February marked the beginning of a new era for the International Institute as Arrey Obenson began his tenure as its president and chief executive officer. Prior to that, Anna Crosslin had led the organization since 1978.
Obenson comes to the position after serving as co-founder and CEO of Transformunity. Before that, he was the secretary general of Junior Chamber International (JCI). It was his work at JCI that brought him to St. Louis from Cameroon in 2002. He spoke with St. Louis Magazine about his first week on the job and his goals for the institute.
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On his first week on the job:
This whole week has been one of discovery. I started researching the organization when I was applying for this position, but in this past week, I’ve been having conversations and looking into its history, how it’s been instrumental in building [and] defining this community, and the way it is working with generational waves of immigrants coming to St. Louis. I think I have become an archaeologist, discovering and unpacking the hidden treasures of the International Institute all in one week.
On the state of immigration in the United States:
I am conscious—and I think everyone should be—that the future of America is going to be much different from its past. What is going to be common with the past is that there are always going to be people coming to America, but how those people come, where they come from, and how they are integrated into this community is going to be very different because of changes in trade and technology.
Being mindful of what we have gone through as a country in the last four years where we have seen immigrants or people who are not the same as us as almost the enemy, we have an enormous opportunity to make the case that the immigrant is vital for the survival of the American economy, to tell the story of immigrants, and to have a conversation about the kind of America we want.
On the International Institute’s role:
I know the institute is primarily defined by the services that it provides to immigrants and refugees, but it is really working toward building an inclusive society. So the clients may be immigrants and refugees, but I see the clients as the St. Louis community. If I had a magic wand, I would transform the International Institute into this amazing welcome center that embraces all of this rich, diverse culture.
On his upcoming work:
The work of the institute is really the work of America. The impact of our work is not limited to St. Louis. America is at a crossroads, and the work that we do in St. Louis can actually be transformational for America. We have the opportunity to set standards if the community comes together and supports what we’re trying to do. We could set an example for other communities. It would be beneficial for every American if we are able to build a more inclusive society. There is no downside to it—only an upside. I’m looking forward to being part of that conversation as it extends across America.
