Revere committee seeks input from new residents

REVERE – Immigrants from all over the world filled Revere City Hall for the second Office of New Residents planning meeting Wednesday night.?I feel like this will be the most productive office in City Hall,” Mayor Dan Rizzo said.Participants shared where they are from and where their favorite place is. The answers ranged from Italy, Paris, Morocco and Revere.?Revere really is one of my favorite places,” state Rep. Kathi-Anne Reinstein said. “I really think Revere is the center of the universe.”The Office of New Residents committee sought to find out from those who attended what kind of help do new residents need, what information could be useful for them, what kind of workshops should be offered and what kind of activities should be held to become a more welcoming community.Residents suggested free job training and ESL classes as well as translation resources and more multicultural events.Revere resident Mina Madkour expressed excitement over the new office.?I?m very happy about this,” Madkour said. “It?s nice they are trying to make us feel more comfortable. It was the exact opposite before.”Madkour is originally from Morocco and has lived in Revere for six years now.When asked what Revere needs to do to become a more welcoming community, she said “there is so much we need but we are headed in the right direction.”Rizzo said they are thinking about another name for the office and actively seeking out funding. Currently, the office is run by volunteers. He is also looking for a physical space in City Hall for them to have an office.?We plan on keeping people engaged and getting more people involved,” Laurie Holmes, Chair of the office of new residents transition team, said.Holmes said she would like to see the office hold several information sessions for people.?We want to give information out to people about the city,” said Holmes. “We could have information sessions on how to start a business or how to become a citizen. The opportunities are endless.”Holmes said they are planning on having a large multicultural event sometime in June.She is hoping the meetings have stirred interest in the city.?I think it stimulates curiosity,” she said. “That gets more people out of the woodwork and become involved who might have been hesitant.”The meetings have made Revere resident and Chamber of Commerce Vice President Bob Upton curious.?It?s been eye-opening to me to see how much Revere has changed. I think it?s great what this office is doing,” Upton said. “I think this is a great opportunity to learn what Revere is about now.”Sara Brown can be reached at [email protected].