Stories
In Immigrants, Michigan’s Business Community Sees a Way to Grow the Economy, Says Entrepreneur
When Bing Goei and his parents came to western Michigan in 1960, they were among the first Indonesians to arrive in the region, and their arrival made the front page of the local newspaper. “It must have been a slow news day,” Goei laughs. These days, it’s hardly big news… Read More
Knoxville NGO Director Sees First-Hand How Immigrants are Benefiting Her Community
Whenever Tiffani Mensch goes to her favorite falafel shop in downtown Knoxville, there is always a line. The popular shop opened recently after its owner, a Syrian refugee named Yassin, moved to the area to escape the war. To Mensch, Yassin represents “how immigrants can revitalize communities with their diverse… Read More
“You Have to Give and Take,” Says Miami Republican Leader
It took years for Vincent Foster, president of the Miami chapter of the Log Cabin Republicans (LCR), which represents politically conservative LGBT Americans, to become a vocal supporter of the GOP. “It was actually after I came down to Florida and started a dual-degree program in political science and philosophy… Read More
President of U.S.-India Chamber of Commerce Dallas/Fort Worth Explains Slow Immigration Process’s Negative Economic Impact
When Neel Gonuguntla was appointed president of the U.S. India Chamber of Commerce Dallas/Fort Worth in 2014, her mission was to unite the Indian business community with the area’s non-Indian business community. “We want to make sure that the broader community is aware of the on-goings in the Indian business… Read More
Indian Entrepreneur Creates a Better Hospital Call Button
Hospitalized and experiencing pain, Srinath Vaddepally did what millions of patients do: He reached for the hospital call button to summon a nurse. Then he did something one in seven patients in hospitals do: he fell. The 20 agonizing minutes he spent on the floor were enough to realize there… Read More
Former Hotel Executive Says his Chain Couldn’t Have Thrived without the Contributions of Refugee Workers
Tom Negri has worked in hotels his entire life. After graduating from high school, he moved to Colombia for school and work. At the Hotel Irotama in Colombia, he met his future wife. By age 21, while attending the New York Hotel School, Negri was married and working six days… Read More
Cuban Immigrant, Business Leader, and Veteran Believes America’s Growth Starts with Immigration
If local governments handed out MVP awards to their community members, Jorge Gutierrez of Woodstock, Virginia would surely be in contention. Four years ago, after 26 years of service, he retired from the United States Army and opened his own consulting business, BMOC Group, which is estimated to generate around… Read More
Why Do Migrant Workers Deserve Immigration Reform? Because They Help Uphold the American Economy
Annaliza Gourneau, a Commissioner of the Mesilla Valley Public Housing Authority and a Program Coordinator with the nonprofit HELP-New Mexico, Inc. (HELP-NM), knows firsthand what it’s like to grow up without a permanent home. “As a migrant child you experience homelessness,” she says. “You’re borderline homeless, or you are homeless. Read More
Executive Director Says Immigration Policy Must Respond to Undocumented Immigrants “Case By Case”
“When I came to Jardín we had $20,000 in the bank and we were losing $20,000 a month,” recalls Audrey Hartley, the executive director of the New Mexico nonprofit Jardín de los Niños, which provides parenting education and childcare for low income and homeless families. But Hartley, who arrived at… Read More
Why Would We Turn Away Someone Who Wants to Contribute?’ Asks Central Valley Lawyer
Although prominent Hispanic lawyer Mario U. Zamora left his hometown of Lindsay, California, to attend law school, his desire to serve the close-knit community brought him back to the Golden State’s Central Valley. Today, he is a partner at the law firm Griswold LaSalle Cobb Dowd and Gin,… Read More
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