Opinion: Akron rejected hate and embraced our immigrants with Issue 27

Throughout this election cycle, immigrants were repeatedly vilified and exploited for political gain across the country.
But Akron voters showed that we reject these notions.
Instead, we’ve continued to embrace our immigrant population by approving Issue 27, which will, in part, fund a new North high school — a building that is bursting at the seams both from old age and from the vibrant immigrant community expanding within its walls.
It’s true that Issue 27 also contained an operating levy that will benefit the entire school district. This should not be ignored or undervalued, as all kids in the district deserve a quality education.
But much of the messaging focused on a new North, the only neighborhood high school that wasn’t replaced with a new building through a 15-year effort that resulted in more than 30 new community learning centers. 
At the time, the low enrollment at North didn’t justify a new school. 
But things in Ward 2, especially the North Hill neighborhood, have been quickly changing as an influx of refugees find home in that part of town. 
Ward 2 has shown the most rapid growth in the city in recent years, thanks largely to the resettlement of refugees in North Hill. While the rest of the city experienced a 4% population decline from 2012 to 2022, Ward 2’s population jumped nearly 12% in that time.
The area is now home to immigrants from Bhutan, Burma, Nepal, Myanmar, Iraq, Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, Vietnam, Syria, Uzbekistan, Ukraine, and Democratic Republic of Congo, with more than 20 languages spoken in that area alone.
At a time of political strife and uncertainty, as now-President elect Donald Trump has promised mass deportations, it’s more important than ever for our immigrant population to have a sense of community and access to helpful resources.
Had Issue 27 failed, the community and resources students have gained at North could have vanished. Though a final decision hadn’t been made, district leaders likely would have been forced to consider closing North and spreading the students out to other buildings.
In the meantime, they’ve had to endure leaky ceilings, an unpredictable HVAC system, unreliable and outdated classrooms and overcrowding in the aging building.
What a powerful, promising message to send to the students at North, some of whom are likely now feeling scared and anxious after this election — that despite all the hateful messaging from political candidates, immigrants here are valued and appreciated for what they bring to the table. 
In addition to a population boost, which brings downstream positive effects to the local economy and job market, immigrants have also brought a rich, diverse culture to the area that makes it a more interesting and exciting place to visit and live.  
Support for the schools didn’t just come from North Hill, either. It was spread across the city, with the issue passing in eight of Akron’s 10 wards, and every single precinct in wards 1 through 5 had a majority vote yes. It was also one of the only districts in Summit County to see a school levy issue pass.
This is a testament to Akron voters who have decided to rise above the hate − and perhaps even set aside whatever economic challenges they may be facing − and wrap our arms around our children, including those in some of our most vulnerable populations.
We have proven we can live up North Akron’s designation as an International City of Peace. As we move forward from the election and process whatever feelings it may have left us with, let us carry that peace and sense of community to help each other heal.
This piece was written by Akron Beacon Journal Opinion and Community Engagement Editor Theresa Bennett on behalf of the editorial board of the Beacon Journal. Editorials are fact-based assessments of issues of importance to the communities we serve. These are not the opinions of our reporting staff members, who strive for neutrality in their reporting.