The first Refugee Summit in Cleveland was held Thursday October 30, 2014 in the Rotunda of City Hall. The Summit was hosted by City of Cleveland Health and Human Services Committee, Councilman Joe Cimperman (Ward 3) and in partnership with the Refugee Services Collaborative of Greater Cleveland.
The theme of the Summit was: Get the facts. Fight misconceptions. Explore next steps.
Dan Moulthrop, CEO of the City Club served as Moderator of the Summit which drew about 120 people to the Rotunda.
Dan Moulthrop
He introduced Cleveland City Councilman Joe Cimperman who was a driving force behind the first Refugee Summit.
Councilman Joe Cimperman
Next, Brian Upton, Executive Director, Building Hope in the City, gave an overview of the Refugee Services Collaborative of Greater Cleveland (RSC).
Brian Upton, Executive Director, Building Hope in the City
Tom Mrosko, Catholic Charities Director of Migrant and Refugee Services gave a presentation titled Refugee 101 that told what refugees are, where they come from, how they get here, what happens to them when they arrive and so on.
Tom Mrosko, Director, Catholic Charities Migrant and Refugee Services
Tom Mrosko
Then a panel of Refugees told their stories - Our Lives in Cleveland.
Our Lives in Cleveland – Refugee Panel
Louise Mugongo told her story of being a refugee from Congo
Mouyad Abduljabar
Ganga Diyali
Helen Tarkhanova
Helen Tarkhanova told how most people outside the US get their vision of America from Hollywood and think that everyone lives like that.
The next panel told how Refugees Benefit Cleveland.
How Refugees Benefit Cleveland Panel
John McMicken, CEO of Evergreen Cooperative Corporation
Jose Manzanares, Senior Kitchen Manager, Cheesecake Factory
Brian Upton
Lou Tisler, Executive Director at
Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland
Darren Hamm, Deputy Director,
Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Cleveland
Daryl Anderson, Real Estate agent at Keller Williams
Maggie Fitzpatrick, manager of REAP
(Refugee Empowerment Agriculture Program) at Ohio City Farm
Moderator Dan Moulthrop
The third panel discussed how Cleveland Supports Refugees.Maria Bozak, Guidance Counselor at Thomas Jefferson - Newcomers Academy of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, said it was a pleasure to work with the 395 refugee students in the Cleveland School District.
Maria Bozak, Guidance Counselor at Thomas Jefferson - Newcomers Academy of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District
Dr. Erick Kauffman, Chief Medical Director, Neighborhood Family Practice
Chief Valarie McCall
After the panels, the audience participated in a Q & A session with Dan Moulthrop, Janus Small and Michael Byun.The very successful first Cleveland Refugee Summit ended with a Call to Action.
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