ECDC
WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — State and local officials were joined by leaders of the Ethiopian Community Development Council on Thursday via Zoom to hold a community discussion on preparations to bring refugees into Wausau over the next year.
Local leaders including Wausau Police Chief Ben Bliven, Mayor Katie Rosenberg, Yee Leng Xiong, and representatives from the D.C. Everest and Wausau School Districts all discussed the steps they’ve taken in the last few weeks to prepare the region for those that will soon call Wausau home.
Rosenberg used much of her time to discuss the economic benefits and the boost that new employees could bring to new employers.
Bliven added that it’s important that the refugees understand that the police are there to help, and not a group they should be afraid of.
Others included representatives from Bridge Community Health and the Marathon County Literacy council, who committed to reaching out to their peer groups that have dealt with refugees in the past to learn what they’ll need to do.
Among the state leaders who spoke included Wisconsin’s Bureau of Refugees program director Bojana Martinez, a former refugee herself, and Tsehaye Teferra, the director of the ECDC. He said it’s clear to him that Wausau is ready for an undertaking of this size.
“I am very, very impressed and convinced that this is a community we want to be in. So if the question is ‘why Wausau?’- it’s because of you,” he told the panel.
At its peak, the forum had over two dozen panelists and 300 viewers. After the first hour, that number dropped off to about 250.
The discussion was originally scheduled to last 90 minutes but ended up lasting two hours. There may be more discussions like it in the future as the need arises.
Thursday’s discussion was recorded via Zoom and will be posted in its entirety on the New Beginnings Wisconsin website.
