Stories
Adding ‘One More at the Table’ Reaps Rewards, Says Financial Advisor
When Colleen Beckemeyer was growing up in St. Louis, family Thanksgivings had an international flair. Her father was a professor of finance at St. Louis University and made a point of inviting students from places like Spain, Thailand, and Hong Kong to join them for dinner. “They were always so gracious… Read More
The Son of an Undocumented Immigrant Is Keeping Your Data Safe
Millions of people and thousands of corporations who use cloud storage and software powered by Dell don’t know it, but the son of an undocumented immigrant is keeping their data safe. His name is Carlos Phoenix, and he’s the global cyber strategist for a Dell subsidiary called VMware. “Our software powers a… Read More
Immigrants Want the Opportunity to Work for Their Families, Texas Judge Says
Armando Rodriguez, a Mexican-American from Houston’s rough-and-tumble Fifth Ward, has had a career marked by many firsts. He was the first person in his family to become a lawyer — though all of his siblings graduated from college. And after being elected in 1974 as a justice of the peace… Read More
Student Cried for Joy the Day DACA Announced, Now She’s Fighting to Preserve it
Jessica Moreno Cacho is not only a Dreamer — she’s a doer. She was brought to the United States undocumented from her native Peru by her parents when she was just 8 years old. Her dad had been out of work for more than a year, and crime rates were… Read More
Young Advocate: Without Newcomers, Economy Would Not Survive
After his father’s cancer returned in 2016, Phillip Germain, then 18 and a college student, took care of him. It was a pivotal moment for the young man. His father’s care was contingent upon affordable healthcare through the Affordable Care Act, Medicare, and Social Security. In short: public policy decisions… Read More
In America, Mississippi Lawyer Sees Strength in Diversity
In 2002, attorney decided to become a small business owner. He opened Schwindaman Law Firm, and — with the help of a full-time paralegal — now takes on about 70 cases a year. At least 80 percent are immigration cases, covering everything from citizenship and asylum issues to student and… Read More
UK Immigrant Brings Diverse Voices, and a New Aladdin, to Hollywood
When Walt Disney Pictures released the animated feature “Aladdin” in 1992, the movie was criticized for its stereotypical portrayal of Arab culture. Now, to ensure that its upcoming live-action version is authentic and nuanced, Disney has turned to an immigrant entrepreneur named Marya Bangee, the owner of SILA Consulting. The name of the company, which… Read More
Med School Student Fears DACA Uncertainty Will Hurt Her Residency Chances
Pakistani immigrant Aaima Sayed has always been fascinated by mental health. It is a passion that drove her to succeed in college and medical school even though her undocumented status disqualified her for state and federal financial aid, forcing her to take out private loans and depend on the sacrifices… Read More
Med School Promotes DACA to Help Cure Nation’s Doctor Shortage
A single email in 2011 set Mark Kuczewski, chair of medical education at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, on a journey to help undocumented immigrants become doctors. A colleague had written saying he had received an application from one of the most talented candidates he had ever… Read More
Chicago Alderman Works to Remove False Notions About Immigrants and Crime
Raymond Lopez had an unconventional path to becoming a politician. Although he had done get-out-the-vote work as a teenager, Lopez was more inspired by his long-time job working as a skycap for Southwest Airlines at Midway Airport. “I thought people deserved customer service in public service,” says Lopez, whose great-grandfather… Read More
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