Saul Salas
COSTA RICA
Saul grew up the eldest of 9 children in Costa Rica, learning to value every resource. Saul did not receive his first pair of shoes until his high school graduation. In order to save his life, he took a $7,000 dollar loan and made the journey to America. He finally arrived in Arizona with only the clothes on his back and one quarter in his pocket- a quarter that he still has to this day. He made his way to New Jersey, where his uncle lived, and started working 3 jobs in order to pay back his loan. He eventually earned enough money for his young brothers to start immigrating as well. Saul paved the way for his entire family to have a better life in America. Saul eventually found his way into the shrimping industry. Starting as a lowly deckhand, he worked hard and learned from his elders. As a true American success story, Saul and his wife now own and operate S & T Boat Repair and Bait, which incorporates 2 different companies and 3 boats. He says he advises recent immigrants to "Choose your friends carefully, trust yourself, and learn from your elders."
Supattra Head
THAILAND
At an early age, Supattra knew she had to do well in school. She worked hard in her studies and was accepted to Thammasat University, one of the top schools in Thailand. But even after earning her MBA, Supattra realized that she needed to improve her English-speaking skills drastically. She then decided to immigrate to the U.S. with her husband, who also wanted to pursue his Master's degree. Supattra worked at several Japanese restaurants, all the while desiring to be her own employer. More importantly, she yearned to set her own schedule so she could take care of her young daughter. Utilizing her business degree as well as her knowledge in Thai food, in 2007 she opened Thai Spice Restaurant in Clearwater, Florida. Supattra is grateful for the continues success of the restaurant, especialy amid the vast competition. Leaving Thailand with limited English meant looking for a job that fit her qualifications. She believes she has found her opportunity and encourages other immigrants to do the same, stating, "Follow your dreams, work hard, and never give up!"
Priscilla Moura
BRAZIL
Leaving behind her beloved father in Fortaleza, Brazil to immigrate to the United States was a very tough decision for Priscilla. Yet, with the chance at a better life awaiting her in the U.S., Priscilla left Brazil at the tender age of 12. Priscilla first landed in Clearwater, Florida and was reunited with her mother. While Priscilla eventually became proficient in English, it took her longer than expected. As an immigrant child, she gravitated towards other Brazilian students who spoke Portuguese and made her feel comfortable. Unfortunately, that meant fewer opportunities to speak English. Priscilla was amazed by several things at the beginning of her America experience. She recalls her initial shock at how cheap and accessible things were in the United States. Priscilla also loved how polite everyone was. She witnessed people stopping cars for individuals and people standing in an orderly line, which amazed her. Priscilla's experience in America so far has been great and her English is perfecting everyday.
Nana Sekeyre
GHANA
Nana was born in Ghana and has first immigrated to America on a student visa. She believes the United States is a beacon of hope for the hopeless and prosecuted. She proudly states that America has made her who she is today, with a solid educational background. Her greatest sacrifice and proof that she believed in the American dream was a 2-year-long separation from her family to fulfill the residency requirement. She thanks her husband and her children, who provided all the support to make this sacrifice as painless as possible. Nana's favorite thing about America is the fact that hard work pays off. She points to the countless stories of success that began with the people who had nothing. Her advice to immigrants is, "The path to citizenship is earned and your right to be called an American and all that entails is also your personal triumph"
Ana Jasso
MEXICO
Ana started her career as an elementary school teacher in her native city, Guadalajara. With a master's degree in speech and language. Ana next became a successful attorney and worked for many years at the Appeal Section of the Supreme Court of Jalisco State. Although she was living an ideal life, Ana left her country, family, job, and friends to immigrate to the United States with her true love. She knew she had made the right choice, but she missed much about her former life. After years of dealing with her immigration process and improving her English language skills, she was admitted to Stetson University College of Law to study International Law. She is working on becoming an immigration attorney in the United States so she can help all the immigrants, like herself, who have come to this country in hopes for a better life. Her words of advice to a new immigrant are: "Happiness is inside of us, and whatever happens, we need to have the courage to follow our dreams."
Liliana Torres Valencia
COLOMBIA
I came to the United States from Colombia in 2007 with a law degree, big dreams, and a determination to build a better future. Like many immigrants, I had to start over, adapting to a new language, culture, and legal system while finding my place in a new country. What initially felt like a challenge became an opportunity. I pursued advanced legal studies in the United States, earned my LL.M., and became licensed as an attorney. Today, I serve as Corporate Counsel – Immigration for a multinational technology company, helping businesses and talented professionals navigate the U.S. immigration system. My journey is a testament to the resilience, perseverance, and contributions that immigrants bring to this country. I am proud to have transformed my own immigration experience into a career dedicated to helping others achieve their goals in the United States.
Geania Avila
ECUADOR
Geania first immigrated to the United States at the age of 20 in search of a better life than the one she was leading in Ecuador. She left all of her family in her native country, but her sacrifice has benefited her, as she has had the best opportunities to work and study here in the States. Geania advises other immigrants to take action for a better life. She says, 'Go follow your dreams, be prepared… and don't waste an opportunity to grow!' Her philosophy of life is "just believe", and after living a successful life in America for 20 years, she is a wonderful example of how dreams can come true.
Nikita Carter
THE NETHERLANDS
Nikita first immigrated to the United States under a student visa to attend college abroad. She enjoyed her time in America so much that she decided to return again, this time under a religious visa for missionary work. She sacrificed leaving her friends and family behind in the Netherlands for a chance to experience life in the United States. Nikita says her favorite part about being in the United States is the plethora of people she has met through the years. She was at first surprised by the poverty she came across in her new country. In commercial television and media, the United States is portrayed as the land of wealth. Nikita shares this advice to other immigrants who are also beginning a new life in America, "Keep your integrity and respect, being honest will get you far".
Michael Jeffers
CANADA
A native of Montreal, Canada, Michael Jeffers always knew he would own his own business. At McGill University, also known as "the Harvard of Canada", he majored in Marketing and minored in Finance and Entrepreneurship. In 1994, Michael and his business partners introduced a solution to a need in the fast food industry. He noticed that the consumption of fast food was on the rise, yet the option to eat healthy on the go was limited. He wanted to create a fast food restaurant that still offered the All-American meal of burger and fries, but repackaged to taste great and also be nutritious. Michael and his business partners acted on their vision and started Evos. His business turned out to be a remarkable success, now with multiple locations. Michael is not shy about expressing his love for his native country, but he loves America because there are abundant opportunities here if one is willing to work. He believes, "Having a positive mindset can illuminate the paths for growth, progress, and prosperity in America."
Nkemngong Ndiachi
CAMEROON
Nkemngong Ndiachi grew up moving around the country of Cameroon a great deal because of her father's teaching position. Yet despite the constant upheaval, Nkemngong still succeeded in finishing high school and studying economics at Halfway University. However, her love for children soon led her to change paths and she began her training to become a teacher. While Nkemngong loved teaching, she felt the pressure and financial strains of being in a very bureaucratic system. In Cameroon, Nkemngong felt that she was not progressing. She knew she wanted to live a good quality life and travel outside of her country. Her opportunity came in 2003, when she was reunited with a cousin in New York. After one bitterly cold month, she decided to move to Florida. Nkemngong is happy to be in America, a country where one can go to school and live a better life. When asked if she had any words of wisdom for a new immigrant to America, she said, "If you work hard, you'll get your dream. Anything you pursue you get it."
Jennifer Rask
SCOTLAND
Jennifer claims that perhaps her sense of humor helped ease the transition from a traditional British upbringing to the ways of the American culture. Her keen sense of observation has enabled her to embrace her new country while enlightening those around her with the phrases, foods, and traditions of her native Scotland. As a wife and a mother, Jennifer and her husband Tom are raising a son and daughter. Bringing up two American children with the mix of cultures provided many interesting experiences. Jennifer earned a BSc degree in Food Studies from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and had worked in the food industry for many years before emigrating to the United States. To other immigrants, Jennifer suggests, "Talk to people and learn from them." She values the life lessons that can come from both the unassuming as well as the learned intellectuals.
Guadalupe Salas
MEXICO
Guadalupe's journey to the United States was not one of ease and luxury, yet his hope for a better future kept him focused. His crossing started with a $3,500 fee and a walk that lasted three days and nights in the desert. His family stayed back in Mexico as he bravely made the voyage on his own. To this day he still continues to send money back home to help his family. He has not seen them since 1995 when he first came to the United States, but as a new citizen plans to visit often. He now legally works as a roofer, but before his citizenship had been employed as a construction worker. He explains, "I was scared that I would get caught. It is hard to live here, but the one that wants to do it will." He willingly expresses his gratitude to this country, stating that you have to work hard to live here, but you receive a lot of help along the way. His final thoughts were, "These are good peoples!"
Carolina Regales
PANAMA
Throughout her childhood, Carolina was always taught to aspire for the best. Being from a third world country, she recognized that there were many limitations and challenges. She also knew the United States was a country where opportunities exist for anyone who wanted to pursue them. Her mother and sisters immigrated first, so after finishing her Panamanian law degree she immigrated as well. Carolina completed her Masters in International Law at Stetson University while also undertaking an internship at Maney & Gordon, P.A., where she was later hired. She has now become a licensed immigration attorney and works to assist others with their dreams of a better life and future in this country of opportunities. Her words of advice to a new immigrant would be, "Patience and perseverance are required to navigate this complex immigration system, and no matter how long it takes, the outcome will be for the best."
Dr. Mohammed Sultan
SYRIA
Dr. Sultan immigrated to the United States from Syria in 1971, a young boy with one thousand dollars in his pocket and the parting words of his father, "You're on your own!" Dr. Sultan recalls his first impression of America as idyllic, "People were easygoing… they didn't look at you as an alien. They were friendly. Life was very cheap, even a gallon of gas was 38 cents. We were able to work, go to school and save some money." Dr. Sultan has lived the classic immigrant story, working his way through college at Bowie State University, majoring in Biology while working at a McDonald's restaurant. In 1989 he earned his doctorate in Education from the University of South Mississippi. After relocating to the Tampa Bay area, Dr. Sultan was greatly honored by being chosen to be an imam and to lead the Tampa Bay Islamic Society. For the past fifteen years, Dr. Sultan has been an ardent advocate in creating an open dialogue and communication between Muslims and non-Muslims in the Tampa Bay community. When asked if he had any words of advice for recent immigrant arrivals, he replied, "Stick to your faith and belief. Learn the language!"
Veronica Dey
CANADA
One of the most common reasons immigrants migrate to the United States is in the pursuit of better opportunities. Many are in search of economic prosperity or an advanced degree. But for Veronica Dey, one word summed up her reason to immigrate from Ontario to Florida: snow. In Canada, her closest neighbor was over a mile away and even the closest grocery store was a half hour drive. She recalls very cold winters where the temperature would dip to as low as -40 degrees Celsius. She decided to thaw out in Florida while pursuing a degree in Fashion Design. She moved without knowing anyone else in Florida, but was determined to make the best of her new environment. She excelled in her studies, maintaining a 4.0 GPA, but meanwhile Veronica's interest in tattoo artistry started to develop. At the age of 19, Veronica decided to finally pursue her true passion and she became a tattoo artist. As is evident from her personal body art, Veronica loves her craft and has been perfecting her artistry ever since.
Francesco Agueci
ROMA, ITALY
Francesco arrived in 2012, leaving his beautiful "la città eterna" at the age of 23. Although he loves his country, he decided to cross the Atlantic Ocean in order to find better job opportunities. His original purpose was to return as soon as possible back to Europe, but after he had a baby with his wife, he wanted to become a citizen because they thought it would be better to raise their son in the United States. As Francisco says, "The feeling of being a citizen is like a weight lifted off his shoulders, because now he can create a nice life with his family here in the U.S. Francesco says the best advice he can give is, "Be patient, because it's a long, difficult process, but when finished, you'll feel free to enjoy America."
Tamara Dubis
VENEZUELA
Tamara was an established Attorney in Venezuela when she made her decision to immigrate to the United States. Yet she had decided to pursue a master's degree in International Law and felt that the United States would provide a better educational opportunity. Tamara was accepted to Stetson University, a competitive Florida law school. After living in America for just three weeks, she met her future husband, proclaiming it was love at first sight. With her husband's encouragement, she decided to stay in the United States and further pursue Business Law. Tamara is now practicing Real Estate Law and has joined with Keller Williams. Her advice to new immigrants is, "You should let the lawyers take care of everything and rely on them to help you. Immigrants sometimes think that lawyers will take advantage of you, but they do not."
