A group of leaders from the Mexican, African American, Chinese, Jewish, Puerto Rican, Nigerian, Lebanese, Russian, Guatemalan, Israeli, French, Taiwanese, Palestinian, Bhutanese, Pakistani, Somali, Vietnamese, Ukrainian, Indian, Serbian and many other communities invite you to our inaugural Multicultural Happy Hour.



We intend to do this each month in 2013 to create a sense of community and commitment around support for national immigration law reform and local efforts to make Northeast Ohio cities more immigrant-friendly.

Historic changes are happening all around us. 

The re-election of the nation’s first African-American president. The rise in political power of the Hispanic and Asian community. Possible immigration reform that could bring millions of undocumented families out of the shadows and into our welcoming community --- not to mention thousands more immigrant entrepreneurs and innovators that could help jumpstart the economy of cities like Cleveland, Lorain and Painesville.

However, for Northeast Ohio to benefit from these national changes, and for our economy to grow, we will have to come together, speak with one voice in D.C. on why immigration reform is important to Northeast Ohio’s future. 

We invite you to join us for happy hour, networking, and a quick briefing on how you can support immigration law reform, as well as ways we can together encourage local policies that welcome immigrant investment and talent, that make immigrants feel safe and part of the community.

Together, we can build a globally-connected city and grow the pie.

Please join us and other kindred spirits on Thursday, February 21st, for complimentary wine and appetizers, cash bar, at the newly-launched Tomo Hibachi Restaurant & Lounge, 1293 West 9th St. Cleveland, Ohio 44113. 

Tomo’s is the brainchild of Immigrant-American entrepreneurs Velimir Lucic, of Serbia, and Benny Yang, of China.

Check out the photos of this amazing historic four story building recently renovated by Velimir and Benny atwww.tomohibachiandsushi.com. You won’t want to miss this event!

Event Hosts

Lee Fisher, CEO for Cities
John Barnes, Ohio House of Representatives
Joe Cimperman, Councilman, City of Cleveland
Mamie Mitchell, Councilwoman, City of Cleveland
Brian Cummins, Councilman, City of Cleveland
Max Rodas, Nueva Luz Urban Resource Center & Guatemalan Immigrant
Lute Harmon, Inside Business & Cleveland Magazine
Eduardo Gonzalez, Ferragon Corporation
Richard Romero, Latinos Magazine
Ivan Gomez, Vocero Latino
Mansfield Frazier, Neighborhood Solutions
Jan Vilcek, Vilcek Foundation 
Johnny Wu, Organization of Chinese Americans- Cleveland
Donna Dabbs, Urban Film Festival
Alton Tinker, Society of Urban Professionals
Alan Schonberg, Ohio Israel Chamber of Commerce
Joy Roller, Global Cleveland
Ruben Castilla Herrra, LGBT LULAC
Michael Byun, Asia Service in Action 
Camilo Villa, SEIU Local 1
Karin Wishner, International Services Center
Nick Torres, Latino Policy Action Network
Pierre Beijjani, Cleveland American Middle East Organization
Prakash Sinha, India International
Lucian Fogoros, Romanian Orthodox Episcopate of America
Dennis Seaman, Seaman Garson
Derek Ng, China Great Lakes Innovation
Hasan Bakia, Albanian Association of Cleveland
Connie Atkins, Consortium of African American Organizations
Brian Hoffman, Innovation Ohio
Henry Guzman, HG & Associates
Gary Convertino, VP, Diversity, Cleveland Society of Human Resource Professionals
Susan Lohwater, Cuyahoga Community College
Patty Quinonez, Latina, Inc.
Lou Acosta, Northcoast Minority Media
Arooj Ashraf, LaPrensa Newspaper
John Ramos, LULAC Ohio
Maritza Motino, LULAC Columbus
Velimir Lucic, Tomo Hibachi Restaurant & Lounge
Benny Yan, Tomo Hibachi Restauraunt & Lounge
Anthony Yen, Confucius Institute, CSU
Luis Cartagena, Young Latino Network & Convencion Hispana 2013
Sanjiv Kapur, Jones Day
Jack Story, Saving Cities
Rachel Ng, MotivAsians
Jennifer Luu, MotivAsians
Patrick Valente (TIE: The Immigrant Entrepreneur Association)
Asim Data, Federation of India Community Associations, Cleveland
Joe Nava, Cincinnati Latino Community & Unity Prime Construction
Jason Lin, Lin’s Omni Plaza
Henry Luu, Lin’s Omni Plaza
Kenneth Kovach, International Services Center, ICC
Pradip Kamat, Indus International and TIE
Angel Galvan, Galvan Concepts
Gene Sasso, Professor of Public Relations, KSU
Syed Ali, Second Chance Immigration
George Burke, International Education Consultant
Maria Galindo-Dasilvo, Hispanic Cultural Center of Cleveland
Josue Vicente, Ohio Hispanic Coalition
Joe Cole, TIE
Rico Neller, La Prensa & La Revista
Olga Sonis, US Together
Helen Tarkhenova, US Together
Gia Hoa Ryan, Friendship Foundation of American-Vietnamese
Joseph Meissner, Friendship Foundation of American-Vietnamese
Masao Yu, Taipei-Cleveland Sister City Committee
Craig Siplin, Cleveland Classic TV
Richard Herman, TIE & Herman Legal Group
Ye-Fan Glavin, China Invests in America
Alfonso Cornejo, Cincinnati Latino Community
Bharat Kumar, INDIA Festival USA
Deb Roy, INDIA FESTIVAL USA
Dina & Michael Ferrer, Coalition for Hispanic/Latino Issues & Progress
David Bowen, Richard L. Bowen & Assocs., Northeast Ohio District Export Council
Alex Machaskee
Eduardo Romero
Vi Huynh
Harry Weller
Maria Pujana
Becca Kopp
Richard Eastburn
Barbara Hawkins
Benito Lucio
Len Calabrese
Paramjit Singh
Malak Jadallah
Raj Aggarwal
Truc Cao
Gerardo Colon
Maria Colon
Joe Thomas
Elaine Tsai
Abraham Bruckman
Charmaine Rozario
Joseph Mas
Gilbert Torres Ruiz
Laura McShane
David Lubell
Vania Stefanova
Bob Rosing
Diana Centeno-Gomez
Luis Gomez
Connie Cook
Andrew Thomas
Vivian Borromeo
Georg Abakumov
Kimberly Chen
Sandra Morgan
Ron & Anila Nicklos
Hugo Urizar
Yary Cora

For more information contact Richard Herman at (216) 696-6170 or email at Richardtmherman [at] gmail [dot] com
http://www.scribd.com/doc/124665580/Multicultural-Happy-Hour-Northeast-Ohio-2-21-4-30-to-6-30-pm