Leaders and Entrepreneurs
Newcomers to the United States have always been at the forefront of leadership and entrepreneurship. The stories in this section shed light on the experiences of some immigrant entrepreneurs. Individually and together, their life stories highlight how people’s circumstances in their home countries shape their decisions to come to the United States and the opportunities they have when they arrive. A theme that runs throughout is that language barriers can paradoxically be a motivator for entrepreneurialism. People arriving to the United States with social and economic capital but limited English often start businesses because it is something that they can do with limited language skills. The businesses tend to be in sectors that do not require too much communication, such as cleaning, construction, landscaping, groceries, and restaurants. Immigrant business owners in these sector often hire other immigrants, thus expanding the labor market and contributing to tax revenues locally and nationally. Another theme is that newcomers who start businesses because of language limitations often encourage their children to pursue high levels of education hoping that their children will have much more opportunities than they did either in their home countries or in the United States. A final theme that stands out is the deep commitment to community and civic engagement. Leadership for the people featured extends to their faith based organizations (for some), immigrant communities, and in the cities in which they live.
|
|
Dina Abou Zeid
|
 Photo Credit: Marcelo Alvariza |
Marcelo Alvariza
|
 Photo Credit: Luiz Thomaz DaCosta |
Luiz Thomaz DaCosta
|
 Photo Credit: K.C. Lee |
K.C. Lee
|
 Photo Credit: Colette A.M. Phillips |
Colette A.M. Phillips
|
 Photo Credit: Merhatsedak Woldyohannis |
Jambo Merhatsedek Woldyohannis
|
Photo Credit: