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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 29 M A R C H 8 , 2 0 2 1 D I V E R S I T Y / E Q U I T Y / I N C L U S I O N B Y R E N E E C O R D E S B Y R E N E E C O R D E S O N T H E R E C O R D ainebiz: How did you originally connect with the center? Reza Jalali: I was a fan and a sup- porter. As an immigrant, I was a stakeholder. I watched it grow with admiration. I appreciated its mis- sion and vision for the community and felt represented. MB: What should readers know about the center's mission and programs? RJ: e Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center, which was estab- lished in 2017, serves as a hub of collaboration that strengthens the immigrant community through language acquisition, economic inte- gration and civic engagement. We have four distinctive programs: e Co-working Hub houses a dozen or more immigrant-owned businesses, nonprofits that serve New Mainers, community programs, and so on. It offers the tenants network opportuni- ties. e digital language lab, iEnglish, helps with language acquisition. It supports local organizations to have their non-English speaking employ- ees reach proficiency in English. e Civic Engagement and Citizenship assists immigrants to get involved in their communities' civic life, by voting and joining boards and commis- sions. Finally, our Business Hub acts as a low-barrier resource for those wanting to start or expand businesses (read: creating jobs). Ultimately, we are about workforce integration in the Greater Portland area. MB: What are your plans for the center's Immigrant Business Hub? RJ: We hope to bring visibility to Maine's immigrant-owned businesses and their contributions to the state's economy. Research shows immi- grants, compared to their native- born counterparts, are more likely to start businesses. at's the universal story across the United States. Our Business Hub is designed to elevate the immigrant business owners. We help them to access loans, engage in best business practices including bulk buying, better bookkeeping, and mar- keting, among others. We host a fund that was started by an immigrant entrepreneur, that offers low-interest microloans to help those interested in expansion of the enterprises. We believe the future of our beloved state depends on the success of family- owned small businesses, some of which are owned by immigrants. MB: How will the 2021 edition of your "New Mainers" book differ from the 2009 version? RJ: When the first book came out, there were hardly any Iraqi, Syrian or French-speaking African immi- grants calling Maine home. Together with my co-author, Morgan Rielly, we discovered there were new faces, and new stories to be told. Also, the national narrative related to immigration, which continues to be contentious, and the attention — positive or negative — it receives, deserved a new book to be written. I believe the successful integration of immigrants in Maine can become a national model and a source of pride for all Mainers. MB: Looking back to your time as a newly arrived immigrant, what lessons from that experience resonate with you today? RJ: Back then, I felt invisible. And not valued. Despite the fact that I had two college degrees, from universi- ties where every subject was taught in English, I had to start my life in America cooking in a restaurant, selling vacuum cleaners, followed by working the graveyard shift in a factory and attending classes during the day, and so on. ere were a few services to serve the immigrant communities and they were all charity-based, meaning I was seen as someone in need of help, rather than a person who could contribute and add to the richness of society. Now it is much better — Portland is at least an accepting place. MB: In filling Alain Nahimana's shoes, how will you carry on his legacy? RJ: Our co-founder started a path that we continue to follow. He would be proud of our work as we move forward, committed to uplifting and advancement of those arriving in Maine in search of safety and human dignity. After all, we offer the world's displaced people a sec- ond chance. P H O T O / J I M N E U G E R Iran-born writer, educator and community organizer Reza Jalali succeeded the late Alain Nahimana as executive director of the Greater Portland Immigrant Welcome Center. He spoke with Mainebiz about the center's multi-pronged mission and his vision for it. Reza Jalali Reza Jalali, executive , executive director of the director of the Greater Greater Portland Immigrant Portland Immigrant Welcome Center Welcome Center and and a former refugee from a former refugee from Iran, says the center Iran, says the center offers displaced people offers displaced people a second chance. a second chance. M I believe the successful integration of immigrants in Maine can become a national model and a source of pride for all Mainers. F O C U S