We have come across a lot of inspiring stories of immigrants. Here are the stories of three famous immigrant Americans that would likely inspire you.
Monique Truong, Novelist
Monique Truong, a Vietnamese-American writer, came to the U.S. along with her mother as a refugee of the Vietnam War. She came here when she was six years old. She obtained her undergraduate and law degrees from the Yale University and Columbia Law School respectively.
Truong is well known for her novels like The Book of Salt (Houghton Mifflin 2003) and Bitter in the Mouth (Random House 2010). Her books have won many awards and have been read by a lot of people. She is now described as a “bestselling author.” She became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 1980 in Dayton, Ohio. Though she left her home country and came here as a refugee, she was able to achieve the American dream that is still a dream to many.
Alejandro Mayorkas, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security
Alejandro Mayorkas, who earlier served as the Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), is now serving as the Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security. He was born in Cuba and was brought to the U.S. by his family before his first birthday. His family came to America as refugees.
Mayorkas shared his immigration story in his testimony before the Judiciary Committee. He said that though his parents had to lose their country of birth, their flight from Cuba has given them a wonderful new homeland. He said that he is very fortunate to be here in the U.S.
Helen Reddy
Helen Reddy was born to vaudeville performers in Melbourne, Australia. She came to the U.S. in 1966. Her song “I Am Woman,” a feminist anthem, won her a Grammy Award. She then became a spokesperson for the women’s liberation movement. She did not stop with singing but also produced television programs and wrote about women’s issues. Reddy obtained U.S. citizenship through naturalization in 1974. Helen is now a dual citizen as she holds citizenship in both America and Australia.
There are many such immigrants who left behind their home countries and came to the U.S. in search of better lives. Keep track of our immigration blog for more interesting and inspiring immigration stories.