Montgomery, Ohio – Immigrants account for around 5% of Montgomery County’s population, and they contributed $1.9 billion to the county’s gross domestic product (GDP) in 2019, according to the New American Economy.
According to the research, over a thousand immigrant entrepreneurs contributed to generating approximately $40 million in company profits.
Gabriela Pickett, a native of Mexico who came to Dayton, is a co-owner of La Viva Rwanda, a jewelry shop in the city. She expressed her delight to these recent statistics, “as an immigrant and makes me feel really good not only that I can contribute to my society, but also the community recognizes the importance and the contributions of immigrants in Dayton.”
Matt Joseph, the commissioner for the city of Dayton as well as a chair member of “Welcome Dayton,” said that there is no indication that the number of immigrants arriving in the gem city will slow down, and that they are continuing to integrate into our community at a steady pace.
Because immigration has become extremely political, some newcomers to the Dayton region may feel unwanted.
Joseph believes it will be a continuing challenge that they will have to deal with in the future, “I continue to notice that when people have a personal connection with immigrants, if they meet somebody at church, if they talk to a neighbor, their attitude is a lot different.”
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