Immigrants & Children of Immigrants Share their Lessons and Advice for National Immigrants Day
Updated October 28, 2021. Check back throughout the next week for new interviews!
According to the Pew Research Center, more than 40 million people living in the U.S. were born in another country. Not included in that number are the children of immigrants – first-generation Americans and Third Culture Kids who often have one foot planted in their parents’ culture while the other learns to survive and thrive in the US.
Being a newcomer or outsider in a country is both a challenging and shaping experience. For National Immigrants Day on October 28, we asked our collaborators and friends to share their perspectives as immigrants or children of immigrants. We asked them:
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants?
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country?
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds?
Their responses (edited for brevity) provide a rich and global view of the immigrant experience and perspective.
Linka Baumgardt, Chief Strategy Officer, Tagboard
“One tip that I would give my younger self immigrating to the US would be to be more confident to share my skillsets and my accomplishments. That’s something that’s generally more accepted in the US than in Europe, where people are more reserved about how they talk about their accomplishments. ”
Linka was born in Germany and immigrated to the US to go to college.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? One thing that I've learned from being an immigrant is to be more tolerant and patient with people that have a different opinion from me – and to be willing to learn about the cultural norms and the paths their lives have taken to lead them to those opinions.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? One tip that I would give my younger self immigrating to the US would be to be more confident to share my skillsets and my accomplishments. That's something that's generally more accepted in the US than in Europe, where people are more reserved about how they talk about their accomplishments.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? I think companies could support first-generation immigrants with a few different sets of training: One for the immigrant when they start with a company to help them understand company norms and adapt to the company culture more easily. But also, some training for all the existing employees to learn that some of the (immigrants’) behaviors might be different from what they're used to, and that that's okay. That can be a great starting point for conversation and learning about each other as people, but also for learning new and even better ways of working together.
Natallia Camargo (she/her), VP of Human Resources, Greenbacker Capital
“You need to understand that you’re coming to a new place and that the way things work here is different from the way things work in the culture that you’re used to. But at the same time, because of those differences, when you’re identifying your strengths, they are outstanding!”
Born in the US, Natallia lived most of her life in Brazil until three years ago when she came to the US to work.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? Being open-minded. It's a skill that you need to learn if you want to succeed. When you're coming to a different culture than yours, you need to understand that you're coming to a new place and that the way things work here is different from the way things work in the culture that you're used to. But at the same time, because of those differences, when you're identifying your strengths, they are outstanding! They can definitely add value in a different way.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? In the beginning, I wanted to continue seeing friends that were Brazilians, eating Brazilian food, and doing the same things I did there - but with the frustration that it wasn't the same! So, I think the tip would be to go and hangout with the new and stop trying to live what you're used to living. That’s what makes us grow so much when we're living in a different place, right? You start seeing beauty and you start learning things in a different perspective than you’re used to.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? Because I was born here, I'd never had visa situations or visa issues. But I see that happening all the time. As a person that works in HR, whatever I can do to support the visa situation… whatever we can do to support that person, we will. Being flexible, trying to create new solutions, and giving that type of support to employees - I think it makes a huge impact.
Harry Kwakye Davies, Global Program Manager - ERG and D&I Communications, Uber
“People from all walks of life deserve a seat at the table. They need to be given the opportunity to explore and the space to be their authentic selves. They need to be given a chance to be able to bring on board what they also have within. ”
Harry emigrated from Ghana and now lives and works in Amsterdam.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? As an immigrant, one skill set that I’ve developed is open-mindedness and tolerance to other backgrounds. I come from quite a religious cultural background. Now, after relocating and living abroad seeing people from all walks of life working within an organization that has close to 100 different nationalities, I've been able to understand why people celebrate specific holidays and festivals, why people assign and align themselves to other preferences with regards to their sexuality, religion, ethnicity and the like. I think I've been able to correlate and live well with others based on the fact that I've been able to understand their thought process and where they come from.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? Oftentimes, we’re so used to the community we come from that we don’t really want to take on new initiatives, get out of our comfort zones, and explore the world. So, to my younger self, I'd say, “Hey, go all out there! Try new things, see new things, get new perspectives!” I’d also make sure I enjoy life whilst exploring and traveling around the world. In my older age now, I'm doing a lot of travel. I'm seeing different cultures, different religions, different perspectives on life. I think that if I had that exposure at a younger age, it would have really been a differentiator in how I review and view things through my lens as an adult.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? One thing organizations can do to better help immigrants or first-generation corporate employees coming from different socioeconomic backgrounds is to give them opportunities. This is why diversity and inclusion is very important. People from all walks of life deserve a seat at the table. They need to be given the opportunity to explore and the space to be their authentic selves. They need to be given a chance to be able to bring on board what they also have within. So corporate organizations should make it a point to give immigrants the chance; to sponsor them with regards to their visas. And that's the only way - with the various backgrounds that each and everyone on the team brings together - they’ll be able to get the best out of their teams.
Mahvish Gazipura
Mahvish Gazipura, Client Executive, Gartner
“Set goals and hold yourself accountable for achieving them. Most importantly, make sure your goals are yours - not what society, family, or your community expects out of you.”
Mahvish is the child of Pakistani parents who immigrated to the US in the early 80’s. She was born in San Jose, CA and grew up in Spokane, WA.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? Resilience, independence from an early age and a drive to create the life of my choosing, not one chosen for me.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? Don't settle for less than what you want. With hard work you can make all your dreams a reality. Set goals and hold yourself accountable for achieving them. Most importantly, make sure your goals are yours - not what society, family, or your community expects out of you.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? Diversity throughout the hiring process from sourcing to onboarding. Using inclusive language in job descriptions, including a diverse group of interviewers for each candidate, unconscious bias training and more. For retention, leaders and mentors representing different backgrounds.
Diana Ilut –Mobile Product Manager, Arity
“One skill that stands out the most for me is the ability to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity. This skill has proven very rewarding, especially in my professional life. This mindset helped me take on more risks, but also trust that there will be a path forward, and I’ll be able to carve my own path. ”
Diana Ilut is originally from Romania and immigrated to the US 17 years ago.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? One skill that stands out the most for me is the ability to deal with uncertainty and ambiguity. This skill has proven very rewarding, especially in my professional life. This mindset helped me take on more risks, but also trust that there will be a path forward and I'll be able to carve my own path.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? The one that stands out for me is go back to school as soon as possible! School gives you a good opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, and create a network - a strong one that can support you throughout your professional life as well as your personal journey. School is a great way to integrate into a new culture. It can also open a lot of doors and opportunities that you haven't thought about before.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? Creating a mentorship program, or providing the opportunity to access a life coach, or pairing employees with peers. That way, you can reach out when you need advice (especially when those intricate corporate situations show up) or translate things that were said or not said during a meeting. There are so many situations that can be very hard to navigate when there are cultural differences and things that are different from how you grew up or what you know. Having someone to reach out to when you need them can have a big impact on your decisions and how you navigate your career development.
Jose M. Muñoz (he/him), Executive Director, La Casa Norte
“If you’re an organization that is hiring first-generation employees or individuals with different socio-economic backgrounds, remember that their starting point might be a bit different, and they may not have been exposed to the social nuances of a corporate environment. ”
Jose is the son of parents who emigrated to the US from Mexico.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? When my parents came to this country, they came without a penny to their name, unable to speak English, no formal education, and they knew very little about what it took to succeed in this country. But they had a dream of a better life and the courage to pursue that dream. One of the most important lessons I learned from them was that you could accomplish almost anything if you dared to dream big and put in the work.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? If I could go back and give myself some advice, it would be to be prouder of our immigrant roots and embrace how different we were. As a child, I was embarrassed of the fact that we were poor and that my mom couldn’t speak English, so I had to work at a very young age and translate everything. But today, I couldn’t be prouder of our humble beginnings and of my mom, who worked two jobs most of her life. And despite her hard work - she still struggled to keep a roof over our head and food on the table - there was always room for one more if anyone needed a meal. She instilled a strong sense of community in me and thanks to her I mastered two languages and learned to always keep a positive attitude, even when the world is falling apart around you.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? If you’re an organization that is hiring first-generation employees or individuals with different socio-economic backgrounds, remember that their starting point might be a bit different, and they may not have been exposed to the social nuances of a corporate environment. I graduated college with a perfect 4.0 GPA, but it took me almost 10 years to graduate. When I entered my first corporate environment, I was older than most of my peers, had a lot of experience but socially I was a little behind. I hadn’t been exposed to the little things like travelling across the country for work meetings, networking, golfing, board meetings, or even asking for help. But with the help of mentors, peers, and affinity groups, I eventually learned to navigate the corporate scene and thrive. In many cases, once I learned how to navigate socially, I outworked and outperformed some of my more experienced peers. So, my advice is to double down on your DEI initiatives. Invest in improving your company’s cultural intelligence will pay off in spades in the long run.
Terima Nagatani, Account Manager & Sales Strategist, Global Overview
“A lot of the time, these first-generation children of immigrants don’t have the structure at home where their mom or dad had been in the corporate America, so they’re not able to give us advice. Having these programs not only gives us a better chance in the workforce but can lay the foundation and make it fair for everybody who does not have that accessibility.”
Terima is a first-generation Japanese-American. Both of his parents are from Japan, making him a nisei.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? One of the main mindsets I’ve adopted being an immigrant child is to really be true to myself. I think it's important to always remember who I am - who you are as a person - and understand that you're coming from a diverse background.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? A tip I would give to myself is to try to get out of my comfort zone. Don't expect things to be given to you. Whatever you want in life, you really must put your foot forward and take the world head-on.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? I think that corporate America could support first-generation immigrants by having some sort of a bridge program or mentorship program. A lot of the time, these first-generation children of immigrants don’t have the structure at home where their mom or dad had been in corporate America, so they’re not able to give us advice. Having these programs not only gives us a better chance in the workforce but can lay the foundation and make it fair for everybody who does not have that accessibility.
Ewa Priestley
Ewa Priestley, Global Talent Development Director, OLX Group
“Every person has talent, and every person has a story to tell, especially those who have reached senior ranks and come from different backgrounds -they should be encouraged and rewarded by their organization for role modelling and inspiring others to achieve the same or even greater success. ”
Ewa is a Polish immigrant now living in Amsterdam.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? Curiosity to learn how the communities I’m integrating into are challenging my beliefs on what is considered normal, acceptable, rude, or simply outrageous. Courage to ask people who called me “X” why they thought that of me. When I got curious and brave to ask them, I actually learned that they perceived me this way because in their context, my behavior was labeled “X,” not because I was “X”.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? Don't be ashamed of who you are and don't apologize for where you come from. Don't assume people will misjudge you just because you sound different, and you don't have the same shared experiences from growing up in the same culture and routines. Give people the benefit of the doubt and learn their perspectives first before you create a conviction that they act differently towards you because you don't come from where they do. They often act different because you act different! Ask yourself: What in my action may have caused this reaction?
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? First, I think organizations should create opportunities for storytelling. Every person has talent, and every person has a story to tell, especially those who have reached senior ranks and come from different backgrounds -they should be encouraged and rewarded by their organization for role modelling and inspiring others to achieve the same or even greater success. Second, organizations should have mechanisms in place to prevent what I call 'talent cloning,' such as always hiring the same types, developing only certain skills and mindsets, and reward only certain behaviors. Organizations should always test their talent practices against the talent cloning and inject disruptive metrics or processes to prevent the biases that inherently kick in as soon as a group of people create a shared system of beliefs. Finally, organizations should not be afraid to admit getting it wrong when it comes to equality and inclusion. Showcasing their mistakes and sharing how they have learned from them, even if they constitute less than 5% of the norm.
Margarita Seeley
Margarita Seeley, CFA, Refugee Women's Alliance (ReWa)
“I grew up fast as a child because my family relied on me to be their translator. I attribute my work ethic and independence to my immigrant upbringing.”
Margarita is the daughter of Spanish immigrants to the US.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? I grew up fast as a child because my family relied on me to be their translator. I attribute my work ethic and independence to my immigrant upbringing.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? I wanted to be like everyone else growing up, so I did not appreciate my family culture at a young age and downplayed or hid it. I wish I had rejoiced in it more and shared with others, in hopes that they too could have embraced what it means to be different and help others embrace diversity at a younger age.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? Studies show that there is considerable unconscious bias in the hiring process and internal promotions. Efforts to combat this bias would create more diversity and opportunity for advancement.
Soojie Yu, Assistant Professor, Mayo Clinic Arizona
“I think that companies could do better reaching out in high schools and colleges to underrepresented minorities and to children of immigrants, so that they know that these futures are available to them.”
Soojie’s parents immigrated to the US from South Korea in the 1980s. She and her sister were born in the U.S. and grew up in the Midwest.
What's one skill/mindset you've gained from your experience as an immigrant or child of immigrants? One skillset I learned being a child of an immigrant is the importance of working hard and endurance. Knowing that not everything is handed to me and that if I have an interest in something, I'll have to work hard and put in the hours. Seeing my parents in the restaurant they own - working six days a week, 12 hours a day on their feet so that they could provide for my sisters and I really instilled in me the importance that not everything is handed to you and you really do need to put in the work to reach your goals.
What is the one tip you would give your younger self about thriving in this culture or country? To live in the moment. Being a child of immigrant parents…they want us to have a brighter future for ourselves than what they currently have. Growing up, I was always looking to the future: I'm going to this school, I'm learning these things to get to this ideal future so that my parents will be proud of me and that I'll be happy. You forget to kind of just live in the moment and realize that that you'll always have that goal and you'll have that future, but you need to enjoy being in college, being in medical school. Enjoy the friends that you're around. Enjoy the city that you're living in, explore the city that you're living in.
What can organizations do better to support first-generation corporate employees, or individuals that come from vastly different socio-economic backgrounds? For medical school, I didn't really know the process. Even though my sister and I had this goal in mind or this future in mind, we didn't have the resources or connections to know who to reach out to to get this internship or to get this experience. So, I think that companies could do better reaching out in high schools and colleges to underrepresented minorities and to children of immigrants so that they know that these futures are available to them.
