Congratulations Anna Crosslin!

This past week at our Annual Meeting we honored our 2020 Trailblazer Award recipient Anna Crosslin, President & CEO of International Institute of St. Louis. Anna discussed the current immigration challenges facing the St. Louis and national communities. Framed within the historic challenges of the immigration debate, as well as the benefits that immigration brings to our community and society, Anna demonstrated how passion and vision molded her into the trailblazer she is today—an advocate for immigration and resettlement services in our community. 
 
In accepting the 2020 St. Louis Forum Trailblazer Award, Anna Crosslin discussed the following key points.

• The history of conflicts and debate around immigration
• The benefits of immigration to the St. Louis region and nationally
• The changes in immigration at the federal level over the last three years

 
Historically, immigration has not been a subject without controversy or debate. Being conflicted about immigration is not new. What is new is the way it is playing out.
 
Locally, we have examples of St. Louis’ role in welcoming, or not welcoming, the immigrant community. We have seen in our recent history how an influx of Bosnians has positively lifted large areas of St. Louis city. However, going further back to the establishment of the Transcontinental Railroad’s westward expansion through Chicago, that city thrived and grew with an inflow of immigration, whereas St. Louis languished behind. Immigration fuels opportunity and growth and should be viewed through an economic development lens, in addition to the humanitarian one. 
 
Anna encouraged Forum members to speak up, ask questions, and promote the value that immigration has brought to our local community. Thank you, Anna, for your trailblazing work to support immigrants and refugees in our community and our country!

To hear all of Anna's comments, click here.