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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 MoreAmerican 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 moved when Rondon was 5 […]
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 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 MoreImmigrant from the Dominican Republic Constructed Vibrant Architecture Firm in Greater Salem, and Lays the Foundation for Other Young People to Pursue a Career in Architecture
Darguin Fortuna grew up on his grandparents’ rice farm in the Dominican Republic, but threw himself into schoolwork to pursue a degree in architecture. At 20, he was two years into that program when he and his mother received green cards. “My mom had first applied years before, and I hadn’t known if I’d get […]
Read MorePeruvian Immigrant Invests in Making the Community Welcoming for All
Peruvian professor and professional musician Nayo Ulloa, specializes in the Quena, an Andean pre-Columbian flute, and singing. He plays music from all the Latin American countries, but specializes in Peruvian music, including the main three folk styles of Peruvian music: indigenous pre-Colombian music, music from the coast, and traditional and contemporary Afro-Peruvian music. In 1981, […]
Read MoreMexican Immigrant Builds Business in Indiana
Juan Cervera spent his childhood farming corn, beans, and tomatillos with his father, but he wanted more. So at 15, he and his brothers migrated from Guanajuato, Mexico, to Chicago, Illinois. “I came for the American dream,” he recalls. “And to have economic opportunities.” Over the next 10 years, Juan worked in candy factories, in […]
Read MoreImmigrant from Burundi Proves “Anything is Possible,” Even Amidst Challenges
In 2011, at age 22, Prudent Ndihokubwayo was able to flee violence in Burundi and move to Portland, Maine, which family friends said provided good public assistance. At first, Prudent felt lost. He was unused to the cold and unfamiliar food. Customs like shaking hands with a firm squeeze confounded him. He also spoke little […]
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