Stories
Mexican Immigrant Ignites Entrepreneurial Spirit in Allen County
In 1991, when Aaron Robles was just a few months old, his parents crossed the border from Juárez, Mexico, and headed north. They landed in Fort Wayne and found work in construction and manufacturing. Robles didn’t learn English until he entered kindergarten, but with the school system’s ESL instruction, he… Read More
Argentinian Immigrant Helps Make Kent County Welcoming for All
When Natalia Kovicak moved from Argentina to Spring Lake, Michigan, at age 25, she quickly realized the challenges of starting a new career as an immigrant. It didn’t matter that she had a resume that included a good job with Coca-Cola in Buenos Aires and her own event-planning company. Kovicak… Read More
Mexican Immigrant Brothers Launch Mechanical Services company in Grand Rapids, Hiring Dozens
Although Ruben Ramos was born in the United States, he moved with his family to their village in the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico when he was a baby. When the family moved to Grand Rapids in 1990, the Hispanic population was small. Ramos was 10 years old. “I consider… Read More
Filipino Immigrant Finds Grand Rapids as Best Home for His Atelier
Romel “RC” Caylan is an internationally celebrated fashion designer who has dressed more than 100 celebrities and has a showroom in Beverly Hills. Yet he proudly runs his business out of Grand Rapids, at a studio in the Breton Village Shopping Center alongside Lululemon, Anthropologie, and other big-name retailers. Read More
Burundian Immigrant Helps Create a Community Association in Pittsburgh to Support Others From Burundi in the Community
After resettling in the United States, David Hajayandi set out on his own to find employment without guidance or support for navigating the American job market. He showed up unannounced at a clothing store, but instead of giving him a job application, workers threatened to call the police. Years later,… Read More
Bhutanese Immigrant Co-Founds Community Association in Pittsburgh that Supports All Newcomers
When Timsina arrived in New York City at 39 years old, he’d never driven a car, let alone navigated a massive subway system. As a member of Bhutan’s ethnic Nepali minority, which has experienced persecution for decades, Khara Timsina’s family was prevented from receiving an education or working in the… Read More
American Moves to Pittsburgh from Peru, Finds Value in Supporting Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Although born in Fargo, North Dakota, Brent Rondon has experienced first-hand the obstacles of coming to the United States, learning a new language, and finding your place in a new community. Rondon and his twin brother spent most of their early lives in their parents’ native Peru where the family… Read More
Indian Immigrant Entrepreneurs Find Success in Kent County
When Sonal and Ramesh Patel built a house in the town of Cascade in 2011, they quickly noticed something missing: an Asian grocer on the southeast side of Grand Rapids. The Patels are from a small town in Gujarat, a state in western India. They moved to West Michigan in 2004, when… Read More
Saudi Arabian Immigrant Creates Social Movement in Pittsburgh to Encourage Inclusion and Connection Through Art
After her son encountered bullying when he was young, Ebtehal Badawi created a social movement to encourage inclusion and connection in Pittsburgh. Badawi grew up in Saudi Arabia and graduated with a degree in microbiology, thinking that a career in science would land her a good job. She met her… Read More
Asian Immigrant is First Asian-American Mayor of Cupertino and Serves Community to Make it Welcoming for All
In 1977, Michael Chang left Hong Kong to attend San Francisco State University—and later earn a doctorate in education at Stanford University. Though he appreciated the racial and ethnic diversity of Santa Clara County, he wondered why people of color weren’t better represented in civic life. “Even in Santa Clara… Read More
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