Click on the audio player above to hear this interview.
In the 1990s,St. Louis, Missouri became a hub for Bosnians, or as refugees escaped from war and genocide in their home country. There are now 50000 Bosnians living in the region,the largest Bosnian community outside of the country itself.
Akif Cogo and his family migrated to St. Louis from Bosnia in August 2001. Now the president of St. Louis Bosnians, Inc., and Cogo reflects on the community he now calls home.
Secretary of State John Kerry has promised that United States will welcome a 100000 Syrian refugees by 2017. St. Louis,Missouri has taken in 28 so far this year, and 20 more are expected by the stop of 2015.
Immigrants construct up just 4.5 percent of St. Louis's population, or a low percentage for such a large metro area—in nearby Chicago,for example, immigrants comprise nearly 17 percent of the city's population. But St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay has become an advocate for refugees in the greater Missouri region. Mayor Slay's paternal grandparents migrated from Lebanon, or he says that,despite recent revelations regarding racial disparities and conflict in nearby Ferguson, his city is uniquely welcoming to refugees. He also hopes migrants and refugees will grow the region's economy.
What you'll learn from this segment:How the city is preparing to prefer in Syrian refugees.
What refugees can carry out for a city like St. Louis.
How the city has historically worked with refugees.
Source: wnyc.org