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ST. LOUIS MOSAIC PROJECT REGIONAL PROSPERITY THROUGH IMMIGRATION & INNOVATION BETSY COHEN @stlmosaic STLMosaicProject.org Background #STLMosaic November 2011 Identified as Strategic Priority January 2012 Received William T Kemper Foundation study funds June 2012 Economic Impact of Immigration on St. Louis study Goal: Fastest Growing U.S. Metro for Immigration Key Findings: 2012 Study STL Region under 5% foreign born vs. avg of 20% for top 20 regions #STLMosaic 1980 10th largest city 2012 19th largest city St. Louis has the lowest immigration share of a top 20 city, and 2nd slowest population growth. 1970 26th in # of foreign born 2012 43rd in # of foreign born Other metros in the top 20 averaged 40% faster economic growth over the past decade. Source: Jack Strauss PhD, Saint Louis University Key findings: 2012 Report #STLMosaic St. Louis foreign-born community is highly educated with predominantly white collar jobs. 44% more likely to have at least a college education Earns 130% 60% more likely to be entrepreneurs 25% more than average American born. more likely to have an advanced degree 3x Source: Jack Strauss PhD, Saint Louis University more likely to be high-skilled Steering Committee Denny Coleman (co-chair) St. Louis Economic Dev. Partnership Rodney Crim (co-chair) St. Louis Economic Dev. Partnership Joe Reagan (co-chair) St. Louis Regional Chamber Bataya Abraham-Goldstein Interfaith Partnership Cabinet (JCRC) James H. Buford Civic Volunteer Anna Crosslin International Institute of St. Louis Tim Nowak (Advisor WTC) Betsy Cohen Project Director John Nations Metro Bi-State #STLMosaic Bob Fox Casa de Salud Kathy Osborn Regional Business Council Dr. Joel Glassman UMSL Patricia Ovca Donald Danforth Plant Center Anthony Gonzalez-Angel Gonzales Companies, LLC Jim Pennekamp University Park SIUE, Inc Melissa Harper Monsanto Company Doug Rau Sigma-Aldrich Corporation Ellen Harshman St. Louis University Kathleen Ratcliffe St. Louis CVC Michael Holmes Rx Outreach Vince Schoemehl Grand Center, Inc. Dr. Edward S. Macias Washington University in Dr. Julian Schuster Webster University Tom Irwin (advisor) Civic Progress Peter Tao TAO+LEE Dee Joyner (advisor) Commerce Bank Committee Principles for Immigration Economic imperative for St. Louis Immigration System must be streamlined and visa availability expanded Border security and rule of law Special initiatives to welcome and integrate newcomers #STLMosaic Goal #STLMosaic ST. LOUIS 2020 – Fastest Growing U.S. Metro Area for Immigration • • • • • • Business & Government Affairs Infrastructure Communications University Engagement Analysis Support & Volunteers Analysis Comprehensive internal gap analysis and external best practices assessment #STLMosaic June 2013 St. Louis Immigration Recommendations: How to Jumpstart Growth • Comprehensive internal gap analysis and external best practices assessment • By Dr. Jack Strauss, Saint Louis University Mark Tranel, University of Missouri, St. Louis Jeremy Caddel, Washington University in St. Louis Key Findings: 2013 Study #STLMosaic • Fractionalized local services • Universities assist international students but the region does not provide coordinated services St. Louis region compared to 10 similar regions: • • • • • Kansas City Detroit Nashville Louisville Dayton • • • • • Cincinnati Cleveland Pittsburgh Baltimore Indianapolis • Business and international communities not fully linked • Immigrants and religious organizations not fully linked • Good lifestyle in Midwest Study Recommendations for St. Louis 1. Coordination, communication, assessment 2. Launch a welcome center 3. Create online ethnic communities 4. Promote policies through political leadership #STLMosaic Study Recommendations for St. Louis 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Engage business community Connect to local community Include international students Communicate with MO, IL and D.C. legislators Open up to new ideas #STLMosaic Business Outreach Engage business leaders to develop hiring solutions for skilled, foreign talent • 2012 – Connect with local companies • 2013 – Understand barriers to hiring international candidates/students 2013/2014 • Supported Washington University workshop: “Leveraging Global Talent” • Regional Chamber’s Fellows Program to track/increase foreign born from companies in next class - recruitment • Focus St. Louis increased programming on immigration • Working with African, Hispanic, Bosnian and Asian-American Chambers of Commerce • Working with newly Launched Professional Connector Program to connect college educated foreign born, visa authorized to well connected industry leaders • Monsanto as they recruit for new facility #STLMosaic Government Outreach Engage local, state and federal government leaders to develop solutions #STLMosaic • 2012 – Missouri State Senate Blue Ribbon Panel on immigration • 2013 – Release Midwest Call to Action on Immigration Reform in D.C. • 2013 – Detroit Midwest Cities Conference Fall 2013 • Improve immigrant career paths in Health Care and & Engineering, may included professional re-credentialing • STL as 14th region to join Welcoming Cities municipal initiative by Welcoming America, STL City and County 2014 • Visit to DC with legislative presentations Infrastructure Develop ideal services: legal, housing, health, finance, safety #STLMosaic • 2012 – Review of support services • 2013 – Meetings with Regional Health Commission and City/ County Health Departments 2013/2014 • “Welcoming Connection” launch with website and physical components for internet/materials distributed through Convention and Visitor Commission kiosks, Metro Bus signage and more, with ethnic group events/staffing • Work with health and social groups that service immigrants • Access to cultural training and issue resolution groups University Engagement Attract and support international students for earlier and deeper integration #STLMosaic • 2012 – Meetings with 20+ companies, executives and university leaders to discuss international aspects of hiring 2013/2014 • Bring together universities to determine new ways to support international students • Tracking IT/IS first to see how to improve retention • Regional Business Council added 11/140 international students in STEM fields to their Network Mentoring program • Studying OPT/OPT extension and work visa issues, including for entrepreneurship Communications Develop strategies to reinforce inclusion and dispel myths about immigration #STLMosaic • 2012/2013 – Three initiatives sub-committees met 2013/2014 • Launch of St. Louis Mosaic Project • Website– STLMosaicProject.org • Enrolled 320+ Mosaic ambassadors to promote immigration, including foreign born • Over 60 media stories regionally/nationally HR Opportunities • Professional Connectors Program #STLMosaic – Connectors to help us network skilled foreign born – Participants we can send to you who have great skills • Mosaic Ambassadors at your company • Linkage to immigration attorneys • Linkage to STL Transplants- Anthony Bartlett #STLMosaic WWW.STLMOSAICPROJECT.ORG ST. LOUIS MOSAIC PROJECT WWW.STLMOSAICPROJECT.ORG BETSY COHEN [email protected]