Tobore Oweh
Donor/Supporter, Entrepreneur
"It’s been a journey for me to become an entrepreneur, and I am happy that Immigrants Rising has always been there to support me along the way!"
Relationship: Entrepreneur
Immigrants Rising’s Facilitated Activity Groups offer undocumented young people tangible skills, knowledge, and accountability to pursue personal, educational, and professional goals.
Facilitated Activity Groups provide a space for undocumented high school and college students to explore a topic while building relationships with one another. All activity groups will be guided by a skilled facilitator who is intimately familiar with the undocumented experience.
Activity Groups will meet for 6 consecutive weeks in a virtual setting. Explore the topics we’re offering this year below.
#ICanAffordCollege: Financing a College Education as an Undocumented Student
What will I learn from this activity group?
Everyone deserves an education that is enjoyable, fulfilling, and free from constraints! Unfortunately, undocumented students face additional barriers to pursuing their educational goals and enjoying their educational journeys due to the added stress that comes with limited access to financial and campus resources. This activity group will introduce you to strategies, resources, tips, and key actionable steps you can take to finance your college education and advocate for more and better campus resources. By the end of this activity group, you will implement a plan to increase your funding to help you alleviate some of the financial barriers to pursuing your educational goals.
You will receive a Certificate of Completion after attending at least five sessions.
Who can participate in this activity group?
This activity group is for undocumented high school and college students in the U.S.
When is this activity group offered?
This activity group is offered three times between Fall 2022 and Spring 2023.
- Fall Session: Tuesdays, 4 – 5:15 p.m. PT (starting 10/11/2022, ending 11/15/2022)
- Winter Session: Tuesdays, 4 – 5:15 p.m. PT (starting 1/24/23, ending 2/28/23)
- Spring Session: Tuesdays, 4 – 5:15 p.m. PT (starting 4/18/23, ending 5/23/23)
We are currently not offering new Activity Group sessions.
SEED Grant is now closed – with no expectation to re-open. We are proud to have offered almost $5.5 million for immigrant entrepreneurs in California through our SEED initiative between 2022-24!
SEED Eligibility
Through the SEED initiative, we offered funding to California residents who were starting or growing a business in California. SEED applicants identified with at least one of the following:
- Non U.S. citizens or Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders). This includes undocumented individuals, and individuals who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
- Limited English proficiency, regardless of immigration or citizenship status.
Types of Grants
We offered two different types of one-time, non-renewable grants:
- Developing Business Owner Grants ($5,000): Grants to individuals starting or growing a business with annual gross business revenue less than $100,000.
- Mature Business Owner Grants ($10,000): Grants to individuals growing a business with annual gross business revenue more than $100,000 up to $1,000,000.
Support Immigrant Entrepreneurs
Interested in our entrepreneurship initiatives? Please email our Entrepreneurship Team at entrepreneurship@immigrantsrising.org.
La Subvención SEED esta cerrada – sin expectativa de ser reabierta. Estamos orgullosos de haber ofrecido $1.5 millones para emprendedores inmigrantes en California a través de nuestra iniciativa SEED.
Elegibilidad del solicitante
Los fondos de SEED estuvieron abiertos a los residentes de California que estaban iniciandoo desarrollando un negocio en California que aborodo un problema social o una necesidad comunitaria. Los solicitantes se identificaron con al menos uno de los siguientes:
- No ser ciudadano estadounidense o residente permanente legal. Esto incluye a las personas que sean indocumentadas y a las personas a las que se les ha otorgado Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA) o Estatus de Protección Temporal (TPS).
- Dominio limitado del inglés, independiente del estado migratorio o ciudadanía.
Tipos de subvenciones
Ofrecimosdos tipos diferentes de subvenciones únicas no renovables:
- Subvenciones para propietarios de negocios en desarrollo ($5,000): subvenciones a personas que inician o desarrollan una empresa con ingresos comerciales brutos anuales inferiores de $100,000 en el año fiscal 2021/2022.
- Subvenciones para propietarios de negocios maduros ($10,000): subvenciones a personas que desarrollen un negociocon ingresos comerciales brutos anuales de más de $100,000 hasta $1,000,000 en el año fiscal 2022.
Apoya a emprendedores inmigrantes
¿Interesado/a en nuestras iniciativas de emprendimiento? Envia un correo electrónico a entrepreneurship@immigrantsrising.org si tiene alguna pregunta.
Denea Joseph
Entrepreneur
"It's important that we highlight the intersectionality of being both Black and undocumented because of the way in which Black immigrants are disproportionately impacted by this immigration system."
Cris Mercado: Becoming An Entrepreneur
Entrepreneur, Program Participant
"Through entrepreneurship, I found that I had more control than I thought."
Iliana G. Perez
Entrepreneur, Staff
"I graduated in 2009 with a degree in math. I chose a subject that I thought would open opportunities here or in another country. Given that this was way before DACA, I definitely thought about leaving the country to pursue different opportunities."
Nancy
Entrepreneur, Program Participant
"There's a ceiling with DACA. Yes, you can work, but there is a ceiling. And that ceiling I wanted to shatter."
Denea Joseph
Entrepreneur
"I, for one, stand in my power as a Black, undocumented woman. The epitome and antithesis of what they want us to be in these United States of America."
Amrit
Entrepreneur
"If we’re not all working towards being free and helping our community, who are we really helping?"
Kai Martin
Entrepreneur, Program Participant
"The drive and the hustle just became natural to me. I was determined never to sit still and never say I couldn't do it, because I know I can always find something to do."
Bo Daraphant
Entrepreneur, Program Participant
"My entrepreneurship was born out of necessity and my passion for art."
Alejandro Flores
Entrepreneur, Program Participant
"We are hustlers by nature because we need to survive."
Everyone, regardless of immigration status, can make money by building their own businesses and working for themselves. We’re here to show you how to generate income through entrepreneurship and freelancing. See below for tools to help you get your #UndocuHustle on!
LEARN THE BASICS
EXPLORE MORE RESOURCES
INCOME GENERATION WEBINAR SERIES
Understand what it means to work for yourself, develop an entrepreneurial mindset and launch your own business. Click here to watch the webinar in Spanish.
5 TIPS TO GET STARTED AS AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR/FREELANCER
Learn how to get started as an independent contractor or freelancer. This guide outlines the entire process from industry research to contracts and taxes.
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR BRAINSTORMING WORKSHEET
Use this worksheet to brainstorm the type of gig work and professional services you can provide as an independent contractor.
CALIFORNIA EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (CALEITC)
Check out CIPC’s resource to learn whether you qualify for CalEITC—now available to all low-income workers who file taxes, regardless of status (resource available in multiple languages).
Explore our full set of resources
FIND SUPPORT FOR YOUR BUSINESS
Stay Connected
Finding A Space To Be Ourselves
Entrepreneur, High School Engagement, Legal Services Team, Program Participant
"It was the first time that I was in a space where I could truly be myself. I felt safe and not ashamed and not scared to talk about my journey."
Cris Mercado
Entrepreneur, Program Participant
"There is no growth without discomfort. Not having a safety net might actually be one of the most powerful tools undocumented immigrants have available to them."