Today, when one mentions immigrants and immigration we think of the political hot button issues that everyone wants to avoid.

The reality is that immigrants and foreign-born Americans are often an untapped economic resource. The New Economy Initiative (NEI), in partnership with the Skillman Foundation and the Detroit Regional Chamber, is investing in Global Detroit to study the economic opportunities and strategies that we should employ in southeast Michigan to fully realize the economic potential of our immigrant population. The study is being led by former State Representative Steve Tobacman.

Global Detroit, through its initial work, has identified four strategic goals for the southeast Michigan region. The four goals are:

• Make the region welcoming to the international community and immigrants.
• Attract international investment and businesses that create jobs.
• Strengthen, grow, and revitalize neighborhoods in the city of Detroit and in the region’s core communities.
• Attract and retain international talent in the region.

Steve Tobacman’s research is being finalized into a report that we will share through the NEI Web site and blog in the near future.

One of the national partners that Global Detroit has connected with through their work is Welcoming America. Welcoming America is a national, grassroots-driven collaborative that works to promote mutual respect and cooperation between foreign-born and U.S.-born Americans. The ultimate goal of Welcoming America is to create a welcoming atmosphere – community by community – in which immigrants are more likely to integrate into the social fabric of their adopted hometowns. There are exciting discussions occurring at the moment to bring this initiative to Michigan.

Recently, Steve and the leaders of Welcoming America were on WDET discussing the Welcoming America Campaign and what we could be doing in Michigan to make the state more welcoming to immigrants and foreign investment. Take a listen to the interview here. If you’re having difficulty playing the podcast; Click Here to Listen.

Stay tuned to the NEI Blog for more information on the work of Global Detroit and how we can tap the economic potential of southeast Michigan’s immigrant population.

Entrepreneurism is all the rage these days. You can’t read an article about the economic recovery without hearing about the importance of entrepreneurs in creating new jobs. It is a badge of honor for an owner of a small business to call themselves an “entrepreneur.” Even network TV has created a reality show highlighting entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurism is everywhere.

The Obama administration is making its mark in the world of entrepreneurism as well. This past fall the administration announced the creation of an Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship with the mission “to unleash and maximize the economic potential of new ideas by removing barriers to entrepreneurship and the development of high-growth and innovation-based businesses.” In the upcoming months, Congress and the administration will be crafting a “jobs bill” that will have entrepreneurism as a central theme.

In order to help shape the national dialog and create a voice for entrepreneurs, our friends at the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation launched a campaign called ”Build a Stronger America.” The campaign or “Entrepreneurs’ Movement” advocates for policy changes that levels the playing field between established businesses and start-up companies.

Check out their Web site to sign up to be part of the movement or to share your entrepreneurial story. One of the video stories on the site is from Chris Gardner, the entrepreneur, author and the inspiration behind the film Pursuit of Happyness. Check out the video–and if you watch very closely you will see your favorite 6′3 Indian-American blogger!

I received an email this morning from Mr. Singh (that's Sam if you are nasty*). 

He asked me to let everyone know that things are going great and he apologizes for his lack of posts this last week.  He was on safari and I guess you can't bounce a Wi-Fi signal off an elephant.

Sam will be returning in just a few days to regale us all with stories.  Until then, please enjoy this picture.  My interpretation of Sam on safari…

My best!

* anytime you get to make a Janet Jackson reference, it's a good day!

This is your intrepid webmaster, Michael Baird, filling in for our boy Sam has he huffs and puffs up to the Everest base camp. I am ever so honored to be the first “guest blogger” on this fine site as I try to keep the keyboard warm for Sam until he eventually climbs down the mountain (that is unless his fellow hikers have to eat him when they run out of food).

Over the next few days I will regale you with stories from the leg of this trip that even after 2 1/2 months is STILL MISSING from Sam’s blog, our trip to Turkey! Sam and I tore it up in Istanbul, paid respects in Gallipoli, marveled at the ruins in Ephesus and discovered what every hostel SHOULD be like in Selcuk! These and many other tales will be revealed!

But first, a little background…

Around April, Sam and I started to talk about where we should go. I had the green light from my wife Kelli (or as we call it, the Sam Singh card) to make one trip while Sam was off on his adventure. Initially we were looking at eastern Europe when Sam then suggested Turkey. Turkey?!? I knew absolutely nothing about Turkey other than they made rugs and coffee, They Might Be Giants did that song (which has been continuously playing in my head wherever I think about this trip) and that I did not want to do anything to land me in a Turkish prison.

I’m not gonna lie, Kelli and I were incredibly apprehensive given Turkey’s geography and America’s not-so-good relations in certain part of the world. I like to think I have an open mind but I’m not the world traveler that Sam is and admittedly my perspective is still very “americancentric” so it took awhile to finally convince myself that this experience would be safe and completely worth it.

What finally did it? It wasn’t until June when Kelli and I were celebrating our anniversary. At the next table in the restaurant was an elderly couple who were actually talking about flying to Istanbul to buy carpets. Seriously??? Just going to jet across the world to buy a carpet or two? I looked at them and in my head said “Dude, if that old lady is going to Istanbul then there is NO reason you can’t!” So thank you old couple for helping me to see the folly of my ways! It was a huge step outside of my comfort zone and one that I will never regret!

The travel gods smiled down upon us Sam and I had the same block of time available (my work trip to the San Diego Comic Con was cancelled and he had two weeks to kill between Europe and the Olympics) so it was set! Tickets were purchased and vacation time taken. I was going to Turkey to be part of the adventure!

"I never climbed up anything one step at a time." Sir Edmund Hillary

I had the opportunity to watch television for the first time in over a week at my friend´s flat in Guatemala City. As I watched the world coverage of CNN, I heard the report of the death of Sir Edmund Hillary. Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated with individuals that make huge personal sacrifices to explore the world or to conquer natural obstacles. The native New Zealander will go down in history as the first man to scale Mt. Everest along with Sherpa, Tenzing Norgay.

I have read a number of books about Everest and watched the Discovery Channel documentaries on Everest and those that try to conquer it. Though many have followed in Hillary’s footsteps, Everest is still one of the most dangerous and significant challenges in the world of mountain climbing. Even though there have been considerable advances in technology and equipment, Mt. Everest still takes a number of lives of those that dare to conquer her every year. Many will spend a considerable amount of money and personal sacrifice and never make the final ascent.

Over the past three years, I read a number of books to keep up my level of excitement about my adventure. During that period, I read Sir Edmund Hillary’s autobiography, View from the Summit: The Remarkable Memoir by the First Person to Conquer Everest. It was a fascinating account of a man with a zest for life and the heart for adventure. Though his ascent of Everest is what catapulted him to fame, his desire was to be remembered for his philanthropic activities to support Nepal, especially Nepal’s Sherpa community. His fundraising and awareness building over the years have resulted in a number of new schools, hospitals and infrastructure that has increased the quality of life of those who helped him achieve worldwide acclaim.

A few sites of interest: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmund_Hillary http://www.lastingtribute.co.uk/famousperson/hillary/2710764 http://www.nzedge.com/heroes/hillary.html

I hung up the cell phone in the middle of Meijer the night before my last full day in Michigan and it hit me for the first time-I am leaving everything I know for the next sixteen months.  I laughed out loud –it was one of those laughs that would be categorized as giddy.  I had just finished an orientation conversation with Amanda Sharia –our team leader for the Habitat for Humanity trip in Costa Rica.  I could tell by our conversation that she is passionate about the mission of Habitat for Humanity.  The team that she selected for the build excited her.  It was a diverse group in regards to age and experience with nonprofit organizations.  For whatever reason the conversation made it clear to me that I was really leaving.

The past two months were spent creating lists and removing items from the list so I could be prepared to leave the country.  Equipment, clothes, preparing the house for my renters.  Slowly each day the list became smaller and on the final day I just had two things to do- pack up my office at the Michigan Nonprofit Association and pack for the trip.

I usually pride myself in being a laid back traveler but the packing was more difficult than I thought it would be.  When all you have are two backpacks- a large one for your clothes and shoes and a small daypack for my computer/video camera and travel books- every item seems important. I didn’t want to forget something but at the same time I didn’t want to have the added weight.

I could feel the pressure building.  The thoughts were running through my head. Will this be enough? What am I forgetting? Shouldn’t I be more excited about the trip?  And then it snuck in there— Am I making the right decision? Well Sam it is a little too late for that isn’t it.  You quit your job-didn’t run for re-election and told anyone who would listen that you were going around the world.

I don’t think I was prepared for those feelings.  I am the guy that can roll with the punches- I can travel with best of them.  Twenty years of dreaming, six years of savings and one year of intensive planning and here I am a few hours from leaving to Detroit Metro and the questions will not stop rolling through my head.  I took a deep breath and reminded myself that everything works out in the end-it has so far in my life- why wouldn’t it work this time.

Dreams are not meant to be easy. If they were we would have accomplished them already.  They exact a sacrifice like the ancient gods of Olympus.  A sacrifice that demands that you question yourself and every decision you have made in the past 12 months.  I am banking that the sacrifice is what makes the dream so much sweeter.