BCNA’s 2014 Immigrant Heritage Week Awards are April 24th

New York, April 22, 2015 – In recognition of the important role immigrant entrepreneurs play in the economy of New York City, the Business Center for New Americans will mark NYC 2015 Immigrant Heritage Week by honoring inspiring immigrant entrepreneurs and refugees. Nisha Agarwal, Commissioner of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, will present the awards at the 2015 BCNA Immigrant Heritage Week Awards on Friday, April 24. The event begins at 8:30 am at the SIFMA Conference Center, 120 Broadway.

 

Special guest and keynote speaker will be Thomas Ko. After successful career of leading Citi corporate mobile banking to be the best in the world, Thomas decided to venture into new challenge-startups. As an investor and President of NAMU systems, he is focused on developing and delivering digital and social client-centric banking software.

 

A distinguished panel will discuss “How Can Technology Empower New York’s Immigrant Micro Business Owners?” moderated by Jonathan Bowles, Executive Director of the Center for an Urban Future.  Panelists include Bhairavi Desai, founder of the New York Taxi Drivers Alliance, Lisa Gross, founder of the League of Kitchens, and Emma Boast, Program Director at Museum of Food and Drink. BCNA clients David Wisdom, founder, ReCaFo, and Esther Varney, owner of Cassandra Beauty & Spa will also participate on the panel. Both Wisdom and Varney have benefited from BCNA’s Technology to Boost Your Bottom Line program, funded by Citi Foundation, which offers training and individualized marketing consultation to help small businesses improve their online presence.

 

Commissioner Agarwal will present awards, which include The 2015 Bootstrap Entrepreneur Award to be awarded to Ismaila Bah and Mohamed Bah, owners of Noor Halal African American Market. The Bahs have been clients of BCNA since opening their market in 2011. Their business contributes to the health and well-being of an underserved neighborhood in the South Bronx by offering fresh produce, groceries and African specialties, as well as freshly butchered halal meat.

 

The 2015 New York Job Creator Award will be presented to Yelena Gordiyevskaya, owner of Smiles Around Us Academy and day care center. Ms. Gordiyevskaya has been a BCNA client since 1999, soon after she opened her first center. She now has three locations, two day care centers serving children from two to six years old and a private school for pre-K through 8th grade. Her business enterprises have created 55 jobs for New Yorkers and serve more than 325 children and families in Staten Island.

 

The 2015 New Beginning Awards will go to four individuals – Aissata Niangadou, Wyllys Rodriguez, Zhuldyz Makhadiyeva, and Shyam Bogati – all of whom completed BCNA’s Individual Development Account program for refugees and asylees. After successfully reaching a personal savings goal, each individual received a matching grant to use toward college costs, to pursue career training, or start a small business. Ms. Niangadou will graduate from Fordham University this May with a BS in public accounting, and Ms. Makhadiyeva will graduate from CHIC STUDIOS program in makeup artistry in June. Mr. Rodriguez is pursuing an Associates degree at Hostos Community College. Mr. Bogati used his grant to purchase a car to operate his own car service business.

 

“We are honored to serve and support immigrant entrepreneurs in New York City,” says Yanki Tshering, Executive Director of the Business Center. “We are especially proud of these individuals, who are not only working hard to pursue their dreams and creating a better future for their families, but also contributing to the city’s economy. Their entrepreneurial spirit is an inspiration to all New Yorkers.”

The Business Center for New Americans (BCNA) is an award-winning microloan fund serving immigrant, refugee, and low-income entrepreneurs in New York City. BCNA has so far made over $13.1 million in microloans and provides essential training in business management and technology to over 500 businesses each year. To date, over 1,500 refugees have participated in BCNA’s IDA Program and invested over $25 million in assets like home ownership, micro-business, further education, and vocational training.

Immigrant Heritage Week, an initiative of the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, is a collaboration of a diverse group of city, state, and community organizations featuring cultural events in all five boroughs celebrating the city’s immigrant communities.