The “Open Doors Workshop,” energetically spearheaded by Councilman Joe Cimperman, comes during a time of widespread international crises. Refugees from the Middle East are arriving en masse on European shores, seeking sanctuary from the violence and persecution of their home countries.
Stacy Dever, of Catholic Charities and the Refugee Services Collaborative, mentioned in her introductory remarks that the United States lets in 70,000 refugees per year, a drop in the bucket compared to the estimated 59 million displaced people worldwide. (That’s more refugees than any time since WWII). Dever said that the average wait time in refugee camps is about seven years.
Last week, Cleveland welcomed its very first Syrian refugee family to Cleveland.
“We’re looking forward to helping them rebuild their shattered lives,” Dever said.
After remarks by Cimperman, Mayor Frank Jackson, County Executive Armond Budish, the Ariel International Center’s effusive Radhika Reddy, and Stacy Dever, breakout sessions explored individual topics related to the refugee experience: transportation, housing, education, health, etc.
Cimperman said that the goals of the workshop were threefold: building relationships among city leaders and those working in relevant refugee services fields; educating one another about the issues; and creating a blue print to make Cleveland the number one city in the county for refugees in five years.
Cimperman said that in 30 days, he will produce a report based on the workshop’s results to present to the community, a sort of status update.
“Today is less of a call to action,” Cimperman said, “it’s more a reminder. Just west of us is the community formerly known as Chinatown, now called Asiatown. You go a little south and the first community you hit is the Slovak community. The second community you hit is the Irish community. The third community you hit is the Serbian community. And then you enter the community where African Americans who came from the South settled in the City of Cleveland.
“The reason that we’re here is pretty simple,” the councilman continued, “to figure out how, in a world that is getting crazier and a city and region that is getting better, how do we become an even more welcoming place with intentionality, with jobs, with education, with social services, with transportation, language and the law, to figure out how we continue to be the city we are called to be.”
This article appears in Sep 9-15, 2015.
Joe will be Full-Go….if his wife can get a contract – or two – or three – or four – directed her way.
I’ll believe it when I see it from Cimperman. I apologize for the long comment, but below is what I sent my councilman, Matt Zone. I’m waiting for a reply (he gave me a quick reply saying that he was out of town and will respond more at length soon).
Dear Councilman Zone,
You are no doubt aware of the ongoing refugee crisis in Syria, which in recent days has been brought into stark focus by the images of drowned children and grieving parents.
The scope and scale of violence and human tragedy make this an unparalleled humanitarian crisis in our time. It is imperative that our global community responds in an assertive and compassionate manner. The International Rescue Committee has called upon the United States to resettle at least 65,000 displaced Syrians by the end of 2016.
Not only has Cleveland long recognized the contribution that immigrants from across the globe have contributed to our city, we have a proud history of welcoming those fleeing violence and oppression: from escaped slaves seeking freedom in an abolitionist North, to Hungarians fleeing Soviet repression throughout the 20th century, to Burmese refugees escaping violence today.
We have the history, infrastructure, housing, community diversity, and will to welcome Syrian refugees to our own shores.
As such, I urge you, as a Cleveland City Council member and Second Vice-President of the National League of Cities to take on a leadership role both locally and nationally and to take the following immediate steps:
1. Sponsor an emergency resolution in Cleveland City Council endorsing this petition to the Obama administration calling on the United States to commit to accepting 65,000 Syrian refugees by the end of 2016.
2. Call on Mayor Frank Jackson to take concrete steps to welcome Syrian refugees to Cleveland.
3. Call on Governor John Kasich to make aid to Syrian refugees a statewide initiative.
4. Call on the citizens of Cleveland to create an open and welcoming environment to Syrian families.
5. Coordinate with city departments, local and national agencies, and community development organizations to determine the best opportunities and methods to settle Syrian refugees in our community.
6. Seek federal and philanthropic funds to facilitate the settlement of a significant number of Syrian families in our city.
Pope Francis has said: “Migrants present a particular challenge for me, since I am the pastor of a Church without frontiers, a Church which considers herself mother to all. For this reason, I exhort all countries to a generous openness which, rather than fearing the loss of local identity, will prove capable of creating new forms of cultural synthesis. How beautiful are those cities which overcome paralyzing mistrust, integrate those who are different and make this very integration a new factor of development! How attractive are those cities which, even in their architectural design, are full of spaces which connect, relate and favour the recognition of others!”
The Bible tells us in Matthew: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,” and in Isaiah: “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter– when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?”
It is my sincerest hope that you take these suggestions under serious consideration and lead our city to make a profound impact on this global crisis.
Best wishes,
Camilo J. Villa
I have no issue with helping others. But, when are we going to start helping our own? How many of Cleveland’s children and young adults die due to violence in this city? What is City Council and the Mayor doing to address the violence? Many of our streets and neighborhoods are dangerous and/or are falling apart. We need to fix the problems in this city before bringing more people into it.
The refugees are leaving their countries due to violence. Are they going to feel safer here where they can get shot in the cross-fire just walking down the street? Let’s make it safe for all of us and then we can invite others in.
They can’t take care of the poor people now living in Cleveland
Juat to put the violence in Syria in perspective with the violence in Cleveland…if the violence here were as bad as Syria, people would be walking with whatever they can carry to Beachwood and Westlake and they’d be piling onto RTA buses headed to the suburbs. The violence in Cleveland’s worst neighborhoods is a picnic compared to the violence in Syria’s BEST neighborhoods! They are literally dodging bullets and mortars and scared of their men being abducted into ISIS or whatever side of a multi year CIVIL WAR. The worst crime in the U.S. had absolutely no comparison to what these people are enduring! They’d probably feel safer weathering the polar vortex in a tent here in Cleveland than they would in a well-stocked bunker in Syria. It’s that bad! We definitely have problems in our community, but at least there is law and order here…there isn’t in Syria.
Great points, Lee, it’s all about perspective. There are people from all over the world that would kill and risk death just to live in the worst, most dangerous communities in America, because their situation where they are now is so much worse.
Yes and no. Black americans will have to forever compete with white Americans in being respected as equals. But what is going on in Syria and the ME at large right now is sanctioned murdering of anyone who is of a very specific following of Islam (Sunni or Shite). I know it sounds terrible because plenty here are struggling and suffering. But damn people are people and these people got no where to go and no ability to go anywhere. Let’s help them if we can
How can we help this family? Where can we donate?