1. Upwardly Globals 2011 Passport to Possibilities Awards & GalaPhotography ExhibitExhibit

2. Munara applied for asylum after her Attending every workshop she could,arrival and began driving a taxi to support shaping her resume, developing herherself and her child. For the first year she network, she learned the ins and outs ofdrove, she was embarrassed to tell anyone the U.S. job market, all while driving longthat 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 herashamed to tell them that this was the bridge the cultural gap and supported andonly job she could have. motivated her. Soon, Munara landed a job as a medical interpreter with HealthcareAlthough she had been granted asylum Language Services. Quickly recognized forand now enjoyed freedoms that women in her hard work and versatile skill set, sheher country did not have, Munara was was promoted to Operations Manager.unsure of how to accomplish her dreamsin the U.S.Munara now lives a life that she had envied before coming to the States: a lifeWhen an acquaintance from a refugeewhere women can do anything, cangroup mentioned Upwardly Global, express themselves, and be confident. HerMunara 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. 3. That is also what drove Chengetayi to He knew going in that he was at acome to the United Statesto create a disadvantagehe had recentlybetter life for his family. While working immigrated and his work experience wasat his PR firm in South Africa, hein another country.collaborated with a team of studentsfrom the Medill School of Journalism at So he decided to take a survival job as aNorthwestern University.restaurant host at the Conrad Hotel. Buthis goal is to get back into marketing. HeAfter working with them, he knewenrolled in Upwardly Globals program andChicago was where he wanted to bea has been developing his job search andplace where he would find his nextprofessional networking skills.intellectual challenge and a place wherehe and his family wouldnt experience Chenge doesnt see himself as andiscrimination for being Zimbabwean.immigrant victim of a poor economy but asa crucial part of the solution. Having beengranted asylum only last year, he has madeBut professionally, his transition wasgreat strides towards rebuilding his life andmuch more difficult than expected. Hecareer after a journey filled with manytried to enter the marketing industry atemotional highs and lows.the worst possible time, in 2008. 4. Still, Gabriela was unfulfilled. She found This month, Gabriela happily celebratedsomething online related to Upwardly her one-year anniversary with theGlobal Chicago. Excited about herorganization, where she works in the PRdiscovery, she emailed the office and in and communications area.less than a month was participating inUpwardly Globals workshops. A benefit that Gabriela did not expect was that she started observing theBeing with people going through the world and life differently, now that shesame situation was very powerful for has lived on two separate continentsmeit revived me. and experienced two distinct cultures.At one of the Upwardly Global events,She is happy in Chicagoshe loves herGabriela met a PR professional who job, and she has made many newhelped steer her thinking towardsfriends through the workplace andcareer opportunities where she could through Upwardly Global. She foundleverage her Latin American roots. mostly similarities between Brazil andShortly after, Upwardly Global the U.S., but still there were a fewconnected her with Rotarydifferences, especially here in theInternational. Midwest. The first time I heard a tornado warning, I didnt know what to do! 5. Her husband came to her rescue andElena submitted her resume, and, surefound free ESL classes for her to attend. enough, she was invited in for anElena enrolled and started going four interview.times a week, five hours a day. WhileElena enjoyed the chance to improve In December 2011, Elena will celebrateher English skills, she also really loved her one-year anniversary with thebeing out among people. I foundcompany. She loves her job: it isfriends therereally good friends. unbelievable how friendly andunderstanding people are.Elena learned of Upwardly Globalthrough her ESL teacher at Truman Prior to moving to Chicago three yearsCollege. Excited about the possibility of ago, Elena had never traveled abroad.returning to work in office She met her now-husband when he wasmanagement, the career she had left visiting his mother in St. Petersburg;behind in Russia, she started attending Andrew had moved from Russia to thethe various workshops and events. U.S. several years prior. Elena found itwas impossible to get a visa to visitLarisa, a fellow job seeker she met, told Andrew in the U.S. so, her first trip washer about an Office Manager positionthe big move. Elena loves living inwith Promet Solutions, a software Chicago; she loves the people, thedevelopment company.positive attitude, and theindependence. 6. An entrepreneur and Management This is fulfilling while he works withConsultant in Chile, Francisco soonUpwardly Global to regain hislearned how different a job search inprofessional life in a U.S. business.the U.S. would be. Without knowingthat he would need to market himself There are many things Franciscoto employers, and no longer having his misses about Chile: visiting the oceanstrongest skillhis command of his and mountains in the same day, gazingnative language and incredible at the evening stars, and the vintagecommunication skills, Francisco wasbicycle he rode in Santiago that is stillunsure of how to get started.waiting to be shipped to him.So he has created fulfilling survivalBut he faces the future with optimismjobs for himself. He began coachingand excitement. The definition ofsoccer, and suggested yoga as an success for Francisco is to wake upexcellent activity for the students as every day enjoying the love that hewell; he is now a yoga instructor forand his wife have for one another, as1st- through 5th-grade students. The they await the birth of their first child.response from students and parentshas been tremendously positive. 7. Upon arriving in America, Lourdes She is actively interviewing withimmediately faced obstacles in rebuilding healthcare and nonprofit organizations,her medical career. Having completedshowcasing her ability to help othersmedical school and residency in a foreign facing their own challenges.country, she is required to go throughShe is passionate about reentering theextensive and rigorous testing andfield to work with abused women, andevaluation in order to get certified in thebelieves in a holistic approach to medicineUnited States.that emphasizes the emotional well beingof patients. She is a good listener,This endeavor requires a lot of sacrifice,compassionate, and has a heart to servethe greatest of which is money, andand change lives.without the necessary resources, she wasfaced with the challenge of finding workLourdes was finally able to bring her sonoutside of her professional field.from the Dominican Republic and she isnow more hopeful than everhopefulLourdes came to Upwardly Global inthat she will be able to raise her son tosearch of direction. Through networking overcome his fears, maintain his values,events and workshops, she has becomeand get what he wants in life. She isaware of new ways to work towards her hopeful that she will finally be able togoal of getting back in the medical move back into her role as a doctor andprofession. make a lasting impact on the lives of thosein need. 8. Shwan had begun seeking opportunitiesI had no idea what a cover letter was whenabroad after being denied admission to a I was applying to jobs in Cleveland, admitsmasters degree program in his homeShwan. And my resume wasnt getting mecountry because he is Kurdish. He thoughtanywhere.he was prepared to start over again inanother country. Most importantly, Shwan has been able to network with American professionals andAs part of his three-day orientation to thegain firsthand insight into professional life.United States, he was asked if he was afraid He recently landed a phone interview thatof the challenges. I had worked withhe passed easily. Now, with greater access toAmericans for years, remembers Shwan. Iemployers, hes learned which technicalwas not afraid because I know myself, Iskills he needs to develop to match U.S.know I have years of experience. I havenorms.always worked to make progress in myprofessional life. Shwan makes the best of his survival job atDunkin Donuts by volunteering to assistBut although Shwan was prepared for things with technology projects and enhance histo be difficult, he was sometimes surprised American credentials. Shwan is grateful forby the contrast between American culturethe guidance he has received from Upwardlyand Middle Eastern culture. Global and is confident he will achieve hisprofessional goals. Shwan remainsAfter moving to Chicago, Shwan wasoptimistic. 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 evensearch skills. Upwardly Global made it easy longer than I first expected, but I trustfor him to polish his resume and master the myself and know I can do it.art of cover letters. 9. Eventually, she was faced with a difficult Then she found Upwardly Global andchoiceto stay and keep growing herlearned how to open doors that hadcareer, or to follow her heart, marry, and appeared closed.move again. Deciding that all her successwasnt really success at all without someone Upwardly Global introduced her to Kimto share it with, she moved to the UnitedTaylor, who was starting HealthcareStates.Language Services, a translation and interpretation company. Paola gave Kim herWhen Paola left Chile, she was working withnew, improved American resume,one of the largest public hospitals as a interviewed, and secured a position as anconsultant to the Director of Medicine. Sheinterpreter. But it was in this job,believed her high-level skills were going to interpreting the doctors words, that shebe appreciated in the U.S. Paola knew that realized how much she wanted to be ashe could not practice as a physician here,practicing physician again.but she assumed that with an MBA andhealthcare experience, there were many So, she began that process and throughthings she could do. networking secured an Observership at the Department of Cardiology at the University ofHowever, she faced barriers she did notChicago, a step that greatly improves herexpecthow could she get employers toresume for residency applications. Paola hasunderstand her experience and skills?applied to residency, has landed several interviews and will find out in March if shes secured that crucial step back to her dream. 10. Photography by: www.christinanoel.usVisit www.upwardlyglobal.orgto learn more about