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Communities Celebrate Their Commitment to Welcoming and Belonging During Welcoming Week
Co-Authors: Rich André, Asma Easa, Micaela McConnell, Paloma Ramos Last week, communities across the United States participated in Welcoming America’s Welcoming Week. The annual campaign has rapidly expanded over the years to include more than 650 local events that showcase each community’s commitment to fostering welcoming and belonging for all their residents, including their immigrant […]
Read MoreAmerican Immigration Council Applauds TPS Re-Designation for Venezuelans, Granting Much-Needed Relief and Work Authorization
The Council responds to the Biden Administration’s announcement that it will be extending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans who arrived in the United States before July 31, 2023.
Read MoreVietnamese Refugee Invests in Future Generations to Help Them Grow Up as Successful Vietnamese and Americans
In 1981, 16-year-old Quyen Vuong and her family came to America as Vietnamese refugees. They took a harrowing sea journey, encountered Thai pirates and nearly capsized. Then, once the family arrived in the states, they were constantly at risk of eviction. “My dad worked at a convenience store, and my two siblings and I worked […]
Read MoreIndian Immigrant Fosters and Shares Indian Culture in the Community By Founding a Monthly Print Magazine
In 1986 at age 23, Vandana Kumar left India to marry a fellow Indian immigrant in San Jose. It was a tough transition. “I felt so lonely, and I longed for the sights and sounds of home,” she says. Then her brother-in-law invited her to a traveling exhibition about India. It made her wonder what […]
Read MoreAsian 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 County where Asian Americans make […]
Read MoreMexican 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 myself an immigrant because I […]
Read MoreFilipino 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. “I’m always asked ‘Why Grand Rapids?’ I […]
Read MoreIndian 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 Ramesh was hired by a […]
Read MoreArgentinian 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 lacked a network. Without strong […]
Read MoreBurundian 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, this experience would contribute to […]
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