Earlier this year, our own founder, Samir Becic was honored by being featured in Houstonia’s list of 40 immigrant stories from around the world who made their way to Houston, thrived, and became the city’s very heart and soul. He’s now being honored by partaking in a follow-up panel with 5 other chosen immigrants who have found success in Houston. Samir will be representing European immigrants on the panel, and highlight how his background has influenced his career throughout the years.
This panel, as part of For All Humanity – An Interfaith Ministries Celebration of New Americans, benefitting the Refugee Services Program, will be an all-new virtual evening event this year. On October 14 at 6:00 pm tune in to an exclusive online experience to hear engaging and inspiring stories from a panel of successful emigrants (including our own founder Samir Becic!) and refugees who have found Home a World Away! This program is being hosted in partnership with Houstonia Magazine, which published the article Houston: The American Dream in March of this year to highlight 40 refugees and immigrants, many who were resettled by Interfaith Ministries, here in Houston.
For more than 50 years Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston has united people of all faiths to provide services to citizens of the Greater Houston area. Interfaith Ministries (IM) envisions a community working and acting together in response to the needs of a Greater Houston to create a more respectful, connected, and caring society.
Houstonia Magazine is unique: A news, entertainment and information source as smart, exciting and vital as the people who call Houston home. Each month they canvass the nation’s fourth largest city in search of the newsmakers and tastemakers, people who are changing the way we eat, play, dress and think. We suggest you to pick up a copy and enjoy the content!
The moderator for the event is Dianna Wray, Chief Editor for Houstonia Magazine. The panelists are:
- Fady Armanious – Creative Director of Tootsies. Fady sought refuge in the US from Egypt.
- Samir Becic – 2018 Houston Fitness Czar. Samir sought refuge in the US from Bosnia.
- Alan Gonzalez – Project Runway Designer and owner of Alantude. Alan is from Mexico and has a DACA experience to share.
- Judge Lina Hidalgo – Harris County Judge – Lina is from Colombia and came to the US as a teenager, she has a great story of excelling in governmental leadership.
- Pitsami Norm – CEO of P.S. Affairs – an event planning firm. Pitsami sought refuge in the US from Cambodia.
- Gordon Quan – Immigration Attorney in Houston. Gordon is from China and has a personal story to share as well as numerous accounts of helping other immigrants find home a world away here in Houston.
Each of the panelists will talk about their journeys to America, their experiences, their successes, and how their immigrant backgrounds have influenced them and their careers. If you’re interested in virtually attending this one of a kind event, you can now sign up!
Musical performances will be provided by the Houston Symphony Community-Embedded Musicians. A week-long online auction will be available for your shopping delight, and a catered meal will be provided by delivery to the homes of ticket and table sponsors and their virtual guests for this one-of-a-kind event!
Tickets ($200+) and table sponsorships ($2,500+) are available now!
