A conversation with the International Instituteâs outgoing president and CEO, Anna Crosslin
In 1978, she took the helm of a collective with nine staffers and an annual budget of $120,000.
Photography by Kevin A. Roberts
Anna Crosslinâs friends were always curious: How could she spend more than four decades working at the same place, in the same role, as president and CEO of the International Institute of St. Louis? The truth, Crosslin would say, is that it wasnât the same job. Thereâs a need for continual reinvention in resettlement work, and the prospect of reshaping programs and solving new problems for the immigrant and refugee populations of the St. Louis region kept her energized. In 1978, she took the helm of a collective with nine staffers and an annual budget of $120,000; over the next four decades, she helped it grow into an acclaimed organization with more than 80 team members and a budget of more than $7 million. Next, Crosslin looks to retire this m
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Arrey Obenson is ready to fill some big shoes, as he takes the helm as president and CEO of the International Institute of St. Louis on Monday. He replaces longtime head Anna E. Crosslin, who is retiring after more than 40 years on the job. Obenson, an immigrant from Cameroon, came to the United States nearly two decades ago. In that time, he spent 17 years in various roles at Junior Chamber International, co-founded the organization Transformunity and wrote a book called “Bridging the Opportunity Gap.” St. Louis Public Radio’s Marissanne Lewis-Thompson spoke with Obenson about his new role and his commitment to the immigrant community.
Originally published on January 21, 2021 10:22 am
On his first day in office, President Joe Biden has already begun to undo the Trump administration’s most strident anti-immigrant executive orders and policies.
In the first of many executive actions, Biden signed an executive order to end the Trump administration’s so-called Muslim ban. The travel ban put restrictions on people from Muslim-majority and African countries entering the U.S.
“All Muslims are happy to see the end of this travel ban,” said Marwan Hameed, the associate executive director of CAIR-Missouri. “They’re very hopeful to see their loved ones very soon in the United States, either to visit them or to reunite as a family.”
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