Celebrate America! Steven Yeun, Maria Resssa among 10 Asian American immigrants honored

Carnegie Corp. names 24 outstanding immigrants

Three of the four registered nurses who took care of me during a recent hospital stay were immigrants. Just saying.

As the Republican Party continues to demonize immigrants as "the enemy,, :terrrists,: "rapists" and gang members, we often forget that the United States is a nation of immigrants. Immigrants aspiring to th American dream is what pumps up the nation in an everlasting bursts of optimism, bravado and belief that this country provides the opportunity to better oneself and provide a better future for our famlies and communities.

FYI: Learn more about the 2024 Great Immigrants honorees here.

Every Fourth of July, Carnegie Corporation of New York celebrates remarkable Americans — all naturalized citizens — who have enriched and strengthened our democracy through their actions and contributions.

The 2024 Class of Great Immigrants is comprised of naturalized citizens from 16 countries. Ten of the 24 Americans are immigrants from Asia.

The honorees represent a wide range of backgrounds and are recognized for their work in public service, education, health, journalism, the arts, and business, among other fields. They include three Nobel laureates, memoirist Leila Ahmed, rap musician Abbas (Bas) Hamad, NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang, industrial designer Sir Jonathan (Jony) Ive, DC president Jim Lee, investigative journalist Maria Ressa, and Emmy winner Steven Yeun.

“The 24 Americans honored today serve as a reminder of the economic and societal benefits that each new generation of immigrants brings to our country and the richness of talent, skills, and achievements they contribute to our democracy,” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York and a naturalized American citizen, born in Ireland. 

The 10 Asian Americans are:

• Mohammed Amer (Kuwait) Born to Palestinian parents, Amer is an award-winning writer and stand-up comedian who promotes understanding between diverse cultures.
• Abhijit Banerjee (India) The Ford Foundation International Professor of Economics at MIT, Banerjee won the Nobel Prize in economics.
• Jensen Huang (Taiwan) Founder and CEO, NVIDIA
• Dr. Ashish Kumar Jha (India) Dean, School of Public Health, Brown University
• Jim Lee (South Korea) President, Publisher, and Chief Creative Officer, DC
• Maria Ressa (Philippines) Investigative Reporter and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
• Eboo Patel (India) Founder and President, Interfaith America
• Premal Shah (India) Social Entrepreneur and Cofounder, Kiva which seeks to alleviate social problems.
• Ocean Vuong (Vietnam) Poet, Novelist, and Essayist
• Steven Yeun (South Korea) Emmy-Winning and Academy Award–Nominated Actor

The Corporation’s Strengthening U.S. Democracy program supports immigrant rights, integration, and naturalization for eligible residents. More than a decade ago, the Corporation helped establish the New Americans Campaign, a national collaborative of funders devoted to assisting in the naturalization process — about nine million lawful permanent residents or green card holders are currently eligible.

Led by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, the campaign and its network of nonprofit partners have provided low-cost resources, including legal services, to more than 638,000 aspiring citizens.

Since 2006, the Corporation has named more than 740 Great Immigrants, forming one of the largest online resources of its type. The 2024 honorees, the 19th class in the program, will be recognized with a full-page public service announcement in the New York Times on the Fourth of July and through tributes on social media. Please join the celebration by sharing via Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X (Twitter) using the hashtag #GreatImmigrants.

GOP candidate Trump attacks immigrants every chance he gets and has it a central part of his presidntial campaign hoping to stir up anger among his followers.

With the nation's birthday only days away, it is important to remind ourselves of our  immigrant heritage and the dependence we have on the newcomers, from the techies in Sililcon Valley to the farm workers in California's Central Valley, from the researchers in our universities to the workers in our service industries.

The RNs , including the thre immigrants, who took care of me were caring, professional and thorough. They are part of the immigrant workforce US hospitals depends on to bolster the nurshing shortage. 

“In honor of our founder, Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant, we celebrate these extraordinary individuals who have made notable contributions to American society,” says Richardson.

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