Maine, District 1
Eugenie Kirenga
In 2005, Eugenie Kirenga traveled with her one-year-old son from Rwanda to the United States to visit her two sisters who were attending school in Pittsburgh, PA. But as her return date approached, news broke that Rwandan soldiers, who had left the country during the genocide, were returning to the… Read More
New Report Shows Immigrants in Southwest Kansas Paid Over $192 Million in Taxes and Held More than $595 Million in Spending Power in 2019
DODGE CITY, KS – A new report, New Americans in Southwest Kansas and Ford County, released today by New American Economy—now the American Immigration Council—in partnership with Dodge City and Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas, underscores the crucial role immigrants… Read More
Lao Refugee Becomes Engaged Community Leader in Minneapolis
Sunny ChanthanouvongExecutive Director of the Lao Assistance Center When Sunny Chanthanouvong arrived in the U.S. with his family as a Lao refugee, little did he know he would soon be among 13,000+ rebuilding their lives in Minnesota, a state as different as one might imagine from Southeast Asia. It… Read More
Indian Researcher Starts Non-profit to Serve South Asian Community in Minneapolis
Raj ChaudharyCEO, SEWA-AIFW When Raj Chaudhary moved to Minneapolis in 1968 to become a cancer researcher at the University of Minnesota, she felt like a pioneer. At that time, the Twin Cities’ Indian community was small. And as it grew, newcomers would frequently tap earlier arrivals like Chaudhary and her husband… Read More
Somalian Refugee Launches Interpretation Company in Minneapolis
Khadija AliCEO, Global Language Connections Former child refugee Khadija Ali is a natural advocate. “I believe everyone has a voice,” she says. “And I didn’t want a language barrier to be a deterrent for anyone’s well-being, which is what happened to my family members.” Ali came to America at… Read More
Argentinian Cook Starts Food Business in Minneapolis
Belén Rodríguez Owner and Creator of Quebracho Empanadas When Belén Rodríguez moved from Argentina to Minneapolis with her American husband in 2012, she quickly developed an international social circle. She worked as a Spanish interpreter at Hennepin Healthcare, where her colleagues all over the world spoke 130 languages. “From Somalia to Russia,… Read More
Jordanian Immigrant Establishes Printing Company in New Jersey
Alia SuqiOwner, Nextwave Web Growing up in Jordan as one of 14 siblings, Alia Suqi always knew she’d have to work hard to find her own way. Her parents were supportive, but there weren’t many opportunities for a young woman in Jordan — so after finishing high school in… Read More
Chinese Immigrant Establishes Law Firm in Cleveland
Su HeBusiness Immigration Attorney, Professor, and Community Leader Su He came from a family of physicians in Beijing, China, so when she developed a passion for international business law, she needed to find new role models. Fortunately, she found the support she needed at Case Western Reserve University School… Read More
Indian Immigrant Founds B2B Software Firm in Cleveland
Sudhir AcharTechnology and Community Leader In 1991, Sudhir Achar emigrated from Bangalore, India to pursue his master’s degree in industrial engineering at Cleveland State University. Between classes, he worked as an international student ambassador, helping newcomers integrate. After graduation, he was hired by Philips Medical Systems (PMS), where he… Read More
Mexican Family Starts Business and Contributes to San Mateo County
Marilu Bedolla-Jaimes In 2000, when four-year-old Marilu Bedolla-Jaimes relocated from Mexico to the Bay area, the only English word she knew was “doggy.” Her parents, who had come to America for better economic opportunities, were unsure of how to address their most basic needs, such as securing housing, a bank… Read More
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