Chilean actor Pedro Pascal; the editor-in-chief of the U.S. version of Elle magazine, Colombian Nina García; Mexican businessman Daniel Lubetzky or Guatemalan activist Karen González are some of the personalities who on Wednesday were named Great Immigrants of the Year, according to a list prepared by the Carnegie Corporation.
Since 2006, the foundation has compiled an annual list of outstanding naturalized U.S. citizens to celebrate the contribution immigrants make to the country and how they strengthen democracy.
The list also recognizes the contribution of the president of the World Bank, the Indian Ajay Banga, the recent Oscar winner the Vietnamese Ke Huy Quan, the Canadian singer-songwriter Alanis Morissette.
"These are extraordinary people," said Louise Richardson, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and of Irish origin. "To present all these incredibly positive stories of people who have contributed enormously to the life of the country I think is important every year," he said.
Actor Pedro Pascal during an event in California in 2023.Getty Images
In Richardson's view, immigration is an issue that has become politicized. "I think there's a growing sense that the number of immigrants is getting out of hand, and this is not unique to the United States," Richardson said in an interview with The Associated Press. "So we're very interested in suggesting that immigrants be looked at through a different lens." Aimed.
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The 35 honorees on this year's list come from 33 countries on six continents and are leaders in everything from business and philanthropy to education and the arts.
Mexican Daniel Lubetzky, known for being the founder and former CEO of Kind Snacks, as well as for his appearances as an entrepreneur on ABC's Shark Tank, said he was proud to have been included in this year's list.
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"To me, America is a nation of immigrants and we have to remember that," he said. "We have to celebrate. And we need to contribute – each one of us – to keep that dream alive," he insisted.
Lubetzky, who sold Kind to food giant Mars for an estimated $5 billion in 000, is working to do his part through his philanthropy. It focuses on reducing polarization through initiatives such as the community-building movement Starts With Us and The Lubetzky Family Foundation's Futures of the Free World program, which supports democracy building around the world.
"Authoritarianism and extremism are rampant around the world, and threats to democracy are the worst of my lifetime," he said. "But I also have the enormous conviction that it will change."
Florida Gov. and Republican hopeful Ron DeSantis unveiled his immigration plan Monday, which includes amending the U.S. Constitution to end the mechanism that automatically grants citizenship to people born in the United States, an idea also proposed by former President Donald Trump.
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"Hanging the citizenship award on future descendants of illegal immigrants is one of the main drivers of illegal migration," DeSantis said. "It is also inconsistent with the original understanding of the Fourteenth Amendment, and we will force the courts and Congress to finally address this failed policy."
Jeremy Robbins, executive director of the American Immigration Council, a nonprofit that works to make people more accepting of immigration, said there are currently two very different narratives about immigration in the country: "It's an opportunity to make the country stronger" and "It's a threat."
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"We talk to a lot of Americans and they believe both narratives," Robbins explained. "Most Americans believe immigration has been great for America, but they're nervous about immigration coming now."
According to his group's research, immigrants in the United States start businesses at a faster rate than the general population, with 3.2 million immigrant entrepreneurs generating $88.500 billion in annual revenue.
These are the Latin Americans included in the list of Great Immigrants of 2023:
- Pedro Pascal, actor, Chile
- Miguel Mike B. Fernández, CEO of MBF Healthcare Partners (Cuba)
- Maria Freire, biophysicist (Peru)
- Nina Garcia, editor-in-chief of the U.S. version of Elle magazine (Colombia)
- Karen González, immigrant rights activist (Guatemala)
- Azira G. Hill, co-founder of the talent development program of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (Cuba)
- Karen Lozano, professor at the University of Texas at Rio Grande (Mexico)
- Daniel Lubetzky, founder of Kind Snacks and Starts With Us founder (Mexico)