Dear Champaign County,
At this critical moment in our nation’s history, with communities split across deep
economic, ideological, and social divides, we want to invite you to be part of an
exciting initiative that promises to set our community on a different path forward.
Champaign County is becoming a more diverse and international community
with each passing year. We one of the few communities south of I-80 that has
experienced population growth since the last decennial census. Our foreign-
born population of 25,552 plays a key role in our growth — past, present,
and future. Regardless of status, immigrants throughout Champaign County have
established homes, found pathways to economic opportunity, and strengthened
the social fabric of our community. According to US Census data, immigrants
in Champaign County make significant contributions to the area’s GDP ($1.4 billion
in 2016), and also help to fund federal social programs like Social Security
($61.5 million in 2016) and Medicare ($16.6 million in 2016).
Our future is brighter when everyone has an opportunity and pathway
to contribute to our shared prosperity. Across the United States, cities of all
sizes are implementing strategic initiatives to welcome immigrants and better
integrate foreign-born residents into our social, cultural, and economic fabric.
Catalyzed by the Gateways for Growth (G4G) award in May 2018, the New American
Welcome Center (NAWC) at the University YMCA, together with the Champaign
County Economic Development Corporation and University of Illinois Research
Park released a report on the economic and demographic contributions of
immigrants in Champaign County. Shortly thereafter, we began engaging with
members of the community to create an actionable framework to promote
equitable access, civic engagement, economic opportunity, education, and
safe and connected communities for immigrants.
Over the past three years, we’ve worked closely with members of our immigrant
communities, service providers, government, businesses, public sector institutions
and faith communities, convening working groups and collecting input from
interviews, listening sessions, and surveys to establish baseline markers of
immigrant integration and to chart a path toward equitable COVID-19 recovery
and beyond. We are excited to present our recommendations and we invite you
to join us in making our community a place where each of us, including all
immigrants, can thrive and flourish.
Sincerely,
Welcoming Plan Steering Committee
WELCOMING PLAN STEERING COMMITTEE
Co-chair: Rachel Joy, City of Champaign
Co-chair: Charlie Smyth, City of Urbana
Evan Alvarez, Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit
District
Ricardo Diaz, Xpenn Consultants
Mike Doyle, University YMCA
Koeli Goel, Hindu Temple and Cultural Society
of Central Illinois
Darlene Kloeppel, Champaign County Executive
Pam Leiter, Champaign County Forest Preserve
District
Diane Wolfe Marlin, City of Urbana
Carly McCrory-McKay*, Champaign County
Economic Development Corporation
Lucia Maldonado, Urbana School District 116
Joe Omo-Osagie, Parkland College
Julie Pryde, CU Public Health District
Ahmed Taha, Muslim American Society
C. Pius Wiebel, Champaign County
