“Ohio Is Home for All” reads a new, robin's egg blue digital billboard in Akron, featuring faces of people of all races, ages, and ethnicities. According to the Ohio Immigrant Alliance and Elizabeth Zaleski, the billboard’s sponsor, all people who choose to make Ohio their home, raise their families and build good lives here, are welcome in the Buckeye State. 

“Ours is a message of welcome and inclusion,” said Lynn Tramonte, Executive Director of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance. “Immigrants are part of Ohio’s past, present, and future. The current federal government may see it differently, but most of them don’t live in Ohio. They don’t represent the opinion of millions of people here. We don’t need politicians who teach us to hate our neighbors. We need politicians who understand that every contribution matters and we are all part of one community.”

Elizabeth Zaleski is a book editor who lives in Akron. Concerned about current anti-immigrant policies, she reached out to OIA to partner on this billboard, which will be up through the month of February. 

Zaleski said, “We know that immigration is part of who we are as U.S. Americans, and that immigrants have long made vital contributions to our communities while navigating a needlessly convoluted bureaucracy. Today, our immigrant neighbors continue to do this while also suffering shameless scapegoating, racial profiling, and wanton cruelty. There is no shortage of terrible news right now, and it often reaches us through hyper-individualized platforms. Thus, I wanted to create something public and positive. Ohio must continue to be a home for all.”

Tramonte will participate in a panel discussion on “ICE, Justice & Ohio Communities” at the Akron Public Library (Main Branch) on February 18, from 6-7:30pm, with other experts. The event is hosted by Indivisible Akron (RSVP here).

Tramonte added, “It’s Congress’ job to pass immigration laws, and immigrants are trying hard to follow the law. But the law also needs to work, logically. Arresting and deporting people who have lived here for decades is the wrong approach. Canceling legal status programs so that more people can be deported — like Haitian-Ohioans who have already survived so much — doesn’t make sense, either. People who are working legally and paying taxes should be able to keep doing so; they shouldn’t suddenly have to fear separation from their homes and families. We need immigration reform in Congress, and we need a federal government that respects everyone’s contributions, roles, and rights. Our billboard speaks for the Ohioans who welcome immigrants and are glad they’ve made Ohio their home.”

The “Ohio Is Home” digital billboard is located on US 224 East, about 700 feet from Hilbish Avenue, facing west. It will be up for the month of February, and is expected to garner at least 176,000 impressions. View photos below. 

Members of the Ohio House are introducing law enforcement accountability legislation that will require ICE and the Border Patrol to follow the law and behave professionally. OIA reacts here.

The national Children Thrive Action Network, Viles Dorsainvil of Springfield, and Lynn Tramonte of OIA discuss the consequences of ending TPS for Haiti on Ohio children. Read their statements here.

Lynn Tramonte, ED of OIA, was a panelist at "Happy Dog Takes on ICE," a Cleveland City Club forum. Listen to the audio recording and read the transcript here.

Resources

• Read: “The way people think immigration works and the way it really does” (Ohio Capital Journal).

• Attend Indivisible Akron’s “ICE, Justice & Ohio Communities” panel discussion at the Akron Public Library (Main Branch) on February 18, from 6-7:30pm. (RSVP here).

• Purchase “Ohio Is Home” merchandise from the Ohio Immigrant Alliance’s online store at bit.ly/OIAshirt. Hats, bags, notebook, water bottles, lawn signs, and shirts sized for the entire family are available. 

• Donate to the Ohio Immigrant Alliance at bit.ly/DonateOIA. Join the OIA email list here.