income and taxes,” Amaka continues. “With new amenities flowing around Downtown Cleveland, more immigrants will continue to find their way to Northeast Ohio and call the Greater Cleveland area home. The city is dependent on the capability to incorporate new citizens in order to spur technology, innovation and economic development in order to compete in a highly skilled global economy.”
Discussion panelists include Humberto Choi, M.D., pulmonologist, Cleveland Clinic and Downtown Resident; Joe Cimperman, president, Global Cleveland; John Kiru, executive director, Toronto Association of Business Improvement Area; and Joseph Marinucci, president, Downtown Cleveland Alliance. The conversation will be moderated by ideastream reporter/producer Darrielle Snipes.
Tickets are $30 for City Club members and $45 for nonmembers.
RTA’s free trolley service is a great free option, and it stops right in front of the building. The RTA Health Line bus stops just on the other side of the intersection.
[Written By Kendall Embrescia-Hridel]
1317 Euclid Ave suite 100, Cleveland, OH 44115
Cleveland, OH 44115