As a socialist I fundamentally believe in immigration. I think people moving to new places, trying new things, meeting new people, and bringing different experiences, outlooks and attitudes, is a good thing. It is a good thing for those moving and it is a good thing for the communities they move to.
A lot of these positives and benefits can't be easily measured in a survey or calculated in economic output. It is something much more subtle. Something I am going to dub the "Juninho effect". Let me explain why.
For those of you not from Teesside, or lucky enough to be born this side of the new millennium, Juninho is a Brazilian footballer who played for Boro in the late 90's and early 2000's. Put simply - he is a legend and widely considered to be our best ever player.
Juninho was a footballing magician but he brought to the club so much more than his on-field tricks. He brought a new mentality, a spark and an energy that wasn't there before. All done with an infectious smile across his face. The supporters fell in love with him and he fell in love with the supporters.
In my mind, Juninho sums up everything that is good about immigration that can't easily be explained. There is no doubt Juninho made the team better but the team also seemed to make him better, and the combination of him and the team made the town better. The fit was right and a boy from São Paulo found his second home on the banks of the Tees. Who would have thought it?
I have seen this story repeated time and again right across our region. People who have come from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, who have found something special about the North East. Something that has led them to now call our home their home.
When talking about immigration it is easy to focus, like I have, on the super stars: A world class football manager (as our friends on Tyneside will attest), a specialist doctor or an internationally renowned researcher. Their contribution here is clear. But, equally important are the nurses and care assistants propping up our NHS, the administrators helping our businesses operate to their full potential and the hospitality staff at the heart of our tourist industry. They all contribute their own little bit of Juninho magic that helps to make our region, and the communities within it, better places to live.
The EU referendum was many things to many people. But one thing it has been interpreted as, rightly or wrongly, is a sign to the rest of the world that migrants are no longer welcome here in the UK.
It has also been interrupted, again rightly or wrongly, as a sign to foreign nationals already living here that they are also no longer welcome.
The fact that Sunderland, and the wider North East, became the media's go to case study for the Brexit vote means our region has been painted with this brush even more than others.
What makes me sad is this is not an image of our region I recognise. We are a region famed for our hospitality, friendliness and passion. Any footballer not originally from the North East playing for one of our teams will confirm that.
As a region we know what it's like to be the underdog. Historically, we also know what it's like to fall upon hard times and feel the need to move to pastures new seeking work and fresh opportunities. I think the people of this region welcome anyone who is willing to come here, graft and contribute in their own way. As Juninho showed, you don't have to be born here to take our region to heart and you don't have to be born here to have a positive impact on our society, however large or small that may be.
My hope looking forward is simple:
If we are going to thrive as a region post Brexit we need immigration. Whether that be from Dundee, Dartmouth, Düsseldorf or Detroit. We need people to bring their brains and brawn to the North East and help our region truly fulfill its potential.
Everyone reading this article can help make that positive and welcoming case for immigration. One thing we need now, more than ever, is a little bit more of that infectious Juninho magic, from whoever brings it, irrespective of where they may originally be from.