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Should New York and Other Cities Look to Immigrant Entrepreneurs as a New Engine for Economic Growth

Event - November 2008

Should New York and Other Cities Look to Immigrant Entrepreneurs as a New Engine for Economic Growth

The full transcript from the conference the Center co-sponsored with the Field Center for Entrepreneurship at Baruch College, which examined the impact immigrant entrepreneurs are having, the specific obstacles they face in starting and growing businesses and what policies local and national officials ought to undertake to support this under-appreciated part of the economy.

Tags: economic growth entrepreneurship immigrants

Click here to download the full transcript (PDF).


Panelists included 

  • Ann Li, Vice President, International & Financial Services, NYC Economic Development Corporation; 
  • Manuel Miranda, President, Delicias Andinas; Joyce Moy, Executive Director, Asian American/Asian Research Institute, CUNY; 
  • Fatimah Muhammad, Manager, Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians; 
  • Paul Quintero, Chief Operating Officer, ACCION New York and New Jersey; 
  • Maria De Lourdes Sobrino, founder of Los Angeles-based Lulu's Desserts and author of Thriving Latina Entrepreneurs in America;
  • Audrey Singer, Senior Fellow, Metropolitan Policy Program, The Brookings Institution; 
  • Yanki Tshering, Director, Business Center for New Americans; 
  • Victor Ashok Vora, a Brooklyn-based entrepreneur;
  • Vivek Wadhwa, Fellow, Labor and Worklife Program at Harvard Law School; Columnist, Business Week.