Explanation
This ordinance authorizes the City Clerk to enter into a grant agreement with the Columbus Chamber of Commerce in support of the organization’s creation of the Engaging New and Emerging Citizens and Community Guidebook.
The Columbus Chamber of Commerce’s mission is to help the Columbus Region grow and thrive. With one of the most extensive networks in Central Ohio, the Columbus Chamber is uniquely equipped to create the Engaging New and Emerging Citizens and Community Guidebook that will support the immigrant, migrant, and refugee community in the city of Columbus. This guidebook will continue education groundwork laid in 2021. It will share better practices being utilized by Chamber members who have create new policies and procedures to be employers of choice for immigrant and refugee job seekers. The Columbus Chamber values the vibrancy and skill sets that our refugee and immigrant populations bring to the city of Columbus.
Columbus is currently the 14th largest metro area in the United States with over 992,000 residents. Over 155,000 of those residents are members of the immigrant and refugee communities. While European immigration to Columbus has declined, the metropolitan area has seen great increases in African, Latin American and Asian immigration, particularly from China, Mexico, India, and Somalia. The city’s Hispanic community is mostly Mexican with a sizable Puerto Rican population. Foreign-born individuals account for about 82% of new residents. 40% came from Asia, 23% from Africa, 22% from Latin America and 13% immigrated from Europe. The economic divide between these communities and native-born residents is tremendous, with immigrant households often earning 25% less than native-born households.
The Columbus Chamber values the vibrancy and skill sets that our refugee and immigrant populations bring to the city of Columbus. To address these socioeconomic issues from a workforce perspective, the Columbus Chamber is partnering with Commun...
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