1 00:00:00,120 --> 00:00:04,360 Speaker 1: America's post industrial rust belt is a landscape where you'd 2 00:00:04,440 --> 00:00:09,640 Speaker 1: think Donald Trump's anti immigrant message struck a chord. But 3 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:14,000 Speaker 1: all isn't as it seems. Even in Missouri, a state 4 00:00:14,080 --> 00:00:18,560 Speaker 1: that went overwhelmingly for the President in November, we're talking 5 00:00:18,600 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: about St. Louis and where a wave of immigrants from Bosnia, 6 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:28,159 Speaker 1: many of the Muslim have helped revitalize this economy. And 7 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:31,159 Speaker 1: it's not just St. Louis. The same things going on 8 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: in once mighty manufacturing powerhouses such as Detroit, Cleveland, and 9 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: even Lowell, Massachusetts. This week on Benchmark, we examine how 10 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,440 Speaker 1: the global economy came to Middle America and Middle America 11 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:57,880 Speaker 1: never looked back. I'm Daniel Moss, executive editor for Global 12 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:01,080 Speaker 1: Economics in New York. My co host this week is 13 00:01:01,120 --> 00:01:05,920 Speaker 1: Michelle jam Risco and economics reporter for Bolenberg in Washington. Michelle, 14 00:01:05,959 --> 00:01:08,880 Speaker 1: thanks for joining us. Thanks for having me, Michelle. This 15 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:12,600 Speaker 1: episode is based on reporting you and our colleague Eric 16 00:01:12,720 --> 00:01:17,119 Speaker 1: Anglert did from St. Louis last month. Now, you found 17 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:20,559 Speaker 1: a few surprises when you went into the heartland. What's 18 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: the genesis of the story and what surprised you the most? Well, 19 00:01:25,120 --> 00:01:28,120 Speaker 1: you introduced it quite well on the political framework. I mean, 20 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,320 Speaker 1: you would think that in a red state, a very 21 00:01:30,319 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 1: red state like Missouri, that the big city St. Louis 22 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:36,720 Speaker 1: would be a little pro Trumpet well as well at least, 23 00:01:36,760 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: but um, really, this immigration issue did not strike a 24 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: chord at all with the city. Um we found in St. Louis, 25 00:01:43,400 --> 00:01:49,440 Speaker 1: people across all industries, um of advocacy, nonprofit business people, 26 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 1: in the street. They were not only appreciative of the 27 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: immigrant community and refugees, but they really clung to that 28 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: community as a source of economic livelihood. I mean, this 29 00:01:57,920 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: is an area that is in the heart of the 30 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:03,559 Speaker 1: spell that has a very um, you know, excruciating transition 31 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,800 Speaker 1: to services economy as as much of the country, and 32 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: they just really did appreciate this immigrant community. And just 33 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 1: so we're clear, when we talk about a deep red state, 34 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: we're talking about the presidential level. Claire McCaskill was re 35 00:02:17,560 --> 00:02:22,480 Speaker 1: elected in Roy Blunt had at one point what looked 36 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,680 Speaker 1: like a competitive race, and the governor contests there are 37 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 1: sometimes competitive. We're talking about red at a presidential level, 38 00:02:30,080 --> 00:02:33,639 Speaker 1: exactly exactly. And now, Michelle, we'll get to a guest, 39 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,400 Speaker 1: special guest in just a second. But did this trip 40 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:41,079 Speaker 1: also help highlight some of the nuances in this sort 41 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 1: of you know, North South, red blue divide. I mean, 42 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:50,600 Speaker 1: it feels from the reporting you've done and what our 43 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:54,880 Speaker 1: guest is about to say that it's no longer simply 44 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 1: red state blue state. That's like so nineties, that's so 45 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:04,839 Speaker 1: class of ninety four ish. Really it's urban rural, and 46 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:09,000 Speaker 1: it's almost not even that it's in transition to urban 47 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,240 Speaker 1: suburban divides. Yes, it's definitely urban rural, urban suburban. And 48 00:03:14,240 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 1: it's also national security versus economic which well I'm sure 49 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,720 Speaker 1: we'll get to as well, but in the urban versus 50 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: suburban and rural, I mean in St. Louis, you see 51 00:03:22,080 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 1: really the heart of the city going pretty overwhelmingly for Clinton, um, 52 00:03:26,480 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 1: but you know, the surrounding county is going very much, 53 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:33,240 Speaker 1: you know, in an excess of sixty for for Trump, 54 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:34,760 Speaker 1: and much of the rest of the state going for 55 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: Trump as well. So really a divide, and much of 56 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: that played out in this issue on their feelings on immigration. 57 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,839 Speaker 1: And we have a special guest on the line. One 58 00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: of the business owners from St. Louis who came from 59 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 1: Bosnia who was featured in the story, Sidik Cook, welcome 60 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:54,640 Speaker 1: to the show. Now you are the owner of a 61 00:03:54,680 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: business called the Taft Street Bar. Tell us a bit 62 00:03:57,560 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: about that. Well, Um, I opened this place in two 63 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:10,240 Speaker 1: thousand three and I've been opened every since before that. 64 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:15,880 Speaker 1: I have a small restaurants, small seafood restaurant, also in St. 65 00:04:15,880 --> 00:04:21,440 Speaker 1: Louis city area, and I came in three as a 66 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: refugee here in St. Louis. And tell us a little 67 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,000 Speaker 1: bit about your arrival in St. Louis and your first 68 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 1: impressions of the city. Um, maybe not. Many people know 69 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: that refugees don't exactly have a high choice of where 70 00:04:35,760 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: they're there, placed by the State department. So what did 71 00:04:38,520 --> 00:04:40,279 Speaker 1: you think of St. Louis when you were told that 72 00:04:40,279 --> 00:04:42,320 Speaker 1: that's where you would arrive And what were your in 73 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: first impressions when you got here. Well, I didn't know 74 00:04:45,960 --> 00:04:48,800 Speaker 1: exactly where I'm going. I'm beginning. When I applied to 75 00:04:48,920 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: come in the United States. Uh, I was coming from 76 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:58,039 Speaker 1: Belgrade and also I was in two concentration camp in 77 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:04,679 Speaker 1: hold by Serbians search. So we apply, me and my brother, 78 00:05:04,800 --> 00:05:08,880 Speaker 1: we apply for the city on the river because we 79 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: used to work on boats anyway, So we ended up 80 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:19,800 Speaker 1: in St. Louis, right after flawed came here. We with 81 00:05:20,240 --> 00:05:24,680 Speaker 1: not much money. I didn't speak any English and I 82 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:29,239 Speaker 1: have a one hundred German marks, which was equal fifty 83 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:34,920 Speaker 1: U S. Dollars back then. So we came to International 84 00:05:34,960 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 1: Institute and that was it, and we work our way up. 85 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,880 Speaker 1: I started working as a prep cook in one small 86 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 1: Mexican restaurant. Of course I didn't speak any English and 87 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,960 Speaker 1: all recipes in Spanish. So welcome to United States City. 88 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: It sounds like a classic immigrant story. I mean, I'm 89 00:05:58,120 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 1: one myself, but I was certainly wasn't a refugee, and 90 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: I certainly did not spend time in a concentration camp. 91 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: Did your experiences prior to leaving Bosnia? Did that infuse 92 00:06:16,480 --> 00:06:22,599 Speaker 1: you with a overwhelming drive to make it in the 93 00:06:22,640 --> 00:06:26,799 Speaker 1: United States despite arriving with just a few German marks 94 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: in the pocket. And it's interesting to hear say marks. 95 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 1: I'm used to hearing euros, but it's a sign of 96 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:36,839 Speaker 1: the times that were then. Tell us about what went 97 00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,280 Speaker 1: through your mind when you found out you were going 98 00:06:39,320 --> 00:06:42,800 Speaker 1: to St. Louis, and did you have any sense of 99 00:06:42,839 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: how you were going to make it and become the 100 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 1: pillar of the community that you now are. Well back then, 101 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,440 Speaker 1: you know, you are looking to save your life, and 102 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,880 Speaker 1: I was. I was for about ten months in Belgrade 103 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 1: and the country was they said no in the war. 104 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: But they have a lot of police on the street. 105 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:12,960 Speaker 1: And you know, sometime I will get stopped when when 106 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:15,560 Speaker 1: when when I went to buy a bread? And sometimes 107 00:07:15,600 --> 00:07:18,760 Speaker 1: I don't get arrested because they have a questions for me. 108 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 1: But you know, when I finally get into programs to 109 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: come in the United States, I I didn't think that 110 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,040 Speaker 1: it still happen, to be honest with you, because it 111 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: was very hard before war to get into United States. 112 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:37,800 Speaker 1: And I never thought that I will I will be 113 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: one of the people who will be living in United States. 114 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:47,040 Speaker 1: And you know what we know about United States back 115 00:07:47,240 --> 00:07:51,400 Speaker 1: from the movies. We know about lights of the Hollywood 116 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 1: and big cities. We didn't know anything about crime and poverty. 117 00:07:57,240 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: And you know that some people experience slians here in 118 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:07,840 Speaker 1: United States, and uh, you know, not not everybody living 119 00:08:07,880 --> 00:08:10,800 Speaker 1: in the weld that we taught that that that's what 120 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: is all about America. But when we come here, I 121 00:08:15,120 --> 00:08:21,440 Speaker 1: ended up in southside of St. Louis City, where was 122 00:08:22,320 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: uh diversity, you have all kinds of people, Um Arabic 123 00:08:30,880 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 1: uh and I was one of the first Bosnians who came, 124 00:08:35,320 --> 00:08:39,719 Speaker 1: not first, but first dozen families that that came as 125 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,320 Speaker 1: an refuge here. So you know, we didn't know anybody. 126 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:46,880 Speaker 1: I didn't know anybody or anything about where I am 127 00:08:47,800 --> 00:08:52,920 Speaker 1: and how to get anywhere. So you know, later on 128 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 1: we started coming in international institutions, start learning English, and 129 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: and and and way to behave in the United States 130 00:09:02,320 --> 00:09:06,320 Speaker 1: because here is different than anywhere else, the type. And 131 00:09:06,400 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: tell us about the business that you started. How did 132 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 1: you get the money to start a business and then 133 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:18,360 Speaker 1: expand it? Well, I was I was on the beginning. 134 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:21,520 Speaker 1: I was studying as a as a prep cook and 135 00:09:21,559 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: working my way up. And four years later that I 136 00:09:24,360 --> 00:09:28,559 Speaker 1: become an active chef at Missouri Botan car Garden and 137 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,840 Speaker 1: money was much better. But still I didn't think that 138 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 1: I will have money to open up, and I started 139 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: going on a restaurant. Auctions are buying you stuff chair 140 00:09:44,480 --> 00:09:48,040 Speaker 1: stables and things like that and storing that in a 141 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:50,800 Speaker 1: couple of garages that I that I've entered from the 142 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:56,080 Speaker 1: friends who worked for with me. And then when when 143 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,960 Speaker 1: company that I worked for didn't they go she the contract, 144 00:10:01,400 --> 00:10:06,360 Speaker 1: I I was out of work and I would start 145 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,520 Speaker 1: looking for the place. Went in one place and and 146 00:10:10,559 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: the woman that I tried to rent it from, she 147 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:17,839 Speaker 1: was really unreasonable and I didn't sign the contract. So 148 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:23,760 Speaker 1: I went on lunch with friends and I I talked 149 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,120 Speaker 1: to the owner and he said, well, I'm moving next door. 150 00:10:26,200 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 1: I said, I was going to be here. He said, well, 151 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 1: I don't know. So I asked him for the name 152 00:10:32,840 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: of the property owner. He didn't give me. That I 153 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:41,839 Speaker 1: find out and I talked to the guy and I 154 00:10:41,880 --> 00:10:47,520 Speaker 1: signed the list same day and start working and rehaving 155 00:10:47,559 --> 00:10:53,319 Speaker 1: the property because it was in very bad shape money. 156 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 1: I borrow some money from my family and I put 157 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:05,400 Speaker 1: money on my credit cards, which was really bad idea, 158 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:14,280 Speaker 1: but and I opened my first restaurant. I have three 159 00:11:14,679 --> 00:11:18,760 Speaker 1: fifty bucks on my account and I have two card 160 00:11:18,840 --> 00:11:26,160 Speaker 1: payments and house payments as well. At three fifty bucks, 161 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:29,880 Speaker 1: it was all my capital in the world, and I 162 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:35,080 Speaker 1: was behind, like over thirty three thousand. You know debt 163 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: with family, which you know with bank you can make 164 00:11:39,160 --> 00:11:42,480 Speaker 1: a payment, small payment, but you know when you meet 165 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:44,599 Speaker 1: your family you have to look them in eye, so 166 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: you know you own the money. So you have to 167 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: really work something out okay, So fast forward, Sedy, from 168 00:11:51,240 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: that fairly tough start to where you are there. You're 169 00:11:55,240 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 1: a pillar of the St. Louis community. I understand you're 170 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:04,880 Speaker 1: the head of the Bosnian Chamber of Commerce. Just briefly 171 00:12:04,920 --> 00:12:12,679 Speaker 1: described the trajectory there well. As I said, I opened 172 00:12:12,679 --> 00:12:17,360 Speaker 1: at that place in August of two thousands, and I 173 00:12:17,400 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: wasn't involved in community work or anything like that. But 174 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:26,760 Speaker 1: you know, I was pretty decent work, and my my 175 00:12:26,840 --> 00:12:31,520 Speaker 1: business was pretty decent. I I started growing and eyebought 176 00:12:31,559 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 1: property where I am now with Taft restaurants, and I 177 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:40,200 Speaker 1: was trying to open catering in kitchen because my kitchen 178 00:12:40,280 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: become too small for what I was doing. Anyway, I 179 00:12:44,520 --> 00:12:49,439 Speaker 1: become a sick and things did not go as well 180 00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:53,760 Speaker 1: as I thought. So city told me that I cannot 181 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 1: open catered in kitchen. I have to open a restaurant 182 00:12:59,320 --> 00:13:01,319 Speaker 1: and put a bill think in a shape where it 183 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:06,080 Speaker 1: was in the beginning of twenty essentially. So I did that, 184 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:10,840 Speaker 1: and I couldn't handle two restaurants. I sold the restaurant 185 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:14,760 Speaker 1: and grant. I opened one on a gray ways and staff, 186 00:13:15,600 --> 00:13:21,959 Speaker 1: and then I started slowly but approaching to the to 187 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 1: the community work where we start basting in Chamber of Commerce, 188 00:13:26,520 --> 00:13:31,840 Speaker 1: and I was just a member back then, and you know, 189 00:13:33,160 --> 00:13:36,880 Speaker 1: very soon we started getting idea about applying for the 190 00:13:36,920 --> 00:13:40,320 Speaker 1: grant that we will later on get that grant and 191 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:43,959 Speaker 1: buy the building where we are now at fifty thirty 192 00:13:44,040 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: nine Gray Ways, and described the contribution that the Bosnian 193 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 1: community is making to the economic life of St. Louis. 194 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:56,640 Speaker 1: How many members do you have in the Bosnian Chamber 195 00:13:56,640 --> 00:14:00,600 Speaker 1: of Commerce, how many residents of St. Lou are of 196 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 1: Bosnian the saint and how does the city feel about you? Well, 197 00:14:06,920 --> 00:14:12,080 Speaker 1: there is about forty three Bosnian businesses as a member 198 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:15,720 Speaker 1: of Bastian Chamber, and we have many American businesses who 199 00:14:15,840 --> 00:14:20,120 Speaker 1: wants to make connections with with Bosnians as workers and 200 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: as businesses. Uh. Bosnian people did a lot of good 201 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:32,160 Speaker 1: things in the city of St. Louis and later on 202 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: in the county because our first step was city. So 203 00:14:36,680 --> 00:14:40,600 Speaker 1: we still have a good amount of people in the city, 204 00:14:40,640 --> 00:14:45,760 Speaker 1: but a majority now is in a St. Louis county 205 00:14:45,880 --> 00:14:51,360 Speaker 1: must be South County, and they are still involved in 206 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:56,800 Speaker 1: um in in in a lot of different things. They 207 00:14:56,840 --> 00:15:03,360 Speaker 1: actually wants to make UH. The neighborhoods either city or county, 208 00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: better place for their children, for community, for everything. That's 209 00:15:10,200 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 1: that's one thing I wanted to get at to city 210 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:15,480 Speaker 1: because you know, the neighborhood that you're you and your 211 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:19,760 Speaker 1: Bosnian other Bosnian refugees settled in is Bevo neighborhood right 212 00:15:19,840 --> 00:15:22,040 Speaker 1: in the city, and that was a place that a 213 00:15:22,080 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: lot of people said was not so pleasant a place before. 214 00:15:25,560 --> 00:15:28,400 Speaker 1: But once um, you all came in and had this 215 00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:33,280 Speaker 1: kind of rehabilitative attitude, opened more businesses, more so than 216 00:15:33,360 --> 00:15:36,440 Speaker 1: native born St. Louis AND's um and and really kind 217 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:39,680 Speaker 1: of got your got your hands dirty in the community. Um, 218 00:15:40,040 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: it turned around a bit. Can you tell us about that? 219 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: I mean, what was your sense of the community beforehand? Uh? 220 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:49,680 Speaker 1: I was a tenant in the place, second second floor 221 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:55,040 Speaker 1: of my restaurant back then. In I moved in and 222 00:15:56,400 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 1: this was a horrible neighborhood. And uh in nine six 223 00:16:05,080 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: there was a big wave of the Bosnians coming from 224 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 1: from Germany and from Bosnia. So we start center settled 225 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:18,680 Speaker 1: up right here in the Viban neighborhood. We start buying property, 226 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:24,760 Speaker 1: fixing them up, and it was really blooming. And then uh, 227 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:27,760 Speaker 1: I will say, in two thousand to two, thousand three, 228 00:16:27,840 --> 00:16:30,920 Speaker 1: they start moving out in account. But there's still a 229 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:35,560 Speaker 1: lot of Bosnians in the viable neighborhood and uh there 230 00:16:35,680 --> 00:16:42,160 Speaker 1: is a many neighborhood organizations UH as well as Bosnian 231 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 1: Chamber of Commerce and better Beeble. Now that we are 232 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 1: working together lately b form uh SEED which is community 233 00:16:53,080 --> 00:16:59,160 Speaker 1: improving district that is operating from forty seven Grave Ways 234 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:05,679 Speaker 1: to Christian Avenue. There is h one twenty seven property 235 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:10,040 Speaker 1: owners that we wore to raise ourselves taxes so we 236 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:19,000 Speaker 1: can pay for security, UH, beautification, cleaning and things like that. 237 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:25,160 Speaker 1: Now said, Missouri is a state that went heavily for 238 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:30,800 Speaker 1: Donald Trump last November. At various parts of the campaign 239 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:36,800 Speaker 1: preceding the election, issues of race and immigration were towards 240 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:40,560 Speaker 1: the forefront of our national narrative. What was going through 241 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:48,120 Speaker 1: your mind last year and last November? Well, you know, um, 242 00:17:51,480 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: I hope I will not get misunderstood. There is a 243 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:06,080 Speaker 1: hate and mistreating and things like that. But a lot 244 00:18:06,119 --> 00:18:10,960 Speaker 1: of people forget, not just in Missouri, United States of America. 245 00:18:12,160 --> 00:18:16,520 Speaker 1: Where is their heritage coming from. Maybe maybe they were 246 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:24,040 Speaker 1: not refugee, but they are emigrants. Like cure and horror 247 00:18:24,119 --> 00:18:28,840 Speaker 1: of the skin or heavily accent like mine is doesn't 248 00:18:28,840 --> 00:18:36,119 Speaker 1: mean anything. Ah. People try to hurt you. Maybe they 249 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:42,000 Speaker 1: don't even think why. Ah. Fortunately, here in the city 250 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:48,439 Speaker 1: of St. Louis, picture is not bad. Picture is pretty good. 251 00:18:48,640 --> 00:18:56,159 Speaker 1: And uh, neighbors tried to stick together and most of 252 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,840 Speaker 1: them appreciate what we did here in the past years. 253 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: Having said all of that, is there a country you 254 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:13,119 Speaker 1: would have rather been resettled in. No, No, I didn't 255 00:19:13,119 --> 00:19:18,040 Speaker 1: know anything about United States, and the United States definitely 256 00:19:18,080 --> 00:19:25,840 Speaker 1: look different now and three when I come here. But 257 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: if I have to choose, people don't understand what we 258 00:19:33,400 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: have here. People be this is best country in the world. 259 00:19:40,800 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: What is it you think we have here? Well, we 260 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:51,000 Speaker 1: have diversity, and uh we have most of the people 261 00:19:51,040 --> 00:19:55,240 Speaker 1: in the United States they are really good, really nice people. 262 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: And you have a bad apples in every basket, people 263 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: who just either they are not educated or or they 264 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:12,120 Speaker 1: saw something on TV that some terrorists dead and all 265 00:20:12,240 --> 00:20:16,320 Speaker 1: people are not saying people from from Muslin community. They 266 00:20:16,320 --> 00:20:21,320 Speaker 1: are not all terrorists and they are not all bad. 267 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:24,480 Speaker 1: You know, terrorists terrorists. I don't want to have anything 268 00:20:24,520 --> 00:20:28,120 Speaker 1: with them. But I am born and raised as a Muslid. 269 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: You know, craziness. Uh, people who who who do something? 270 00:20:35,960 --> 00:20:38,399 Speaker 1: I don't know what they're doing, and I doesn't socialize 271 00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:40,400 Speaker 1: with them. I don't know any of them. I don't 272 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:44,480 Speaker 1: you know, but you know people usually some people put 273 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:49,760 Speaker 1: in the same sock all of us. So are you 274 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:54,399 Speaker 1: optimistic about immigrants and refugees in America in the future? 275 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:02,280 Speaker 1: I am, I am. I have a meeting in the 276 00:21:02,320 --> 00:21:06,359 Speaker 1: Mayor's office a few days ago where are people from 277 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:10,840 Speaker 1: a few cities from the Greece came over here and 278 00:21:10,920 --> 00:21:16,159 Speaker 1: tried to bring some refugees from Greece to the to 279 00:21:16,280 --> 00:21:22,159 Speaker 1: the to the Saint Louis. So I don't know how 280 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:26,680 Speaker 1: how it will work, but hopefully they will get through. 281 00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:33,960 Speaker 1: Well sidek Um, we're humbled by your story. There's a 282 00:21:34,000 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: lot more that we could say in this conversation, but 283 00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,239 Speaker 1: the show must go on. I want to thank you 284 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:50,520 Speaker 1: so much for joining us. Well, thank you for having me. Well, 285 00:21:50,560 --> 00:21:52,720 Speaker 1: you know, Michelle, I read the story that you and 286 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:56,520 Speaker 1: Eric wrote with some interest, and not just because I'm 287 00:21:56,560 --> 00:22:00,760 Speaker 1: your boss, but it seemed counterintuitive. But out I did 288 00:22:00,840 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 1: not know that Siddiq had spent time in concentration camps 289 00:22:06,280 --> 00:22:09,200 Speaker 1: plural one would be bad enough right, right, Yeah. I 290 00:22:09,200 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 1: mean there's so much detail that this issue is so 291 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:15,760 Speaker 1: complicated on a national level, even on state level. Once 292 00:22:15,800 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: you get down to the city and once you get 293 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: down to stories like Siddix, it is a lot more 294 00:22:19,359 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 1: interesting to dig into the detail and see, you know, 295 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: the color behind each anecdote that contributes to this I 296 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: was also very interested and frankly touched without hesitation, knowing 297 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:35,920 Speaker 1: what he knows now, he would never have picked any 298 00:22:35,920 --> 00:22:39,240 Speaker 1: other country. He said, people don't understand what we have here. 299 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,639 Speaker 1: What did you think about that? I was fascinating. Actually 300 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:45,399 Speaker 1: brought to mind another family we explored in the fall, 301 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,320 Speaker 1: the Syrian refugee family in Phoenix, that said much the same. 302 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,880 Speaker 1: I mean, they said, you know, things that the opposition 303 00:22:52,200 --> 00:22:55,040 Speaker 1: would would just love to hear. You know, I'm so American, 304 00:22:55,119 --> 00:22:57,520 Speaker 1: I feel American. I feel like I'm part of this economy. 305 00:22:57,520 --> 00:22:59,280 Speaker 1: I want to give back, I want to contribute. And 306 00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:02,200 Speaker 1: that's much of what we heard from Saddik as well. He's, 307 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:03,840 Speaker 1: you know, as as you called him, a pillar in 308 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:07,080 Speaker 1: the community. He's he's leading a chamber of commerce, he's 309 00:23:07,119 --> 00:23:10,359 Speaker 1: you know, very pro business. He's trying to reduce crime 310 00:23:10,480 --> 00:23:12,640 Speaker 1: and uh, you know, reduce the blight in the community. 311 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 1: So it's very much a part of the sort of 312 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 1: American dream, American spirit that they've got. And yeah, as 313 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:22,320 Speaker 1: you said, without hesitation, he says, no, I wouldn't want 314 00:23:22,320 --> 00:23:25,360 Speaker 1: to be anywhere else. And you're going to keep reporting 315 00:23:25,480 --> 00:23:30,480 Speaker 1: on the role of immigrant communities and the economies of 316 00:23:30,520 --> 00:23:33,840 Speaker 1: the cities in which they are located. Yeah, I mean 317 00:23:33,840 --> 00:23:35,440 Speaker 1: there's a lot of stories to tell. I mean, we've 318 00:23:35,480 --> 00:23:37,640 Speaker 1: we've tackled a little bit of the rust Belt, especially 319 00:23:37,640 --> 00:23:39,560 Speaker 1: with this story. Um, Like I said, we went to 320 00:23:39,600 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: Phoenix last fall. Um, there's a ton of places, fascinating 321 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:45,440 Speaker 1: things going on across the country, especially when you get 322 00:23:45,440 --> 00:23:48,520 Speaker 1: into the local levels of you know, politics that might 323 00:23:48,560 --> 00:23:51,359 Speaker 1: be playing out in unusual ways, but also the economic 324 00:23:51,400 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: story being truly fascinating one. Um. We originally got into 325 00:23:55,040 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 1: this in part because, uh, you know, President Trump says 326 00:23:58,119 --> 00:23:59,879 Speaker 1: he wants to grow the economy three or three and 327 00:23:59,920 --> 00:24:03,040 Speaker 1: a half percent at least sometimes upwards of that figure, 328 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,000 Speaker 1: and economistart saying you can't do that unless you at 329 00:24:06,080 --> 00:24:08,959 Speaker 1: least keep immigration stable. And yet that's not part of 330 00:24:08,960 --> 00:24:11,560 Speaker 1: his message either. So at least in the short term, 331 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:14,680 Speaker 1: we're gonna have some hurdles here, and we're looking at, 332 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:16,560 Speaker 1: you know, how this affects people on a local level, 333 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:18,160 Speaker 1: how it affects them on a state level, and then 334 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:21,400 Speaker 1: eventually how it's going to affect a national economy. Well, 335 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:24,239 Speaker 1: we'll get you back on next time you published one 336 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 1: of those stories. Appreciate it. Benchmark will be back next 337 00:24:27,480 --> 00:24:30,360 Speaker 1: week and until then, you can find us in so 338 00:24:30,560 --> 00:24:34,800 Speaker 1: many places, very very many places, the Bloomberg Terminal, Bloomberg 339 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:38,720 Speaker 1: dot Com, our Bloomberg app, as well as iTunes, pocket 340 00:24:38,760 --> 00:24:41,760 Speaker 1: Cast and Stitcher. Why you're there, take a minute, rate 341 00:24:41,800 --> 00:24:44,560 Speaker 1: and review the show so more listeners can find us 342 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:46,480 Speaker 1: and let us know what you thought of the show. 343 00:24:46,840 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 1: You can follow me at moss Underscore, Echo and Michelle 344 00:24:50,480 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: You are at at m L JAM Risco, m l 345 00:24:54,359 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 1: j A, m r I, s k O. Benchmark is 346 00:24:57,800 --> 00:25:02,360 Speaker 1: produced by Sarah Pattison ahead of Bloomberg. Podcast is Alec McCabe. 347 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. To see you next time.