This webinar, held by the Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy, discussed immigrant entrepreneurs, their impact on the New York economy, and their ability to access banking systems, loans, and capital to start and maintain their businesses. The panelists touched on opportunities and obstacles facing immigrant entrepreneurs and shared their insights into how the local, state, and national economies impact entrepreneurship. They also suggested improving policies and programs aimed at immigrant entrepreneurship.
Immigrants are twice as likely as their native counterparts to become entrepreneurs, according to the Kauffman Foundation. Research on immigrant entrepreneurship reveals that foreign-born residents may have higher motivation for creating business ventures than their native-born counterparts. This may result from hindered access to salaried jobs in the mainstream economy. Still, it can also be a deliberate choice that capitalizes on the promise of higher potential earnings, time flexibility, and economic opportunity. Immigrant entrepreneurs face a multitude of barriers in their quest to create successful businesses because of poor access to local financial resources, knowledge of the labor market, laws, regulations, and institutions. Lack of English language skills and lack of access to social capital can also serve as a barrier to building effective ventures.
►[00:00] Introductions
🗣 Guillermo Martinez, Deputy Director & Intergovernmental Liaison, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy
🗣 Dina Refki, Executive Director, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy
►[00:04:36] Keynote Remarks | Navigating the Waters of Immigrant Entrepreneurship: My Story
🗣 Nasser Jaber, Chef, Entrepreneur, and Founder, The Migrant Kitchen and The Migrant Kitchen Initiative
[00:16:10] Special Presentations | The Promise of Immigrant Entrepreneurship and Issues to be Resolved
🗣Asha Venugopalan, Immigrant Integration Fellow, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy
►[00:27:47] Round Table Discussion
🗣Moderators: Dina Refki, executive director, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy and Asha Venugopalan, Immigrant Integration Fellow, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy
🗣 [00:28:34] Assemblymember Al Stirpe, Assemblymember, District 127, New York State Assembly
🗣[00:36:23] Senator Sean Ryan, Senator, Senate District 61, New York State Senate
🗣[00:43:40] Nasser Jaber, Chef, Entrepreneur, and Founder, The Migrant Kitchen and The Migrant Kitchen Initiative
🗣[00:49:03]Danielle Davis, Director, BIPOC Business Growth, The Capital Region Chamber
🗣[1:02:02] Kristine Rudgers, Small Business Advisor, America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
🗣[1:06:20] Carlos Flores Figueroa, Vice President, Business Development, Center for Economic Growth (CEG)
🗣[1:10:19] Ahyoung Kim, director, economic empowerment, Asian American Federation
►[1:31:29] Closing Remarks
🗣 Dina Refki, Executive Director, Institute on Immigrant Integration Research and Policy