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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 lacked a network. Without strong […]
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 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 […]
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 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 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 MoreDominican Immigrant Gives Back to Her Massachusetts’ Community
In 2014, Carmen Tejeda was a single mom and second-year business major in Santo Domingo — but on what she now calls a youthful whim she decided to drop out of college and move to the United States to give her infant son a better life. Tejeda traveled to Boston, where a friend worked in a […]
Read MorePresident Trump’s New Travel Ban: What You Need to Know
Eight years ago, President Trump made history by invoking an obscure authority, section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, to “suspend the entry” of nationals of multiple Muslim-majority nations. After two versions of the ban were initially struck down in court, the Supreme Court upheld a third version, which remained in effect until President […]
Read MoreOur Leaders Must Understand Immigration Before Legislating It
Texas leaders cannot keep legislating immigration policy from a place of political posturing and profound misunderstanding. Before drafting new laws—or undoing long-standing ones—they must first grasp the fundamentals of how our immigration system works and who it affects. On June 4, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit to invalidate the Texas Dream […]
Read More2024 ‘Celebrate America’ Creative Writing Contest Winner: Stories of Us
Stories of Us I sitBy the windowsillGazing outside.Down, on the street, so many heads,Each is unique.Amidst the traffic and frantic honking,I sense the presence ofMillions of others, Just like me.I contemplateThe journeys. Each of us— All of us have a story.When mothers and fathersVentured far across the world,Their sense of adventure leadsThem in search of […]
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