This month's Mosaic Story features a conversation between Imelda Gonzalez, a bilingual realtor in St. Louis, and Kelly Moore, Director of Community Engagement at the St. Louis International Institute. Together, they discuss Imelda’s journey of moving to St. Louis, her experiences navigating the challenges of being an immigrant, and their shared passion for giving back to the community. Watch video here.

By St. Louis Business Journal While immigration has been a political flashpoint in recent years, new data shows metro-level economic growth has been strongest in communities with rising foreign-born populations. That’s according to findings from Brookings Institution’s annual Metro Monitor research, which analyzed how economic growth among the nation’s largest metropolitan areas related to changes in their share of foreign-born, working-age population over a decade . Accordin

By St. Louis American The African Diaspora Council Inc. will host a daylong wealth summit and evening gala May 30 at the African Diaspora Federal Credit Union in St. Louis. The daytime program will focus on financial literacy and wealth-building through panels and workshops, followed by a ticketed gala highlighting culture and community achievement. Organizers say the event aligns with World Africa Day and aims to connect attendees with resources and strategies tied to long

By MSN St. Louis, MO (KMOX) - New population estimates released from the U.S. Census Bureau show significant growth in Asian and Latino populations in the 15 county St. Louis area. "This is what's going to happen probably over the next two decades as these populations continue to grow," says Ness Sandoval, Professor of Sociology and Demography, Saint Louis University, "they're going to be the two populations that will make up the majority of the growth." Sandoval adds, the g

By National Today Local organization Mosaic Project works to connect businesses with international talent amid workforce shortages and misperceptions about hiring process St. Louis is facing a workforce shortage, but thousands of international students and workers in the region are already authorized to work. Many employers still assume the hiring process is too complicated. The Mosaic Project, a local organization, is working to connect businesses with international talent t

By First 4 Alert ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - St. Louis is facing a workforce crunch, but thousands of international students and workers in the region are already authorized to work. Many employers still assume the hiring process is too complicated. The Mosaic Project, a local organization, is working to connect businesses with international talent that is ready to work now. David Amelotti: St. Louis and really the entire country right now is dealing with workforce shor

3 business owners from Canada say the region offers opportunity and access, but immigration challenges and lack of unified branding could limit growth By David Amelotti First 4 Alert Published: Apr. 1, 2026 at 11:09 AM CDT | Updated: Apr. 1, 2026 at 7:40 PM CDT ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - Three Canadian entrepreneurs have relocated to the St. Louis region, building multimillion-dollar businesses and urging others to consider the area as immigration policy tightens and o

S econd annual International Hiring Challenge offers employers one practical entry point into a broader international talent pipeline The St. Louis Mosaic Project (Mosaic) is calling greater attention to the role of global talent in strengthening the St. Louis region’s workforce, competitiveness and long-term economic growth, while launching the second year of its International Hiring Challenge as one practical way for employers to begin engaging that talent pipeline. As empl

By STL Business Journal The St. Louis Business Journal staff has compiled informational listings of major workforce service providers across several sectors. This list features global talent and New American service providers. If you feel your organization should be included in these listings, email Editor Erik Siemers at esiemers@bizjournals.com . GLOBAL TALENT AND NEW AMERICAN SERVICE PROVIDERS Address: 120 South Central, Suite #200, Clayton What it is: A regional initiat

By WashU Free festival takes place March 27-29 Wilmetta Toliver-Diallo, a lover of movies and a student of Africa, had a vision to introduce St. Louis audiences to films from Africa. The goal, she said, was to showcase the hidden talents of African filmmakers and the diversity of the continent’s nations and cultures. Some 200 films later, the African Film Festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary with award-winning movies, a master class from leading producer Ekwa Msangi

Midtown hub has attracted more than $1.3 billion in investment over 25 years By Nathan Vickers First 4 ALert Published: Mar. 17, 2026 at 8:15 PM CDT ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A 200-acre innovation district in Midtown St. Louis is drawing entrepreneurs and investors from around the world, as the region builds on its strengths in life sciences, agriculture and biotechnology. Cortex Innovation District has grown over the past 25 years into what organizers describe as one

This month's Mosaic Story brings together Alexandr Pospech, a Photographer, Filmmaker, and Imaging Specialist originally from the Czech Republic, and Jonathan Howard, Systems and Process Specialist at St. Louis Community College and St. Louis transplant. Alexandr shares his experience moving to St. Louis as an immigrant, finding community, and reflects on the betterment of the immigrant experience - in conversation with Jonathan, who brings his own perspective as a transplant

Mosaic Project executive director discusses importance of leading with inclusion Suzanne Sierra, executive director of the St. Louis Mosaic project, was recently a featured speaker at the BECOME Women’s Summit, hosted by Little Black Book. The BECOME Women’s Summit, held at the Renaissance St. Louis Airport Hotel, was a two-day event focused on helping women in business, leadership and entrepreneurship. During her presentation, Leading with Inclusion, Sierra shared how wideni

By St. Louis Magazine The 6,000 Afghans now settled here are opening restaurants, making garments, and starting new businesses. By STL Magazine The International Institute of St. Louis commemorated three milestones for the local Afghan community Friday, including the award of a $20,000 grant backed by local philanthropist Jerry Schlichter. The grant will support the Afghan-owned restaurant, Agrippa, set to open in the next two to three months. Also celebrated Friday was a new

By St. Louis Business Journal Big St. Louis Ideas: A bold plan to make St. Louis a Latino landing spot There is a noted exodus out of St. Louis — and more specifically, downtown — that has the city running on fumes. There are a number of reasons for this and most of them aren’t worth getting into in great detail. But they include fear of the urban core by suburban and nearby rural residents, an historical unwillingness by the city and regional governments to invest in downtow

By St. Louis Magazine Insights from the executive director of World Trade Center St. Louis Over the past year, Nowak has helped organize efforts to forge relationships with emerging business and trade partners in Africa—a fast-growing continent that he believes is full of untapped potential for local organizations. Above all, Nowak is determined to help the region thrive. “We have so much history, so many great stories, people, and assets to lean into and be our authentic St.

By St. Louis Magazine Insights from the Economic Development Partnership’s CEO and president Crim helps drive industry throughout the region. His extensive experience in public and private enterprise helped pave the way for a career built on staying curious, both about oneself and the world around us. “Stay in learning mode. Watch what others are doing but also take the time to understand your own interests,” he says. “Think about where your passions intersect with your skill

By Hoodline St. Louis With thousands of jobs sitting open and the city hungry for new residents, the International Institute of St. Louis has rolled out a new tactic: Move2STL, a free relocation concierge that tries to match workers with local employers before they ever pack a box. Launched Tuesday, the program offers personalized help that bundles job referrals, neighborhood guidance, school information and introductions to local services into one relocation game plan. The

By First 4 Alert ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) -A St. Louis nonprofit is covering the cost of driving school for immigrants and connecting them with donated vehicles. The organization’s efforts are helping remove one of the most common barriers to employment and daily life for newly arrived refugees. Welcome Neighbor STL has helped 50 immigrants obtain driver’s licenses through its driving program and has given away 83 donated vehicles since 2022. South Sudan refugee passes