Our state’s network of inclusive communities and partners is growing. Wayne County commissioners recently passed a resolution for the county to officially become a Welcoming County for immigrants.

The county is the latest to partner with Welcoming Michigan, which is a project of the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center that’s supported by the Ford Foundation and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and a chapter of Welcoming America.

This partnership connects Wayne County with the national network, making the county one of only 14 counties in the Welcoming America network in the U.S. and the fourth county in Michigan, alongside Macomb, Kalamazoo and Washtenaw counties.

In total, our state has 19 cities and counties participating in Welcoming America, the highest number in the U.S.

Wayne County shared in a press release that through these efforts “the county will engage both U.S. and foreign-born residents in creating a welcoming atmosphere while building relationships that foster mutual respect among longtime residents and newcomers.”

The county also noted its commitment to “communicating messages of unity and shared values while working to improve inclusion and access to government for all people.”

“We can stand united with members of this community who have come from all over the world, to invest their time, their effort, their hopes and their dreams into this community,” Ahmad Abuznaid, director, National Network for Arab American Communities (NNAAC), which is located in Wayne County, said.

CMF member the Center for Arab American Philanthropy (CAAP), ACCESS, is part of NNAAC.

Michigan data at a glance:

• Immigrants make up 7 percent of Michigan’s population

• 37.8 percent of foreign born adults have a bachelor's degree or higher.

• 24,214 foreign students in Michigan contribute $657.6 million to the state’s economy

• Arab American employment accounted for $7.7 billion in total earnings in southeast Michigan, generating an estimated $544 million in state tax revenue

• A new scan by Wallet Hub ranks Michigan 14^th in the country for benefiting from the economic impact of immigrants when it comes to the workforce, socioeconomic contributions, innovation and “brain gain” and international students.

Michigan’s Welcoming Cities and Counties that are part of the Welcoming America Network work in cross-sector partnerships and collaborations to create inclusive policies, whether that’s removing barriers for an entrepreneur to start a business or ensuring government documents are accessible in multiple languages.

Welcoming America shares that the national cohort of cities and counties:

• Plan: Bringing together government, businesses, nonprofits, and stakeholders, they work together to create a welcoming community climate that supports long-term integration.

• Commit: Cities and counties commit to leverage strategies ensuring the ongoing inclusion and long-term economic and social integration of newcomers.

• Build Community: Ensure that newcomers and long-time residents find common ground and shared leadership.

• Communicate: Share messages of unity and shared values through the media, local leaders and the community.

• Sustain: They consider and build policies and practices to ensure interactions between new and long-time residents remain positive ones and the community’s economic vitality remains strong.

Wayne County said these efforts will be part of a larger diversity and inclusion effort, “which will focus on telling Wayne County's diversity story and raising awareness about the social, cultural and economic benefits of inclusion.”

Want more?

Connect with Welcoming Michigan.

Check out additional resources from Welcoming America.