As Immigrant Heritage Month came to a close, on June 28 the Carnegie Corporation of New York announced its annual list of Great Immigrants, honoring 35 naturalized citizens who have enriched and strengthened our society and our democracy.
Each Fourth of July since 2006, the philanthropic foundation has invited Americans to celebrate these exemplary individuals by participating in its online public awareness campaign, Great Immigrants, Great Americans. #GreatImmigrants
Among the honorees are Ajay Banga, the newly installed World Bank President, Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan and "Pachinko" author Min Jin Lee.
In an interview with Carnegie, Banga expressed the importance of diversity that immigrants bring to the US workplace:
"At the end of the day, if you surround yourself with people who look like you, who walk like you and talk like you, and grew up in the same places you did and worked with you in your prior jobs, then you will have a sense of comfort of hiring people around you who have that familiarity. But you will also have the same blind spots. You will miss the same trends. You will miss the same opportunities."
Lee, whose novel “Pachinko” was a National Book Awards finalist, said she was honored to be on the Carnegie list because “it’s an honest look at America.”
“There’s this thinking that immigrants are yellow, black, and brown people from somewhere else and ‘they have all these needs,’ rather than ‘they have all these assets,’ ” said Lee, who emigrated from South Korea with her family when she was a child.
“I think that this list is a really good reflection of our assets, what we bring to the table, and how we make the team stronger.”
Lee told the Associated Press that anti-immigrant political rhetoric is essentially a distraction from economic inequality and ongoing systemic racism.
“Toxic rhetoric against immigrants really forgets the entire history of America, which is that without immigrants, we have nothing,” she said. “I’m really grateful that the Carnegie Corporation of New York is bringing back the centrality of immigration as a force for good in the United States.”
Lee told the Associated Press that anti-immigrant political rhetoric is essentially a distraction from economic inequality and ongoing systemic racism.
“Toxic rhetoric against immigrants really forgets the entire history of America, which is that without immigrants, we have nothing,” she said. “I’m really grateful that the Carnegie Corporation of New York is bringing back the centrality of immigration as a force for good in the United States.”
For generations, immigrants have come to the United States seeking opportunities for themselves and their families. Among this year’s honorees are individuals who have fostered opportunities for others through their work as educators, mentors, philanthropists, job creators, public servants, storytellers, and advocates.
“The Great Immigrants initiative is a tribute to the legacy of Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant who, like these honorees, found success in America, contributed enormously to his adopted country, and inspired others to do the same,” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, and a naturalized citizen who first came to the United States from Ireland as a graduate student.
“The Great Immigrants initiative is a tribute to the legacy of Andrew Carnegie, a Scottish immigrant who, like these honorees, found success in America, contributed enormously to his adopted country, and inspired others to do the same,” said Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, and a naturalized citizen who first came to the United States from Ireland as a graduate student.
“The 35 naturalized citizens honored today embody that tradition, reminding us that the contributions of immigrants make our country more vibrant and our democracy more resilient.”
The2023 Class of Great Immigrants is comprised of naturalized citizens from 33 countries and a wide range of backgrounds and fields.
The seven Asian American immigrants,are:
- Ajay Banga (India) As the newly elected president of the World Bank, Banga aims to lead the organization in tackling climate change and confronting the toughest challenges facing developing countries.
- Betty Kwan Chinn (China) Founder, Betty Kwan Chinn Homeless Foundation
- Min Jin Lee (South Korea) Author and National Book Award Finalist
- Ted Lieu (Taiwan) US Congressman, California, District 36
- Ke Huy Quan (Vietnam) Academy Award–Winning Actor
- Oscar A. Solis (Philippines) 10th Bishop, Roman Catholic Diocese of Salt Lake City
- Ponsi Trivisvavet (Thailand) CEO and Director, Inari
- FYI: For the complete list of immigrants honored by Carnegie, click here.
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