“Welcome Dayton Plan” intends to mark city as immigrant-friendly

Dayton reaches out to immigrants and the “Welcome Dayton Plan” intends to mark our city as immigrant-friendly.

“I believe the city of Dayton is at a crossroads,” said Tom Wahlrab, the city's human relations council director, who helped lead the plan's development, “We can either welcome them, help integrate them, help them on the path to citizenship, or we can let old stereotypes and fears and preconceptions hinder our success.”

In today's Dayton Daily News the headline reads 'Welcome Dayton' plan to build on city’s diversity.

Dayton officials, who adopted the "Welcome Dayton" plan unanimously this past Fall ,  say they want immigrants to feel welcome.

Dayton has adopted a plan to encourage immigrants to come and feel welcome, and to help the city pull out of an economic tailspin.

"We will be more diverse, we will grow, we will have more restaurants, more small businesses," said Tom Wahlrab.

The Welcome Dayton plan to become an immigrant-friendly city is considered revolutionary by some, given the anti-immigration laws passed recently in other states.

A website, jobs event and staffing for immigrant program will be in place soon.

• read the story by Jeremy P. Kelley, in today's Dayton Daily News