Photography exhibit from Upwardly Global's 2011 Passport to Possibilities Awards & Gala. These images share stories of the many skilled, work-authorized refugees, immigrants and asylees that Upwardly Global moves from poverty into the professional workforce each year. The exhibit explores the concept of “brain waste” in the United States, highlighting the importance of global talent by artistically juxtaposing skilled new Americans’ professional careers with the under- or unemployment they often experience in the United States. Ultimately, the photographs are honest and moving portrayals of the journeys made to America from across the world, relating stories of courage, resilience and success. Photography by Christina Noël. www.christinanoel.us Learn more about Upwardly Global at www.upwardlyglobal.org

1. Upwardly Global’s 2011 Passport
to Possibilities Awards & Gala
Photography Exhibit
Exhibit

4. Munara applied for asylum after her Attending every workshop she could,
arrival and began driving a taxi to support shaping her resume, developing her
herself and her child. For the first year she network, she learned the ins and outs of
drove, she was embarrassed to tell anyone the U.S. job market, all while driving long
that this was how she made her living. hours in her taxi.
Often, former students visiting the U.S.
wanted to see her, but she was too UpGlo staff and volunteers helped her
ashamed to tell them that this was the bridge the cultural gap and supported and
only job she could have. motivated her. Soon, Munara landed a job
as a medical interpreter with Healthcare
Although she had been granted asylum Language Services. Quickly recognized for
and now enjoyed freedoms that women in her hard work and versatile skill set, she
her country did not have, Munara was was promoted to Operations Manager.
unsure of how to accomplish her dreams
in the U.S. Munara now lives a life that she had
envied before coming to the States: a life
When an acquaintance from a refugee where women can do anything, can
group mentioned Upwardly Global, express themselves, and be confident. Her
Munara joined the program. life is completely different, she is stronger,
more self-assured, and a role model for
her daughter and other women across the
globe.

7. That is also what drove Chengetayi to He knew going in that he was at a
come to the United States—to create a disadvantage—he had recently
better life for his family. While working immigrated and his work experience was
at his PR firm in South Africa, he in another country.
collaborated with a team of students
from the Medill School of Journalism at So he decided to take a survival job as a
Northwestern University. restaurant host at the Conrad Hotel. But
his goal is to get back into marketing. He
After working with them, he knew enrolled in Upwardly Global’s program and
Chicago was where he wanted to be—a has been developing his job search and
place where he would find his next professional networking skills.
intellectual challenge and a place where
he and his family wouldn’t experience Chenge doesn’t see himself as an
discrimination for being Zimbabwean. immigrant victim of a poor economy but as
a crucial part of the solution. Having been
granted asylum only last year, he has made
But professionally, his transition was
great strides towards rebuilding his life and
much more difficult than expected. He
career after a journey filled with many
tried to enter the marketing industry at emotional highs and lows.
the worst possible time, in 2008.

10. Still, Gabriela was unfulfilled. She found This month, Gabriela happily celebrated
something online related to Upwardly her one-year anniversary with the
Global Chicago. Excited about her organization, where she works in the PR
discovery, she emailed the office and in and communications area.
less than a month was participating in
Upwardly Global’s workshops. A benefit that Gabriela did not expect
was that she started observing the
“Being with people going through the world and life differently, now that she
same situation was very powerful for has lived on two separate continents
me—it revived me.” and experienced two distinct cultures.
At one of the Upwardly Global events, She is happy in Chicago—she loves her
Gabriela met a PR professional who job, and she has made many new
helped steer her thinking towards friends through the workplace and
career opportunities where she could through Upwardly Global. She found
leverage her Latin American roots. mostly similarities between Brazil and
Shortly after, Upwardly Global the U.S., but still there were a few
connected her with Rotary differences, especially here in the
International. Midwest. “The first time I heard a
tornado warning, I didn’t know what to
do!”

13. Her husband came to her rescue and Elena submitted her resume, and, sure
found free ESL classes for her to attend. enough, she was invited in for an
Elena enrolled and started going four interview.
times a week, five hours a day. While
Elena enjoyed the chance to improve In December 2011, Elena will celebrate
her English skills, she also really loved her one-year anniversary with the
being out among people. “I found company. She loves her job: “it is
friends there—really good friends.” unbelievable how friendly and
understanding people are.”
Elena learned of Upwardly Global
through her ESL teacher at Truman Prior to moving to Chicago three years
College. Excited about the possibility of ago, Elena had never traveled abroad.
returning to work in office She met her now-husband when he was
management, the career she had left visiting his mother in St. Petersburg;
behind in Russia, she started attending Andrew had moved from Russia to the
the various workshops and events. U.S. several years prior. Elena found it
was impossible to get a visa to visit
Larisa, a fellow job seeker she met, told Andrew in the U.S. so, her first trip was
her about an Office Manager position the “big move.” Elena loves living in
with Promet Solutions, a software Chicago; she loves the people, the
development company. positive attitude, and the
independence.

16. An entrepreneur and Management This is fulfilling while he works with
Consultant in Chile, Francisco soon Upwardly Global to regain his
learned how different a job search in professional life in a U.S. business.
the U.S. would be. Without knowing
that he would need to market himself There are many things Francisco
to employers, and no longer having his misses about Chile: visiting the ocean
strongest skill—his command of his and mountains in the same day, gazing
native language and incredible at the evening stars, and the vintage
communication skills, Francisco was bicycle he rode in Santiago that is still
unsure of how to get started. waiting to be shipped to him.
So he has created fulfilling survival But he faces the future with optimism
jobs for himself. He began coaching and excitement. The definition of
soccer, and suggested yoga as an success for Francisco is to wake up
excellent activity for the students as every day enjoying the love that he
well; he is now a yoga instructor for and his wife have for one another, as
1st- through 5th-grade students. The they await the birth of their first child.
response from students and parents
has been tremendously positive.

19. Upon arriving in America, Lourdes She is actively interviewing with
immediately faced obstacles in rebuilding healthcare and nonprofit organizations,
her medical career. Having completed showcasing her ability to help others
medical school and residency in a foreign facing their own challenges.
country, she is required to go through
She is passionate about reentering the
extensive and rigorous testing and
field to work with abused women, and
evaluation in order to get certified in the
believes in a holistic approach to medicine
United States.
that emphasizes the emotional well being
of patients. She is a good listener,
This endeavor requires a lot of sacrifice,
compassionate, and has a heart to serve
the greatest of which is money, and
and change lives.
without the necessary resources, she was
faced with the challenge of finding work Lourdes was finally able to bring her son
outside of her professional field. from the Dominican Republic and she is
now more hopeful than ever—hopeful
Lourdes came to Upwardly Global in that she will be able to raise her son to
search of direction. Through networking overcome his fears, maintain his values,
events and workshops, she has become and get what he wants in life. She is
aware of new ways to work towards her hopeful that she will finally be able to
goal of getting back in the medical move back into her role as a doctor and
profession. make a lasting impact on the lives of those
in need.

22. Shwan had begun seeking opportunities “I had no idea what a cover letter was when
abroad after being denied admission to a I was applying to jobs in Cleveland,” admits
master’s degree program in his home Shwan. “And my resume wasn’t getting me
country because he is Kurdish. He thought anywhere.”
he was prepared to start over again in
another country. Most importantly, Shwan has been able to
network with American professionals and
As part of his three-day orientation to the gain firsthand insight into professional life.
United States, he was asked if he was afraid He recently landed a phone interview that
of the challenges. “I had worked with he passed easily. Now, with greater access to
Americans for years,” remembers Shwan. “I employers, he’s learned which technical
was not afraid because I know myself, I skills he needs to develop to match U.S.
know I have years of experience. I have norms.
always worked to make progress in my
professional life.” Shwan makes the best of his survival job at
Dunkin’ Donuts by volunteering to assist
But although Shwan was prepared for things with technology projects and enhance his
to be difficult, he was sometimes surprised American credentials. Shwan is grateful for
by the contrast between American culture the guidance he has received from Upwardly
and Middle Eastern culture. Global and is confident he will achieve his
professional goals. Shwan remains
After moving to Chicago, Shwan was optimistic. “I knew it would be difficult to re-
introduced to Upwardly Global, which he establish myself as a professional here,”
credits for developing his American job notes Shwan. “Now I know it will take even
search skills. Upwardly Global made it easy longer than I first expected, but I trust
for him to polish his resume and master the myself and know I can do it.”
art of cover letters.

25. Eventually, she was faced with a difficult Then she found Upwardly Global and
choice—to stay and keep growing her learned how to open doors that had
career, or to follow her heart, marry, and appeared closed.
move again. Deciding that all her success
wasn’t really success at all without someone Upwardly Global introduced her to Kim
to share it with, she moved to the United Taylor, who was starting Healthcare
States. Language Services, a translation and
interpretation company. Paola gave Kim her
When Paola left Chile, she was working with new, improved American resume,
one of the largest public hospitals as a interviewed, and secured a position as an
consultant to the Director of Medicine. She interpreter. But it was in this job,
believed her high-level skills were going to interpreting the doctor’s words, that she
be appreciated in the U.S. Paola knew that realized how much she wanted to be a
she could not practice as a physician here, practicing physician again.
but she assumed that with an MBA and
healthcare experience, there were many So, she began that process and through
things she could do. networking secured an Observership at the
Department of Cardiology at the University of
However, she faced barriers she did not Chicago, a step that greatly improves her
expect—how could she get employers to resume for residency applications. Paola has
understand her experience and skills? applied to residency, has landed several
interviews and will find out in March if she’s
secured that crucial step back to her dream.

26. Photography by:
www.christinanoel.us
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