Our Leaders
"What words would I use to describe Global Cleveland? Home, second home, yours, destiny, joy, peace, thanksgiving tables, love, love, love. I was fortunate enough to be at the official opening of Global Cleveland when our first Board Chairman, the amazing Baiju Shah spoke and he said, “Cleveland is on a path to being the most welcoming city in America to international newcomers.” I think about his energizing speech and those words every day. I try to live up to these words every single day."
— Joe Cimperman, President
Joe Cimperman, former Cleveland City Councilman for Ward 3, German Marshall Fellow, and current President of Global Cleveland, shares his proud first-generation Slovenian roots and his deep commitment to diversity, community, and family.
I was born in Cleveland, Ohio, and grew up in the St. Clair Superior neighborhood East of Downtown, near Lake Erie. The most culturally, racially, religiously diverse census tract in Cleveland, my world view was shaped by my African American, Puerto Rican, Slovenian, Chinese, Croatian friends, and teammates.
Global Cleveland is the DNA of this city, we are a place that serves as the second home for people from all over the nation and the world. One hundred years ago, in the decade between 1910-1920, Cleveland was almost 50% immigrant-born. In that same decade, The Cleveland Foundation, The City Club, The Cleveland Metroparks all came to life, and I believe that is no coincidence. We are at our greatest when we are at our most truly diverse. Our destiny follows this path.
I have met Elodie from Burkina Faso, Kwame from Ghana, Samuel from Colombia, Wenzhu from China, and people from all over the world through Global Cleveland. These friendships, shared stories, ongoing moments of Global perspective, and education — all through Global Cleveland – have doubled the joy in my life. The Global Rising program is so impactful for me. To see how total strangers can become fast friends and help one another in their mutual goals of learning about Cleveland and the world is extraordinary.
Global Cleveland made me, a native Clevelander, see the city and the community with a new lens. We are home to so many people from around the world, our picnic blankets do connect at the corners, we have such strength in our international interconnected intentional intensity.
As someone raised in a Slovenian household with a mom who immigrated from Slovenia, I remember when the Slovenian community came together for a celebration of independence. Slovenia had declared itself an independent, sovereign nation. The feelings of Americans and Slovenians were shared, the moment of what it means to chart your own destiny and to do so as part of your culture, I treasure each and every June 25 celebration (Slovenia Statehood Day) and appreciate my country, the United States, even more.
What words would I use to describe Global Cleveland? Home, second home, yours, destiny, joy, peace, thanksgiving tables, love, love, love. I was fortunate enough to be at the official opening of Global Cleveland when our first Board Chairman, the amazing Baiju Shah spoke and he said, “Cleveland is on a path to being the most welcoming city in America to international newcomers.” I think about his energizing speech and those words every day. I try to live up to these words every single day.
In ten years, my family will travel even more than we do as a result of the awakening Global Cleveland provides to each and every resident in Northeast Ohio. In ten years, our Global IQ will be even higher because we are in the right relationship with sisters and brothers from all over the world. Global Cleveland will fulfill Baiju’s speech for Northeast Ohio: We will be North America’s most welcoming community to Immigrants and International friends.
