Home   Purchase This Book   Table of Contents    About TeamCom    

Succeeding in America: 
Lessons from Immigrants 
Who Achieved the American Dream

Online Press Kit

Everything you need to create a fresh, interesting story

Story Angles   Backgrounder   Interview Questions   Author Bio

While Americans are busy eating grilled hamburgers at backyard barbecues and watching firework displays this Fourth of July, for many immigrant Americans the real "Independence Day" was the day they arrived in the United States. While it is easy to think of new immigrants as somehow "different" than we are (no matter who we are), you don't need census statistics to know that America is truly a nation of immigrants. 

All new immigrants face challenges as they adjust to a new language, culture and working environment. Succeeding in America, a new book by Leticia Gallares-Japzon, makes it clear that success for new immigrants takes courage and hard work. So, perhaps this Independence Day we should take a moment to appreciate their sacrifices and contributions to America. 

The Statue of Liberty has welcomed generations of new Americans, including many of our own family members. More background:
http://www.nps.gov/stli/
http://www.foreignborn.com/
 

 STORY ANGLE:  Success and Education

The English language is one of the most important things a person immigrating to the United States must learn says Leticia Gallares-Japzon, author of the new book Succeeding in America: Lessons from Immigrants Who Achieved the American Dream. Fortunately, with access to the Internet and movies on video in English available worldwide, this task may be easier than ever these days. If you want to learn English or improve your English skills, many interesting, free resources can help you. 
http://www.english-online.net/
http://www.englishday.com/
http://www.englishbaby.com/
http://babelfish.altavista.com/
 

 STORY ANGLE:  Business and Finance  

If you live in an urban or suburban area, you're probably familiar with the entrepreneurial success of many recent immigrants. In every kind of storefront business or franchise imaginable, from dry-cleaning to donut shops, we are served by new Americans. One of the "keys" to this success, is an approach to financing in which a group of local immigrant businesspeople help each other by pooling their resources in a "kye" as they are known in Southeast Asia. 

A kye typically has about ten members. The leader sets an amount of money that will be raised and the members contribute a proportional share every month over several months until the target amount is obtained. Each member of the kye is then able to borrow from this fund in the order determined by a vote or lottery. There is an incentive for members of the kye to help with each other achieve businesses success so that each member can pay back their loan and replenish the pool so that funds are available to others. 
 

STORY ANGLE:  History of Immigration

Explore your own immigrant past. While today's immigrants are more likely to arrive at LAX in a plane, nearly 40 percent of all U.S. citizens can trace their ancestry back to immigrants who arrived at Ellis Island. Between 1892 and 1954, approximately 12 million steerage and third class steamship passengers entered the United States through the port of New York at Ellis Island. It's easy now to explore your family history there. 
http://www.genealogy.com/genealogy/ellisinfo.html?Welcome=993575840
http://www.ellisisland.org/default.asp
 
 

The path to U.S. citizenship is lengthy and complex. However, getting the proper documentation is only part of the battle. There is much more to learn: a new language, culture, and working environment. Succeeding In America by Leticia Gallares-Japzon is a book that tells the stories of many immigrants who have successfully met the challenges. 
http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/aboutins/statistics/index.htm

Based on the 2000 U.S. Census, here are some interesting facts about foreign-born residents of the United States: 

• Approximately 28.4 million foreign-born people live in the United States.
• The foreign-born represent 10.4 percent of the U.S. population.
• People born in Latin America comprise approximately 51.0 percent of the U.S. foreign-born population.

We often think of immigrant families as having many children. However, this notion is not what the 2000 U.S. Census shows:

• Relatively few foreign-born people are under age 18 (10.0 percent) compared with 28.3 percent of the native population.
• The foreign-born are more likely than natives to be 18 to 64 years of age.
• The largest percentage of the foreign-born are in the 35-39 age group.

The 2000 U.S. Census tells us where the foreign-born are more likely to live in the United States:

• Among the foreign-born, 39.9 percent live in the West and only 10.7 percent live in the Midwest.
• The foreign-born are more geographically concentrated than the native population and are more likely than natives to live inside central cities of metropolitan areas.

While there is a common myth that people immigrate to the United States because the "streets are paved with gold," according to the 2000 U.S. Census the foreign-born actually earn less than natives and are more likely to be living in poverty. While there are many notably successful foreign-born residents in the U.S., 16.8 percent of foreign-born residents, compared to 11.2 percent of natives, live in poverty. 

For more interesting information on the foreign-born in America, see "The Foreign-born Population in the United States" produced by the Census Bureau or visit their website. 
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/foreign.html
 

• What are the main reasons people want to immigrate to the United States? Are they being realistic?

• We sometimes hear about Americans who resent the success of recent immigrants. Is this resentment justified?

• How many Americans are foreign born?

• What are the most important things potential immigrants should learn or do before they come to America?

• What can someone new to the United States do to insure their success?

• What are some of the common obstacles immigrants face in America?

• Many immigrants seem to do very well in running their own businesses. What are the keys to their success?

• What can the immigrant experience teach native Americans about being successful in our own country?

• What are the major contributions new immigrants make in the United States?

AUTHOR BIO

Leticia (Letty) Gallares-Japzon is an independent management consultant and writer.  She came to America from the Philippines in 1971 and has lived in the Washington, DC area since.  She has worked as a Strategy and Benchmarking Manager at Xerox Corporation and has held positions in instructional design and development at both Xerox and the World Bank.  Letty has an MA in Education from George Washington University and an MA in Human Resource Management from Marymount University. She lives with her husband Eddie in Ashburn Virginia.

This online press kit is provided by:
T A L I O N . C O M
330 SW 43rd St
PMB K-547
Renton WA 98055
Phone: 425-228-7131
Fax: 425-228-3965
www.Talion.com
feedback@talion.com

Succeeding in America:
Lessons from Immigrants Who Achieved the American Dream

Publication Date:
July 4, 2001 

ISBN#
1-928791-20-4 

$16.95-Paperback
216 pages; 6x9;

Buy the book:  www.teamcombooks.com