– CHICAGO
Mayor Rahm Emanuel outlined 27 initiatives to build a thriving, diverse and welcoming city over the next three years, at the downtown Erie Neighborhood House on Dec. 4.
The plan, the first of its kind in the nation, highlights the potential economic impact of supporting creation and expansion of immigrant-owned businesses. It aims to develop, attract and retain talent and expertise from other countries; and bolsters Chicago’s status as a vibrant and welcoming international city.
Chicago New Americans Plan can create thousands of jobs and encourage the 560,000 foreign-born residents to contribute fully to city’s growth. “With residents from over 140 countries and more than 100 languages spoken in our city, Chicago is a city of immigrants,” said Mayor Emanuel. “These immigrants are small business owners, teachers, parents, clergymen, elected officials, and leaders in our communities. This is why I am committed to making Chicago the most immigrant friendly city in the nation. I thank the ONA Advisory Committee for assisting us in developing a plan that will ensure Chicago continues to thrive and grow and attract the world’s leading human capital to compete in the 21st century global economy and beyond.”
The plan proposes to increase growth of immigrant small and medium sized businesses and double the exports of immigrants businesses. It will make early childhood options and summer enrichment opportunities more available to immigrant parents in the expectation that each dollar spent on early-childhood education will eventually result in seven dollars in savings.
Proposals range from creating a “small business incubator,” establishing a “chamber university” to train leaders of local chambers of commerce, creating “pop-up” city services in immigrant neighborhoods, promoting tourism in immigrant neighborhoods, and expanding GED and English as a second language programs.
The report recommends increasing access to college savings programs, expanding parent mentoring, creating more “parent engagement centers” passing a “language access policy” that guarantees access to critical services and information “in the most common languages spoken” in Chicago. It even talks about creating “welcome stations” where immigrants can access targeted resources and health screenings and about providing “cultural sensitivity training” to city employees.
In July 2011, Emanuel created ONA and set the goal for Chicago to become the world’s most immigrant-friendly city. Just months later, he convened an advisory committee comprised of 50 leaders representing Chicago’s business, academic, civic, and philanthropic communities. Their goal was to identify challenges unique to immigrants, recommend initiatives to be implemented over the next three years, and develop a detailed implementation plan for ONA and its partners.
The plan’s 27 initiatives are grouped into three categories: Our Growth, Our Youth, and Our Communities. The three categories are divided into eight subgroups which will focus on economic opportunities, human capital, education, public safety, health, city services, civic engagement, and ensuring that Chicago remains a place where diversity is welcomed and celebrated.
“As one of the most rapidly growing immigrant groups in the Chicago area, South Asian Americans appreciate having a voice as the city considers how to make the city more inclusive and leverage the great potential of all immigrant groups,” said Ami Gandhi, Executive Director of South Asian American Policy & Research Institute (SAAPRI). “SAAPRI urges the City of Chicago to continue considering the South Asian American perspective when addressing the challenges that immigrants face and formulating solutions to such problems.”
“The Chicago New Americans Plan is an economic improvement and community development tool that will be a national model for creating a city that welcomes and incorporates the immigrant community into all city services and programs,” said Celena Roldan, Executive Director, Erie Neighborhood House. “Historically serving immigrants since 1870, Erie Neighborhood House is committed to empowering the immigrant community through the Mayor’s New American Plan and applauds his efforts to make Chicago the most immigrant friendly city in the country.”
To make Chicago the world’s most immigrant-friendly city, the City will effectively manage the implementation and success of this plan. ONA will utilize a multi-tiered scorecard to measure initiative implementation and results. The scorecard will also evaluate the extent to which the initiatives together are improving economic, civic, and cultural vitality for Chicago.
