Illustration by Lars Leetaru
Every person reading this letter and every person in Cincinnati today is descended from an immigrant. Archeologists say that no form of human species existed in our neck of the woods at the time life first sprouted on Earth. Even the Native tribes living here when European settlers arrived are descended from people who likely immigrated from Asia.
If you want to go back further, early humans evolved in Africa and migrated outward to populate the world. For those who believe in Biblical traditions, Adam and Eve were the original immigrants.
Some of us trace our lineage back to people who came to the U.S. against their will as slaves, and some of us descend from people fleeing religious or political persecution. A good many of us exist simply because 10 or 100 or 1,000 or 10,000 years ago people left their homes seeking food, shelter, work, love, and/or opportunity in a new land. The story has been repeated millions or billions of times throughout human history, forming the world we occupy today.
I remember distinctly standing in a big courtroom as a child watching my mother get sworn in as a new U.S. citizen. I recall stories from both sets of grandparents about why and how they immigrated to America. They rarely talked about their home countries, and I always got the sense they felt a bit of regret leaving family and friends behind to seek new lives here. They never shared those emotions with us children, though, only positive thoughts about their adopted country.
As you’ll see in this month’s “Our City of Immigrants” section, Cincinnati is in many ways a welcoming place for immigrants today. Perhaps a town known for its German heritage and its role in the Underground Railroad naturally embraces newcomers.
I’d like to think we all share some DNA that subconsciously reminds us of our connections. Each of us journeyed to a new land and a new life—whether we’ve done it ourselves or one of our ancient ancestors did—and I hope that shared experience provides us the grace and the humanity necessary for welcoming the next immigrant.
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