Fourth of July
everyone's invited
e journa l usa | u.s . depa rt men t of stat e
IN THIS ISSUE: ACID OCEANS | SUPER LUNCHES | FINDING REFUGE | SUMMER CAMPS
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Nicholas S. Namba
Director of Written Content
Michael Jay Friedman
editorial staff
Managing Editor
Elizabeth Kelleher
Editors
Kourtni Gonzalez, Sasha Ingber, Lauren
Monsen, Jon Tollestrup, Mark Trainer,
Andrzej Zwaniecki
Designers
Julia Maruszewski, Lauren Russell
Illustrator
Doug Thompson
Contributing Writers
Karen Calabria, Juan Castillo, Ruxandra
Guidi, Phyllis McIntosh, C.A. Solomon,
Suhaib Webb, Douglas Wolk, Karen A.
Woodrow-Lafield
Cover Art
Doug Thompson
Word Definitions
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courtesy of pali adventuresSummertime in America
means camps, internships
and celebrations.
u.s . depa rt men t of stat e | vol . 19 | n0 . 1
e j usa .stat e .gov
July 2014
FEATURE
12 EVERYONE'S INVITED
Barbecue on the Grill: It's as American as Baseball and
Apple Pie | Fourth of July, Immigrant Style | New Arrivals
Change America
Departments
3
SNAPSHOTS OF AMERICA
Ignite the Touch Screen? | A
White House Fourth | Laser
Focus on the Future | Making
a Dangerous Holiday Safer

EDUCATION
4
Elevating Nutrition
6
Not the Outdoor Type?

ARTS
8
Oh, Say Can You Sing?
10
Saving the World's Treasures
22 SCIENCE

Acid Oceans
25 LEISURE

Diving In, Cleaning Up

MARKETPLACE
28 A Million Lunches, No Errors
30 A New Space for Business
32 PEACE & SECURITY

Finding Their Way
34 COMMUNITIES

Inspired by Ramadan
36 ANNE C. RICHARD: LAST WORD

Refuge in Time of Need
37 RESOURCES

Policy Points

Connecting the Dots
david petersonFourth of July
everyone's invited
e j|usa 1
2 e j|us a
Where We
Come From
I say a few words to a stranger, and she or he
asks me: "Where are you from?"
I grew up in Poland, and U.S.-born
Americans pick up on my foreign accent
right away, even if they are not quite sure
from which European country I hail.
Two of my fellow editors on the EJ|USA
team, Lauren Monsen and Kourtni Gonzalez,
have a foreign-born parent. Lauren's mother
came from Brazil, and Kourtni's father from Panama.
While my colleagues report that their parents do not speak English with as
strong an accent as I, their parents' non-American origins have at times stirred
curiosity. Third-generation Polish-American graphic designer Julia says every
time someone mispronounces her last name Maruszewski she is patient,
because it only reminds her of her much-valued heritage.
When Americans detect differences in each other, they usually volunteer
information about their own roots. Immigration is a unifier. We know that
every year thousands of immigrants become citizens who will boost our
economy and enrich our culture.
This year's Independence Day celebration, a theme in this issue, is sure to
include recognition of the country's immigrant beginnings. In these pages
you will read about newer immigrant communities and how they plan to
celebrate the Fourth of July and about refugees resettling here. We include
a report on the American taste for barbecue; this form of cooking is so
popular that it is viewed as an institution.
This issue includes stories about business students learning from other
countries' firms, big or small, and American startup companies expanding
their plans to include outer space. Here are teenagers learning to eat healthy
and scientists and surfers alike saving endangered oceans. You are sure to find
something of interest, wherever you are from.
Andrzej Zwaniecki
americanenglish.state.gov
A E
Teach
We offer resources
for students of
all levels
Learn
Improve your
English and learn
about culture
courtesy a. zwaniecki
Ignite the
Touch Screen?
Fireworks are an essential
part of the United States'
Independence Day
celebration. Every year, a third
of the country watches one of
more than 14,000 fireworks
shows. That makes the
fireworks industry happy: Its
total revenues nearly doubled
to $965 million between 1999
and 2012.
With a computer chip in
almost every shell, sparkling
light shows have become
more elaborate. Computer-
controlled blasts can spell
words and form images like
peace signs or smiley faces.
With apps available for iPhones
and Android phones, people
who want to avoid the crowds
can create virtual shows at
home on smartphones or
tablets: By touching the screen,
they determine where a
firework explodes.
Laser Focus on the Future
Laser light shows may not have the bang, whoosh or crackle of fireworks, but they're gaining in
popularity. Proponents say they are better for the environment. They can also be less expensive
and safer than fireworks, especially in states with high wildfire risks. For recent Independence
Day festivities, communities in California, Texas and other states passed up the old-fashioned
fireworks, opting for these tamer strands of light in the sky.
A White House Fourth
Fourth of July festivities at the White House, although bigger in scale than most Independence
Day parties, feature the same sort of hospitality found at more modest celebrations, according
to Deesha Dyer, White House deputy social secretary.
This year, the Obamas will host a barbecue for military families on the South Lawn, as they've
done every year. "There are games for kids it's always fun to watch kids play with the [hula]
hoops musical performances and, of course, the celebratory fireworks over the Washington
Monument," said Dyer.
What's on the menu? Summer foods, including grilled chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, fruit,
potato salad and a crowd favorite, corn on the cob.
Making a Dangerous Holiday Safer
For many Americans, celebrating Independence Day includes drinking alcohol,
which has prompted the nonprofit National Safety Council to name the Fourth of
July the most dangerous holiday.
There is some good news, however, in the steady 15-year decline in fatalities
related to drunk driving on the Fourth. One reason is stricter laws. Each of the
50 states has lowered the legal limit of blood-alcohol concentration allowed for
drivers, and many have required past offenders of blood-alcohol limits to install
vehicle devices that test a driver's breath before allowing an ignition to start.
Such changes often result from advocacy groups, such as Mothers Against
Drunk Driving (MADD), an organization started in 1980 by one mother after her
daughter was killed by a drunk driver. MADD estimates that its campaigns against
drunken driving have saved 300,000 lives.
shutterstockap imagesSnapshots of America
e j|us a 3
4 e j|us a
Alexxis Lugo, a secondary school student in New York, is
thinking about going to college to study nutrition.
Her interest may well relate to the new drive she possesses
since joining a program called EATWISE (Educated and Aware
Teens Who Inspire Smart Eating). As an EATWISE intern, Lugo
trains students from other schools to teach their own classmates
about nutrition. In the program, managed by Food Bank For
New York City, interns like Lugo have advisers and plan and lead
classes on their own. The interns check in with adult directors
of the program to discuss how lessons are going at their schools,
trade tips and brush up on general nutrition knowledge, explained
Caitlin Fitzpatrick of the EATWISE program staff.
The idea is to improve the physical health of New York
teenagers. But for Lugo, it has also brought a boost in self-
Elevating
Nutrition
KOURTNI GONZALEZ
Education
e j|us a 5
confidence. "Before this, I never thought I'd be able to speak in
front of a group of people," she said. "One of my biggest fears is
just having a conversation with a person." Her anxiety diminished
each time she got up in front of a class to teach.
The students have mastered how to cause healthy changes
at the grass-roots level. Niree Garcia-Sims, another EATWISE
intern, talked to her school's softball team about sports nutrition,
which spurred the team to create a diet plan to improve its
performance. Lee-Sean Snaggs, an intern from Brooklyn Bridge
Academy, applies her knowledge at food banks, soup kitchens,
homes for the elderly and centers for disabled children, all of which
are places where she sometimes volunteers. "I try to implement
things that I've previously learned about nutrition when I teach
people," she said.
Closer to home, some EATWISE teens have seen changes
in their own families. Elizabeth Owens, an EATWISE intern
from the Bronx Academy of Health Careers, said her family
used to drink sugary beverages such as juice or Kool-Aid*
during dinner. She introduced her family to the fruit fizzy, a
drink made of fruit juice and soda water. It tastes like soda
because it's carbonated and sweet, but it has less sugar and
fewer calories, she said. Her family liked it so much her mom
decided to bring it to work and share it with co-workers.
"Everybody at her job has incorporated that with the meal
they eat," said Owens.
The directors point to Owens as someone else whom they
see as gaining confidence and likely to stick with the program.
When Owens started as an intern, she doubted she would be
able to teach a health class as effectively as the teacher. "A
teacher would have more information and more facts on how
to help a child achieve his or her goals," she said. But after
Owens taught a few lessons, teachers came to her and told her
the kids she taught were changing. They were asking for more
healthy diet suggestions.
"I had to stick to this program!" Owens said. S
Intern: a student or recent graduate who works for a period of time at a
job in order to get experience
Blog: a Web site on which someone writes about personal opinions,
activities, and experiences
The EATWISE program attracts a steady flow of
participants who remain dedicated to nutrition education
long after they've finished their internships. Directors
attribute much of that success to social media. Interns
regularly update a blog, http://eatwiseteens.org. "The
content is developed and prepared by the students,
so it's an extension of peer education, online," said
Freddy Sanchez, an EATWISE staff member. Besides the
blog, EATWISE runs Change One Thing, a social media
campaign that encourages teens to make one small
healthy choice per day.
Visit #ChangeOneThing
Getting the Word Out
courtesy eatwise*Kool-Aid is a sweet, flavored juice drink.
policy points: healthier living
connecting the dots: new york
Do it Yourself
To start your own
peer-education group,
consider the wisdom of
the staff at EATWISE.
1 Seek out students interested in
your cause, whether it's healthy
eating or stopping bullying.
2 Ask school administrators
for permission to teach peers
during classes.
3 Share the knowledge with your
family. Model a desired behavior
at home.
4 Reach more people: Incorporate
lessons into volunteering or
extracurricular activities. Hold
training sessions tailored to
sports teams, for instance.
5 Meet with a core group to
exchange tips about effective
ways to reach peers.
6 e j|us a
Education
Not the Outdoor Type?
PHYLLIS MCINTOSH
Learning to drive a race car or jump off a building like a
Hollywood stunt performer at summer camp may sound a bit
bizarre, but more U.S. teenagers are attending specialty camps
that focus on such offbeat experiences.
Every summer, about 11 million children in the U.S. attend
primarily coed camps that last from three days to eight weeks,
according to the American Camp Association (ACA). The majority
of campers engage in such traditional activities as arts and crafts,
swimming and nature hikes. But due to recent tastes for more
exotic or educational experiences, about half of the 2,600 camps
affiliated with ACA now offer some type of specialty program.
"[Teens] today tend to collect a 'menu' of activities," said ACA
chief executive Peg Smith. "They like to try different things." She
said some are building their rsums, in hopes of boosting their
chances of acceptance by a top-tier college.
Such opportunities are not limited to the wealthy. In fact, the
majority of campers come from middle- and low-income families.
Camps of all sorts offer scholarships or discounts to families
that cannot afford the fees. A number of church organizations,
charities and foundations support camps specifically for
underprivileged teens.
At camps with an educational focus, campers can build a robot,
design a building, create a computer game, learn to draw or paint,
immerse themselves in another language or participate in an
archaeological dig. Academic camps target instruction to specific
groups, such as gifted and talented youth, kids struggling to
improve their grades or those with intellectual challenges.
"More than 40 percent of our camps work directly or indirectly
with schools because learning is year-round," said Smith. "There's
Stunt: ...a difficult and often dangerous action
Coed: having or including both men and women
Offbeat: different from the ordinary, usual, or expected
a great quote that says, 'Fun is the feeling you get when you're
learning,' and camp is a perfect model for that."
Large camps offer an impressive array of choices for fun and
learning. At Pali Adventures, a coed residential camp in the
mountains of Southern California, campers aged 9 to 16 can
choose among 18 avocations, from action sports such as rope
courses, mountain biking or water skiing to learning to be a disc
jockey, rock musician, fashion designer or movie-makeup artist.
Some ambitious campers value the skill development acquired
through specialties like culinary camp or filmmaking, according to
Ian Brassett, general manager at Pali Adventures. "But some of our
camps are just plain fun."
While many specialty camps are offered in traditional sleepover
camp settings, such as Pali's, others take place at schools, universities
and museums. For more than 30 years, the U.S. Space and Rocket
Center, a museum in Huntsville, Alabama, has offered a Space Camp,
at which campers train as astronauts in simulated space missions.
Camp BizSmart, based at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California,
offers teenagers the opportunity to work with corporate professionals
to solve actual business problems and design new products.
The last five years have seen a different trend a growing
demand for camps with a more down-to-earth focus, such as
cooking, organic gardening and animal care said the ACA's
Smith. Even with all the specialty options, old-fashioned cabins,
campfires and crafts still have appeal, she said. S
Left to right: Campers rehearse lines for acting camp, perform a jump for Hollywood stunt camp, spin a turntable for disc jockey camp.
e j|us a 7
Something
for Everyone
Camp Jam
Would-be rock
stars learn from
professional
musicians.
Camp
Motorsport
Drivers get behind
the wheels of scaled-
down race cars.
Circus Camp
Campers practice
juggling, clowning
and swinging on
a trapeze.
Camp Kids
'N Comedy
"We promise not to
make you paddle any
canoes," advertises
this indoor camp,
based at a comedy
club in New York City.
Shark Camp
Teens certified in
scuba diving travel
to Fiji to dive with
sharks.
Tall Ship
Camp
At sea, campers learn
to sail and perform
shipboard duties,
from captain to cook.
all photos courtesy of pali adventuresconnecting the dots: huntsville, alabama
; palo alto, california
; new york
Singing at rock
star camp
8 e j|us a
Arts
Oh, Say Can You Sing?
DOUGLAS WOLK
Although "The Star-Spangled Banner" is performed
before every baseball game and at many other public events,
it's notoriously hard to sing. But in its history, the song has
allowed the performers who can sing it to create memorable
and unique interpretations of the United States' most
prominent musical symbol.
When "The Star-Spangled Banner" became the national
anthem in 1931, the New York Herald Tribune famously described
it as "words that nobody can remember to a tune nobody can
sing." Its melody is adapted from an 18th-century drinking
song, and its lyrics from a poem that Francis Scott Key wrote
200 years ago (describing a battle in the War of 1812). And it's
fiendishly hard to hit all the notes the highest is an octave and
a half above the lowest.
A 2004 poll found that only 39 percent of Americans could
correctly complete the song's third line.
Franklin Bruno, songwriter and author of a forthcoming history
of songwriting, The Inside of the Tune, points out that the anthem
anticipated the country's musical future in the way the rhythm
and rhyme scheme of each verse's third couplet ("And the rockets'
red glare, the bombs bursting in air ") change the song's tone by
softening the martial quality of the other lines.
"It's fitting that our national anthem wouldn't be in quite the
strict English ballad form," Bruno said.
The national anthem's symbolic weight also means that when
it is performed in anything but a straightforward way, listeners
ascribe meaning to the deviation. On July 4, 1941, against the
backdrop of World War II, composer Igor Stravinsky premiered
an orchestral arrangement of the anthem that incorporated a
few unusual harmonies. That performance led to a brief skirmish
between Stravinsky and Boston police, who thought he'd violated a
state law against "tampering" with the national anthem.
Jos Feliciano sings the national anthem during the
National League baseball championship series in 2012.
e j|us a 9
Fiendish: extremely bad, unpleasant or difficult
Forthcoming: appearing, happening or arriving soon
connecting the dots: boston
; new york
During the 1968 Major League Baseball World Series, Puerto Rican singer
Jos Feliciano performed "The Star-Spangled Banner" in the style of a
contemporary folk-pop song, accompanied by acoustic guitar. It caused a flurry
of controversy: "Some people wanted me deported," he later said, "as if you can
be deported to Puerto Rico." (Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States.)
But Feliciano's version became a minor hit single, and he said that by the time
he reprised his version at a 2012 championship baseball game, it was generally
understood by the audience as "an anthem of gratitude to a country that had
given me a chance."
Marvin Gaye's slow, spectral, gospel-tinged rendition performed at the
1983 National Basketball Association All-Star game, accompanied by a drum
machine, made the song sound shockingly modern. Former Los Angeles Lakers
star Earvin "Magic" Johnson said Gaye's performance gave him a feeling of
"pride at being an American ... you almost cried, it was so devastating."
While singing "The Star-Spangled Banner" is most often a statement of
national pride, it can also be a vehicle for political protest. A 2006 Spanish-
language recording of the song (as "Nuestro Himno") criticized American
immigration policy.
Jimi Hendrix famously performed his rendition
of the anthem at the 1969 Woodstock music festival
as a protest against the Vietnam War. Complete with
"bombing" sound effects, it is the best-known radical
reworking of the anthem. "It's not unorthodox,"
Hendrix told television interviewer Dick Cavett
in September 1969 about his interpretation of the
anthem. "I thought it was beautiful."
At the time of the 1991 Super Bowl, when Whitney
Houston sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" with
a flourish on the high note of "land of the free" that
propelled it even higher America was in the middle
of the Gulf War, and she dedicated her performance
to the country's military. It became a hit when it was
released as a single a few weeks later. It was even more
successful when it was re-released a decade later,
with proceeds to benefit New York firefighters and
police after the September 11, 2001, attacks. Beyonc
Knowles' recent performances of the anthem (at
President Obama's 2013 inauguration, among other
venues) have loosely followed Houston's template,
including its extra-high note.
That the anthem is hard to sing may be apt;
Americans enjoy freedoms that have not come easily.
Over time, "The Star-Spangled Banner" has become
a song that invites expressions of individuality and of
unity. There's something fitting about that, too. S
Marvin Gaye
Watch!
See Whitney Houston perform
"The Star-Spangled Banner."
Beyonc
Jimi Hendrix
Whitney Houston
all photos ap images; flag thinkstock
10 e j|us a
Arts
Saving the
World's Treasures
LAUREN MONSEN
Tanzania
Off the coast of Tanzania
are the islands of
Songo Mnara and
Kilwa Kisiwani, which
shelter important
cultural treasures
such as Gereza Fort.
The islands boast
architectural ruins that
date back more than
800 years. Remains
of palaces, mosques,
houses and other
structures testify
to a sophisticated
mercantile culture.
state dept.
e j|us a 11
Explore!
Learn about the
U.S. Ambassadors
Fund in the book
Priceless.
http://goo.gl/Fvqy6l
The Ismamut Ata in
Turkmenistan will
be featured in next
month's issue
of EJ|USA.
Since its inception
13 years ago, the U.S.
Ambassadors Fund for
Cultural Preservation
has contributed
millions of dollars
to preserve cultural
sites and objects, and
traditional forms of
expression, worldwide.
These projects include
the restoration of
buildings, conservation
of manuscripts,
protection of
archaeological sites
and documentation
of vanishing crafts.
The preserved sites
and objects are
all testaments to
the experiences of
humanity. S
courtesy of u.s. embassy ashgabat
12 e j|us a
F E AT U R E
Everyone's invited
Fourth of July:
ap imagese j|us a 13
F O U R T H O F J U LY
14 e j|us a
Barbecue on the Grill
It's as American as Baseball and Apple Pie
JUAN CASTILLO
On July 4, Arnie Segovia will be right where
he wants to be and where he always is on
this patriotic holiday: outdoors, in front
of a smoky-hot fire, grilling meat. Ribs,
T-bone steaks, chicken and beef brisket
are some of his favorite cuts for the grill.
A 52-year-old real estate agent in the
small South Texas town of Weslaco,
Segovia used to grill every day of the
week. Now he has cut back a bit, but most weekends, driving and pull-
ing a trailer carrying grills, Segovia and his wife, Terry, travel across
the vast state to compete in high-stakes barbecue competitions. The
top prizes can reach $10,000 or more.
"I'm somewhat of a barbecue nut," Segovia said with a laugh.
He has plenty of company. Outdoor grilling and barbecue are
about as American as baseball and apple pie, integral to a celebration,
get-together or holiday. But for him, no special occasion is needed.
"Barbecue just brings people together," Segovia said. "Something
about cooking meat and just hanging out with friends and family. It's
a pretty special, cultural thing."
In Texas, barbecuing is a year-round pastime, but no holiday is
more popular for grilling in the U.S. than the Fourth of July, ac-
e j|us a 15
cording to a survey by the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, a
trade group.
Barbecue lovers say their fascination is not just with the food. "It's
more of an event. They can get outside, entertain, be with family and
friends and unplug for just a little while," said Sue Crosby, a spokes-
woman for the trade group. She is quick to point out that 80 percent
of all households in the U.S. own at least one grill or smoker.
Barbecuing or "grilling out" varies across the U.S., depending
on the meats or vegetables, wood or charcoal, and sauces. The city
of Memphis, Tennessee, the Carolinas and certain towns in other
Southern states brag about their barbecue. But Texas brings a spe-
cial swagger to the table. There, beef is king and the natives joke that
barbecue is the state food.
"In this Texan's opinion, Texas has the best barbecue in the
country," joked Aaron Franklin, the 36-year-old owner of Franklin
Barbecue, a laid-back barbecue restaurant in Austin, Texas, that is
popular with diners, many of whom are themselves expert grillers.
People line up before dawn to be among the first to get inside when
the doors open at 11 in the morning.
On a recent day, Kathy Stott, an ardent griller from Las Cruces,
New Mexico, was the first in line, joined by a few relatives in town
for a family reunion. About 250 people waited patiently behind Stott,
aaron franklin
16 e j|us a
F O U R T H O F J U LY
Aaron Franklin, owner of Franklin Barbecue, stands ready to grill.
connecting the dots:
austin, texas
; weslaco, texas
; las cruces, new
mexico
; memphis, tennessee
; los angeles

who relished the chance to taste Franklin's brisket because, she said,
it is prepared with a barbecue rub, not a sauce. That's the way Stott
barbecues her brisket at home.
"My husband and kids got me a full-size smoker and barbecue," Stott
said. "Because that's how important barbecue is."
Texas' history with barbecue goes back thousands of years to when
the Caddo Indians cooked game over wood fires. Texas' winning bar-
becue formula is still uncomplicated, according to Franklin. "It's such
a primal way to cook," he said. "The mindset in Texas is just meat and
fire, and cook till it's ready."
Fueled by Franklin's appearances on national TV cooking shows and
commercials, the buzz about Franklin Barbecue has spread across the
country and beyond. While waiting in the line that routinely snakes
around the block for his barbecue, neighbors from Thailand recently
bumped into each other, much to their surprise.
"That goes back to how it's always been," said Franklin. "Barbecue
really does bring people together." S
e j|us a 17
Will Vegetables Take Over the Grill?
Grilled vegetables may be hard to find in Texas, but beyond the meat-
loving South, Americans also enjoy produce, a healthier option than
meat, according to experts. Enter "vegetarian barbecue America"
into Google and close to 51 million links appear on subjects ranging
from "how to" recipes to "a vegetarian's guide to surviving barbecue
season." Americans traditionally have grilled corn and potatoes, but
recently more vegetables (and sometimes even fruits) have made
their way onto the grill: peppers, eggplant, onion and zucchini squash.
Carol Adams, who co-authored a cookbook on vegetarian barbecue,
said: "There isn't a thing in the world you couldn't veganize." And
so Fourth of July menus will also include tofu hamburgers, Buffalo
"chicken" wings made of cauliflower and grilled peaches for dessert.
Barbecue Diplomacy
Last November, American chef Ben Ford,
owner of Ford's Filling Station in Los Angeles,
traveled to Hong Kong to participate in the State
Department's culinary diplomacy program.
His mission? To bring American barbecue to
the people of Hong Kong. He visited markets,
which he found to be "incredible" for their
varied offerings. He cooked at local restaurants,
including a well-known Cantonese Michelin-
starred establishment. And he hosted a
barbecue for the Asia Society, a nonprofit that
educates the world about Asia.
At each stop, he talked about American
cuisine. "It's not just hamburgers and hot dogs,"
said Ford, who is also a master butcher. His
audiences, while familiar with American food,
appreciated some of the unique aspects of
a cookout, or barbecue. "The wood taste on
food was probably the biggest difference," he
said, describing the result of cooking over wood
to impart a smoky flavor to the meat.
Ford, who happens to be the son of film star
Harrison Ford, was impressed by Hong Kong's
diverse cuisine and picked up a few indigenous
cooking techniques. "They've been exposed to
so many different things," he said. "There are
so many different currents flowing through that
area. You can literally get anything you want."
Ford said the trip was a success, and he
enjoyed the collaboration. "I've never really
been able to do anything for my country
before, and this was a nice way to be able to do
that," he said. Kourtni Gonzalez
Ben Ford discusses
American cuisine with a
reporter in Hong Kong.
brooks praaron franklinaaron franklin
18 e j|us a
F O U R T H O F J U LY
M onterey Park sits only 15 kilome-
ters east of sunny downtown Los
Angeles, but it has a suburban
feel that's different from the hus-
tle and bustle of the city. Noodle
restaurants and tea shops, many
with signs written in Manda-
rin, line the streets of Monterey
Park. This small city has the larg-
est concentration of Chinese-American residents in the country.
But like much of the rest of Southern California, Monterey Park
is anything but homogeneous. It has a growing number of residents
who are Vietnamese Americans and has become home to many other
immigrant groups. This is especially evident at the city's Brugge-
meyer Library, which has hosted literacy classes for almost 2,000
immigrant adults who went on to become citizens.
One of these new citizens is Irina Selkova, from Russia, who re-
cently took a class at the library and admits that before then she
knew little about the significance of the Fourth of July holiday be-
yond the fact that Americans like to celebrate it outdoors, with lots
of food, flags and fireworks.
"I knew it was a big holiday since before coming here," said Sel-
kova. "But what really surprises me is the degree to which people
get involved in the celebrations: Nobody is pushing them to go out
and be patriotic."
Selkova is one of the dozens of newly naturalized U.S. citizens
whom the City of Monterey Park will invite to its Fourth of July
celebration this year. For more than two decades, the city council
Fourth of July, Immigrant Style
RUXANDRA GUIDI
Customers look at fireworks for their Fourth of July celebration.
ap images
e j|us a 19
has used the federal holiday as an opportunity
to introduce its new citizens to the rest of the
community and recognize them with a certifi-
cate that welcomes them to town.
"This is unique to our city I'd never heard of
another place doing it," said Robert Aguirre, who
plans the event, which welcomes an average of
100 new citizens each year. "Every year we com-
memorate the Japanese Cherry Blossom Festival,
Chinese New Year and Cinco de Mayo. But our
Fourth of July event brings everyone together and
invites even more diversity into town."
It invites cultural cross-pollination too like
families' picnic spreads that include hamburg-
ers, hot dogs, Mexican carne asada and Chinese
chicken with rice noodles.
Eduardo Sevilla has been living in Monterey
Park since 1986, when he moved here from his
native Honduras, and has been celebrating the
Fourth of July for almost as long as he's been in
his adopted country.
"Tell me about a Latino immigrant, like my-
self, who doesn't celebrate Fourth of July," he
said. "It's impossible!" Family and community
are so important to immigrants from throughout
Latin America, he said. "And we love to party."
Sevilla's wife, Gabriela, of Mexican heritage,
cooks traditional Mexican foods for the big holi-
day, including tacos, carne asada and pozole, a
traditional stew with corn and many different
kinds of meat.
Since he always gets July Fourth off from
work, Sevilla usually spends it outside, help-
ing to cook, listening to music and welcoming
friends especially those who are recent ar-
rivals from Honduras. But this year it will be
different. Sevilla will celebrate a personal mile-
stone: becoming a U.S. citizen after almost 30
years in the country.
Latino immigrants throughout Los Angeles
typically join in on the Fourth of July festivi-
ties. One of the best-attended fireworks dis-
plays takes place near downtown Los Angeles,
in the historically Mexican neighborhood of
Boyle Heights.
"We like to go out with a bang every year,"
said Diana del Pozo Mora, who was born to Mex-
ican parents and raised in Boyle Heights. "We get
some of the wildest fireworks displays around."
From afternoon until well past sundown,
families occupy every patch of grass on Hollen-
beck Park for grilling, playing games and listen-
ing to live mariachi music and DJs playing salsa.
"Our Fourth of July celebration just keeps
getting bigger," said del Pozo Mora, who esti-
mates that around 10,000 people will come this
year. "The immigrant families in Boyle Heights
have been craving a place where they can gather
and celebrate their new roots in Los Angeles.
There was a need, and they've found a way." S
Holiday Mashups
No matter if you live by the Gregorian calendar, the Hebrew or Islamic, in a
nation such as the U.S., populated by people of different races, cultures and
religions, some holidays are bound to overlap. This year, the Fourth of July
happens during Ramadan, when Muslims fast from sunrise until sunset as
one pillar of Islam. "I personally cut out all social events to fully focus on
the month," said weight-loss consultant Fenda Tambajang of New York.
Rabia Chaudry, an attorney in Maryland, will observe the day differently.
"I plan on spending the Fourth of July resting and then preparing for a
barbecue iftar with family which will probably include dates, samosas, hot
dogs, tandoori chicken, burgers, different salads and fresh fruit. After that
we'll go see the fireworks."
Some holidays might be easier to blend than others. A dash of cultural
creativity was used for "Thanksgivukkah" in November 2013, since
Thanksgiving, when Americans feast in appreciation for what they have,
fell on one of the eight days of Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday commemorating
the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem. Leading up to the day, Google
reported that searches for "Thanksgivukkah" spiked. People embraced the
similarities on that rare Thursday which won't occur again for some 70,000
years such as the tradition of serving potatoes. Some people also created
hybrid dishes, such as adding Jewish-style rye to Thanksgiving's beloved
pumpkin pie. Another fusion of tradition: People lit candles on the menorah
and then watched American football, as is often the custom after a big
Thanksgiving meal.
In 2010, the Lunar New Year celebrated in China and other East Asian
countries coincided with Valentine's Day, when people are encouraged
to express their love for family, friends and partners. "Chinese New Year is
the most important holiday of the year where families come together," said
Chinese-American Susan Yin. If the overlap happens again, she says she'd
bring her boyfriend to the celebration. "I think it's perfectly fine to bring your
significant other to dinner with family, and there may be a toast for lovers
present. In that sense, there is some melding of the two holidays." Both
holidays also embrace the color red, which symbolizes prosperity in Chinese
culture and love in American culture.
In March of this year, the joyful celebration of St. Patrick's Day by
Irish Americans came on the heels of Purim, a carnival-like celebration
commemorating the rescue of the Jewish people from extermination
in ancient times. An unusual festivity took place at a Washington bar, The
Star and The Shamrock. Patrons dressed up in costumes, ate
shepherd's pie with matzo ball soup, watched Irish step
dancers and then listened to klezmer, Jewish music
typically played at weddings. "Two ancient
cultures come together
into one modern-day
neighborhood melting pot,"
said owner Jay Feldman.
"It's all in the name of good
fun." Sasha Ingber
connecting the dots: monterey park, california
connecting the dots: washington
New Arrivals Change America
20 e j|us a
F O U R T H O F J U LY
In about 20 years, immigration will be a bigger contributor to
population growth than natural increase (births minus deaths),
according to census projections. Historically, immigrants' children have
contributed to natural increase, and recent immigrants from Latin
America and Asia, in addition to their children, have increased ethnic/
racial diversity in the country.
High numbers of naturalized citizens reflect five decades of
immigration policies based on family unification, labor needs,
humanitarian goals and a desire to increase diversity. Net immigration
averaged about 1 million annually over 19802010, and legal
immigrants include many longtime residents or immediate relatives
of naturalized citizens. Upon naturalization, many new citizens
sponsor close family members for immigrant visas, though they may
wait months or years to reunify their families while they become
established in communities.
Continued influx of immigrants to the U.S. signals both the
attractiveness of the economy and democracy and the capacity to
incorporate new citizens into society. The high share of naturalized
Americans in the foreign-born population reflects a commitment
by immigrants to joining American society. For both naturalized
and birthright citizens, education and the public discourse promote
political engagement. Many new Americans are voting, running for
office or taking part in other political activities. By naturalizing, these
individuals have demonstrated interest in democratic ideals. Once
they are citizens, they are likely to be active participants in the U.S.
political process. S
Karen A. Woodrow-Lafield, research professor,
University of Maryland, College Park
Naturalized Americans
on the fourth of july, many
immigrants who are legal
residents become u.s. citizens
at naturalization ceremonies
held around the country by
u.s. citizenship and immigration
services. citizenship confers
a number of rights and benefits,
such as the right to vote and
eligibility for federal employment.
policy points: an american mindset
connecting the dots:
college park, maryland
thinkstocke j|us a 21
of new workers will
be immigrants or
their children during
the next 20 years.
source: 2013 center for american progress study
a majority of immigrants will own their homes.
source: 2011 center for american progress report
immigrants annually have been granted permanent
residency or "green cards" in the U.S. since 2005.
That is double the number during the 1970s and 1980s.
source: 2012 department of homeland security
38%
by 2030
1 million
22 e j|us a
Acid Oceans
SASHA INGBER
Before oysters grow in clusters on the muddy banks, before
the saltwater of the bay soaks into their coarse shells, tiny brown
larvae float in the tanks at Taylor Shellfish Farms in Washington
state. Eventually, they will become the tasty morsels that West
Coast restaurants and grocery stores offer. But in 2007, the
floating freckles drifted to the bottom of the tanks. The hatchery
was left with motionless brown piles.
"It was a gradual thing where death became more the normal
than survival," said manager Bill Dewey, himself a shellfish farmer
who works the tides. For the next two years, Taylor's production
was off by 75 percent, and more than 500 employees wondered day
after day if they would lose their jobs.
Around the same time, a large hatchery in Oregon, Whiskey
Creek, experienced such devastating loss that its customers were
reaching into their pockets to keep the operation in business. "The
oyster industry was in a world of hurt," said Dewey. There was talk
of bacteria in seawater but for two years, few people knew what
was really happening.
Truth on the Tides
As crop farmers depend on the rain, shellfish farmers depend
on the oceans. These roiling surfaces cover 71 percent of the Earth,
regulating our climate and weather and cycling nutrients. But in
the last decade, scientists claim that oceans have absorbed about a
third of the carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by humans roughly
22 million tons every day. This greenhouse gas, which humans
generate through electricity production, land development and
transportation, dissolves in the water. But it doesn't vanish. It
A view of the shallow reefs of Henderson Island, observed during a 2012
National Geographic Pristine Seas expedition to the Pitcairn Islands.
Science
e j|us a 23
turns into carbonic acid, which alters the ancient chemistry of the
Earth's oceans.
Though acidification isn't new, scientists claim that it's
happening at a rate 10 times faster than it did 65 million years ago.
Since the Industrial Revolution in the 1800s, oceans have become
30 percent more acidic. And the effects of CO2 are just beginning
to be felt. In the American West, it has led to devastating losses
at major hatcheries such as Taylor Shellfish Farms, where it has
inhibited oyster-shell growth as tanks draw in acidic water from
Dabob Bay.
"Whenever CO2 levels change rapidly in the geologic history
of our planet, there have been major extinction events. We are
currently in the middle of a major extinction event," said George
Waldbusser of Oregon State University, who is assessing the
potential impact of ocean acidification and identifying hot spots.
He claims that beyond the Pacific Northwest coast, places like the
Mississippi River Delta, the Gulf of Maine and Chesapeake Bay are
all at risk of acidification.
Acidic seawater could affect other species low on the food chain,
such as shrimp, sea urchins and corals, causing their shells and
skeletons to corrode. Though they make up just a kaleidoscopic
1 percent of the ocean floor, coral reefs support a fourth of all
marine life by serving as spawning and feeding grounds. They also
boost tourism about $364 million each year in Hawaii alone
and act as natural coastal barriers during storms.
Scientists have found that the Coral Triangle, which includes
the waters of Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, may be
especially vulnerable to acidification. They predict that a third of
3/4
of the planet is ocean
enric sala/national geographic"Our Ocean"
Conference
The State Department will
bring participants from
more than 80 countries
to Washington on June
1617. One goal is to spread
awareness about ocean
acidification, highlighting
affected industries and
new tools to monitor this
debilitating trend. The
conference will also focus
on marine pollution and
sustainable fisheries and
other issues affecting
the world's oceans. A
healthier ocean means
a healthier planet.
A deckhand with Taylor Shellfish Farms reaches for a
container as he transplants Totten Virginica oysters.
Science
24 e j|us a
the world's coral may vanish in the next 30 years if human threats
aren't reduced. "Scientists are concerned that the combined
stresses from ocean acidification and global warming will cause
the extinction of corals by the end of the century," said senior
scientist Lisa Suatoni of the Natural Resources Defense Council.
"We need to identify the most vulnerable countries and engage
with them now."
In the U.S., federal agencies are addressing the changing
chemistry of our oceans and its impact on marine life, human
life and economies. The Department of State is contributing
$1 million to the Global Ocean Acidification Observing
Network in Monaco, where scientists from around the
world are monitoring the "vital signs" of our oceans. By
2020, the network aims to protect 20 percent of the world's coral
reefs, grass beds, mangroves and salt marshes. It also wants
to develop monitoring equipment and enlist more countries
in these efforts. The Caribbean and Pacific islands are already
getting involved.
"Each country wants to exercise its own sovereignty. But
that's not the way the ocean works, and that's not the way
migratory species behave," said Secretary of State John Kerry at
the Economist World Ocean Summit on February 25. "We're all
connected to these, and we have to find a global structure."
Floating Solutions
In an industry typically driven by competition, oyster
farmers have been working together for survival. Today, Taylor
Shellfish Farms monitors the chemistry of its water and uses an
automated buffering system to protect its oyster larvae.
Whiskey Creek relies on similar mechanisms. The breeding
season has switched from summer, when winds draw in older,
more acidic ocean water, to winter. Things seem to be stabilizing
at least in these watery nooks.
But as oceans continue to absorb CO2, diluting the effects
of climate change, the long-term health of the planet remains
uncertain. The oceans' capacity to act as a greenhouse gas
storehouse could diminish over time, leaving more carbon dioxide
in the atmosphere. If that happens, the droughts, floods, erosion
and other impacts associated with climate change would intensify.
To curb his own carbon footprint, Dewey now leads an eco-
friendly lifestyle. He takes short showers. He uses long-lasting
light bulbs. He recently bought a hybrid vehicle. In fact, Taylor's
parking lot is filled with hybrid cars and boasts one of the first
nongovernmental charging stations for electric cars in Washington.
Ocean acidification is personal to Dewey: all of those luminous
summers spent on a beach on Cape Cod in Massachusetts as
a child, all of those hours spent studying marine biology as a
student. He even got married on his clam farm, laying down
predator nets as the wedding aisle. Guests threw clam seeds
instead of flowers as he and his wife walked toward the horizon.
He is part of a burgeoning community of people urging others
to be aware of the changing composition of our oceans. "When
I speak to people I say, 'I've been a shellfish farmer for 30 years.
Here's what ocean acidification is doing to my baby oysters,'"
said Dewey. S
Larvae: a very young form of an insect that looks like a worm
Corrode: to gradually destroy or weaken (something)
ap imagesconnecting the dots: cape cod, massachusetts
policy points: working together for oceans
e j|us a 25
Leisure
Diving In,
Cleaning Up
C.A . SOLOMON
A member of Project AWARE picks up trash off Roatn, Honduras.
anja garrido barnet/project aware
26 e j|us a
Born in Northern California, Doug Woodring has always loved
the water. He swam in college at the University of California-
Berkeley, which has a top swim team, and later took up ocean
swimming and outrigger paddling. Like many other young
Americans today, Woodring's passion for adventure sports didn't
stop when he came ashore but spurred his career choices.
Concerned about pollution in the oceans, Woodring co-
founded a science expedition in 2009 to the North Pacific Gyre,
a circular system of ocean currents often called the "Great
Pacific Garbage Patch." After sampling fish at extreme depths,
the explorers found that, even there, "10 percent of small fish had
plastics in their stomachs," Woodring said.
Plastic is a huge problem in the ocean. "The ocean for a long
time forever, really was treated as a dump," said Woodring,
who was recognized for his ocean-conservation efforts by being
named a U.N. climate hero. "The idea was that these things would
go away. But these things don't go away. The ocean is downstream
for everything." What's more, about 90 percent of the world's
plastic that is not recycled can stay in the environment for
hundreds of years, harming or killing wildlife.
Woodring went on to found the Ocean Recovery Alliance in
2010, based in the U.S. and Hong Kong. The alliance's goal is to get
people who use the ocean for pleasure or for work to come to its
defense. The alliance has kicked off an effort tied to World Oceans
Day (June 8). Called Oceanic Big 5, the event brings together
participants in the five biggest open-water sports surfing,
sailing, swimming, paddling and diving as they head out in
groups to clean up an area they use. With funding from the World
Bank, Woodring hopes soon to unveil Global Alert, mapping software
that will allow a beachcomber or a fisherman to map and report trash
found along waterways or shorelines.
Woodring is not alone in finding a higher, environmental aim
while enjoying his pastime. The Surfrider Foundation was born
in 1984 after three California surfers rallied to save their local
7 million tons of plastic
end up in the world's oceans each year.
source: united nations
Ocean Ambassador Jen Schumacher doing what she loves most an open-water swim.
barbara schumacherLeisure
e j|us a 27
Malibu surf break from development. The foundation has ballooned to more than
100 chapters around the U.S. and the world. But the group's mandate remains the same,
according to chief executive Jim Moriarty, who says members work to keep access to
healthy coastlines.
Surfers in the past might have had a reputation as hedonists who cared only for the
next perfect wave, but today many care deeply about the suffering environment, Moriarty
said. Ocean health "is not abstract," he said. "When the water's dirty, we get sick."
These days, Surfrider Foundation is involved in more than 80 campaigns,
including one aimed at halting seismic testing for oil and gas deposits in the Atlantic
Ocean because of claims by some that the testing harms marine wildlife.
Scuba divers worldwide, for their part, have coalesced through Project AWARE,
which has held more than 1,000 Dives Against Debris since 2010 pulling to the
surface and documenting hundreds of thousands of kilograms of garbage, from flip-
flops to shopping carts.
Project AWARE's other big effort? Protecting sharks. "We like to say that divers
are some of sharks' closest friends" because divers get closer to them than any other
humans do, said Ania Budziak, a diver and the group's associate director. In 2013, the
group helped establish new rules under the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, rules that now regulate trade in eight
shark and ray species. (See sidebar.)
"Scuba diving is transforming," Budziak said of why divers take up conservation so
readily. "You breathe underwater, you see sea life, and you form this connection with
the ocean. There's a sense of oneness."
Once you view a place as your home, you want to protect it, she said. S
Saving At-Risk
Species
Divers working to protect
sharks support the Convention
on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES).
CITES, one of the earliest
international agreements
addressing the plight of
endangered species, was
adopted in 1973 in Washington.
The U.S. was among the 21
original signatories. Today,
180 nations are parties to
the treaty. CITES protects
at-risk species through
restrictions on commerce. The
CITES system for controlling
international trade in such
species relies on export
and import restrictions by
signatory nations.
Volunteers pick up trash during a cleanup of famed surf spot Huntington Beach, California.
kyle lishok/surfrider foundationconnecting the dots: huntington beach, california
; malibu, california
; berkeley, california
policy points: working together for oceans
Ballooned: to become bigger quickly
Hedonist: a person who believes that pleasure or happiness is the most important goal
28 e j|us a
U.S. business-school professors who teach
case studies analyses of business operations
to learn causes of success or failure are using
examples from overseas to expand students'
understanding of companies' business approaches.
One well-known study involves a group of
5,000 workers in Mumbai known as dabbawalas,
who deliver home-cooked lunches to office
workers. Their efficiency has been highlighted
in the Wall Street Journal and studied by FedEx
Corporation, a worldwide delivery company with
headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee. Dabbawalas
have even found cinematic fame, playing a small
but important part as unlikely matchmakers in
the critically acclaimed Indian film The Lunchbox.
Each week, dabbawalas deliver close to a
million lunches, rarely making an error. Their
delivery system has been operational since
1890, and they have become legendary for their
dedication, delivering lunches during monsoons
and conflicts. They don't rely on mobile phones
or information-technology systems, but rather
a coding system of numbers and colors. "I've
known people who have had their lunch delivered
to them for 10 or 20 years, and they say they've
never missed a lunch," said Stefan Thomke, the
professor at Harvard Business School who wrote
the case study.
Underlying their success is the fact that the
dabbawalas have not deviated far from their core
mission in more than a century. Their system has
achieved a near-perfect harmony of organization,
management, process and culture, allowing its
workforce to achieve exceptional results.
"[My senior executive students] find this
case so inspirational because of what the
dabbawalas achieve," Thomke said. "It's relevant
to them because being able to get extraordinary
performances out of employees is a puzzle they
all struggle with." S
A Million Lunches, No Errors
JON TOLLESTRUP
all images ap imagesEach lunchbox is coded to
indicate the dabbawala, the
lunchbox he will deliver and
the train he will take.
Cracking
the Code
A color symbol and number
show the originating station of
the lunchbox and the district
it will go to.
The first number indicates the dabbawala
who will make the delivery. Letters show
the building the lunchbox is destined for.
A final number indicates the floor.
Marketplace
e j|us a 29
Quality Over Profit
THE CASE: A focus on limiting growth
to maintain product quality ironically
helped Tamago-ya grow from a small
family business to become Tokyo's
top lunch-production and -delivery
service, making and delivering 70,000
lunches daily.
WHO: Seungjin Whang and his
colleagues at Stanford Graduate School
of Business in Palo Alto, California,
studied the company, which has been
approached by government officials
from Atlanta and Dubai expressing
interest in Tamago-ya helping them to
start similar food-delivery systems.
REASONS FOR SUCCESS: Tamago-ya
gives its workers, most of whom are
secondary-school dropouts, leeway
in how they do their work including
allowing them to devise their own
favored ways to collect money, do
marketing and recruit new customers.
Workers are much more than just truck
drivers. "The founder himself was once
lost in his life in youth, so he wants
to pay back society by helping them,"
Whang said. Also, by collecting reusable
lunch boxes, workers interact with
customers, gathering instant feedback
on menus and information to help them
gauge future demand.
TAKE-AWAY: Empowering regular
employees with authority in their
work improves day-to-day operations.
This type of focus on supporting a
workforce and maintaining a quality
product over expanding profits and
business can lead to success. "[It's]
an interesting contrast to what we
teach in MBA [master of business
administration] classes," Whang said.
Reinventing Retail
THE CASE: Customer service improvements helped Seven-Eleven Japan Co. Ltd.,
an affiliate of the U.S. chain with headquarters in Dallas, become the largest chain
of convenience stores in Japan, with nearly 10,000 locations, serving 9.5 million
customers daily.
WHO: Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management
produced a case study analyzing how Seven-Eleven Japan reshaped the convenience-
store model. Seven-Eleven Inc. of the United States took notice and decided to test
innovations in American locations.
REASONS FOR SUCCESS: Because of Japan's small land area and dense urban
development, convenience stores have too little space to maintain large inventories.
The Seven-Eleven Japan stores use a computer system to collect and analyze
consumer purchases. For example, cash registers will not open until the cashier
enters the gender and estimated age of the customer. From analysis, Seven-Eleven
learned what hot-selling items to keep in stock and what store-branded products
would sell, increasing customer loyalty.
TAKE-AWAY: Different cultures can offer different solutions to a familiar
inventory problem.
Humble Leadership
THE CASE: A Chilean mine rescue saved all 33
workers who had been trapped underground for
69 days when the mine's central passage became
blocked by 700,000 tons of rock.
WHO: Harvard Business Review 's case study
reveals insights into the role leaders play in
uncertain, time-sensitive situations. The authors
have used the study in executive-education
programs in the fields of health-care delivery,
energy and pharmaceuticals.
REASONS FOR SUCCESS: "Nobody had a
solution, but the single-mindedness of the rescue
made the leadership humble to ask for help [from
foreign partners, such as NASA]," said Harvard's
Amy Edmondson, a professor and one of the
study's authors. Under pressure, Andr Sougarret,
a mining engineer leading the rescue effort,
coordinated hundreds of people across several
organizations, areas of expertise and countries. He
avoided having excessive hierarchy in the rescue
effort, allowing him to direct teams of experts to
collaboratively design, test and then modify or
abandon options until they found a solution.
TAKE-AWAY: For high-stakes leadership to
be successful, leaders should use a horizontal
approach to enable multiple groups to quickly find
and share solutions.
Case by Case
Workers assemble machinery used in the
rescue of trapped miners in Chile in 2010.
A 7-Eleven open-air shop accommodates locals affected
by earthquakes in northern Japan in 2004.
connecting the dots: memphis, tennessee
; palo alto, california
; atlanta
30 e j|us a
Marketplace
A New
Space
for Business
ANDRZEJ ZWANIECKI
Robotic vehicles mine asteroids for precious metals. Tourists tweet from the moon.
Broadcast media stream reality television shows from the Earth's orbit. These scenarios will
become reality in the not-so-distant future if entrepreneurs deliver on their promises to boldly
go where no business has gone before.
NASA as Customer
NASA had been the only U.S. player in outer space, with only a few mostly big aerospace
companies, such as Boeing Company and Lockheed Martin Corporation, supplying vehicles to the
space agency. But faced with budget constraints, NASA has turned to a broader range of private
firms, aerospace entrepreneurs among them.
"Some of us have fought for decades to make space exploration no different from any other
commercial activity in the U.S.," said Jeffrey Manber, a co-founder of NanoRacks LLC, which
facilitates research in space. "By bringing in the creativity and efficiencies of the private sector, we
will lower the cost of exploration." (See sidebar.)
But many space-related startups have a long way to go before they can achieve their goals and
become profitable.
"It's going to require a lot from the government on the policy side and a lot more private
capital," said Eric Anderson. He is a co-founder of Space Adventures, a space tourism startup,
and Planetary Resources, an asteroid-mining company. (See sidebar.)
courtesy of nasaSpace tourism
alone could
generate up to
$1.6 billion in
revenue in the
next decade
source: the tauri group
NanoRacks releases small
satellites called CubeSats from
the International Space Station.
e j|us a 31
Expanding Earth's Resources
How does it feel to live science fiction? "It cuts to the very
core of human curiosity," said Eric Anderson. "We want
to know what's up there." His Planetary Resources takes a
serious, stepwise approach to the extraction of precious
metals from near-Earth asteroids. First, it will launch
satellite telescopes into space to study the asteroids, then
send robotic spacecraft to explore them.
Planetary Resources' investors understand that
the company's goal is long-term, Anderson said. The
fundamental technology already exists. But "putting it
together in a commercially feasible, reliable and financially
attractive way" will take time.
Crowdfunding for the company's first space telescope
has exceeded its goal by 50 percent.
The commercialization of outer space will create numerous
business opportunities for innovative small businesses along the way,
according to Brendan Curry, a vice president of the Space Foundation.
Two companies that NASA initially subsidized Orbital
Sciences Corporation and Space Exploration Technologies
Corporation (SpaceX) are delivering cargo to the International
Space Station using their own rockets.
The next step will be flying astronauts in privately owned
vehicles. Since the end of the shuttle program in 2011, NASA has
depended on Russia and its Soyuz rockets to fly U.S. astronauts to
the space station at a significant cost.
"Everybody recognizes that restoring U.S. astronaut
transportation and domestic access to the space station is a
national priority," said Dan Hendrickson of the Aerospace
Industries Association.
From among the private U.S. companies claiming they can
organize safe, manned missions at lower costs, NASA has selected
three: SpaceX, Sierra Nevada Corporation and Boeing Company.
Uncharted Territory
But for many relatively new companies, collectively known as
NewSpace, NASA is no longer a gatekeeper.
The number of space-related businesses has quadrupled to more
than 500 since 2010, according to research firm NewSpace Global.
Most are still in the early stages of development. The companies
range from those with pragmatic missions, such as NanoRacks, to
more innovative visions, such as Bigelow Aerospace, which makes
inflatable space habitats, to ambitious concepts, such as Mars One,
which aims to establish a human settlement on Mars.
So far, the NewSpace businesses are concentrated in the U.S.
and Europe. But some of the more than 50 countries with space
programs are considering opening them to private initiatives for
weather forecasting, land and water management, telemedicine,
education or other applications.
Often backed by savvy entrepreneurs who have made fortunes
in other industries, such as Richard Branson of Virgin Group and
Jeffrey Bezos of Amazon.com Inc., and managed by NASA and
aerospace-industry veterans, NewSpace companies assume risk
by putting up money, which more easily attracts investors, and
develop new technologies.
Driven by their passion to get "dreams off the ground," as
Curry of the Space Foundation puts it, they are lifting off. He cites
as a key advancement the development of space vehicles that can
be reused rather than lost in space as they are now. At least six
firms are building 11 such vehicles.
Once these innovators master reusability, prohibitively high
launch costs will decline and the space industry will accelerate,
Richard David, a co-founder of NewSpace Global, told the
NewSpace Investor Conference in 2013.
Space tourism alone could generate up to $1.6 billion in revenue in
the next decade, according to a study by the Tauri Group. Early space
tourists are expected to be wealthy, well-connected and influential,
which Hendrickson believes will boost interest in space enterprises.
Ten years from now, Manber of NanoRacks said, "we will see a
normal, American-style space marketplace." S
Experimenting in Space
Jeffrey Manber's company, NanoRacks LLC, leases
space on the International Space Station, where it places
experiments designed for microgravity environment in
cube-shaped labs. From the space station, the company
also launches small satellites known as CubeSats.
NanoRacks customers range from secondary schools to a
cancer institute to the German space agency.
Manber said his startup's success relies on prices similar
to those of Earth-based research, strong protection of
intellectual property rights and customer service.
But because profit margins are thin, NanoRacks
plans to scale up. It has ordered a platform attached to
the station for research and testing in the harsh space
environment and developed a launch system that can
deploy more than 90 CubeSats at a time.
ap imagesCapital: money, property, etc., that is used to start or operate
a business.
Gatekeeper: a person who guards a gate sometimes
used figuratively
policy points: rocketing innovations
32 e j|us a
Peace & Security
George Kasonko, from Kasindi, Democratic
Republic of the Congo, is just months away
from achieving his dream of a college education in
Buffalo, New York. A women's collective in Denver
that sells handcrafted wares made by refugees
from around the world is on its way to profits. A
Cuban lesbian couple is finding acceptance and
opportunity in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
They're all recently arrived refugees who have
been aided as part of the State Department's
Refugee Admissions program. Since 1975, the
U.S. has accepted more than 3 million refugees
and they've all had help along the way from a
countrywide network of service organizations
providing assistance to new arrivals.
The State Department, in concert with nine
partnering resettlement agencies, guarantees
refugees access to food, shelter, clothing,
orientation and assistance acquiring social,
medical and employment services for the first
3090 days after their arrival.
But the support doesn't end there.
When Kasonko, 20, arrived in the U.S. in 2012,
he held fast to his dreams of attending college.
Nearly a year and a half later, he's ready to sit
for his General Education Development (GED)
Finding Their Way
KAREN CALABRIA
70,000refugees are expected to come to the U.S. in 2014 from more than 60 nations.source: u.s. department of stateBeth Frank, with Church World Service in Egypt, at work with a Sudanese refugee.
all photos courtesy of church world service
e j|us a 33
test an exam that, once passed, can stand in for
a secondary school diploma and has applied to
several colleges in the Buffalo area. He credits his
success to Journey's End Refugee Services Inc. and
its alternative-to-secondary-school program, which
is called Making a Connection. The program provides
GED classes for older students for whom English is a
second language.
Making a Connection also helps introduce them
to American society with regular field trips and
demonstrations. At one of these demonstrations,
Kasonko discovered the sport of fencing. He has since
competed in statewide competitions and earned a
number of trophies.
"A lot of refugees are hard workers; they want to
be here and be successful. But the way they teach
[secondary] school here can be unhelpful if you don't
understand the language," Kasonko said.
"Without community support our program
wouldn't work," said Larry Bartlett, who oversees
Refugee Admissions for the U.S. "[Resettlement] is a
great opportunity, but often [refugees] don't speak the
language and don't know a lot about the culture. They
cope, and they do so with really strong local support."
"We try to respond to the needs of the communities
that we're serving," said Allene Wright of the
Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC).
In addition to providing the basic services guaranteed
to refugees by the State Department, almost all of
ECDC's 16 affiliates sponsor additional programs, from
summer camps to leadership training to scholarship
funding. In Denver, a microenterprise program
called We Made This teaches women how to sew and
produce objects, like purses and bags, using colors and
fabric that echo their cultural backgrounds. The final
products are sold at shops around Denver and on Etsy,
a popular online retailer.
Molly Short, director of Journey's End, sums up
the work of resettlement agencies simply: "We're
here to give these individuals what they need to
succeed and help them give back. If we succeed, we're
community-building."
Mariela Rivero and Nidia Suarez escaped their
native Cuba because of persecution for being lesbians
and began a new life in America. Initially afraid to
disclose their relationship, the women began to feel
more comfortable when they saw the LGBT-friendly
banners that greet visitors to the Miami branch of the
resettlement agency Church World Service (CWS).
They've since found a home in Lancaster, are considered
model employees at their factory jobs, and have
established strong bonds in the community. Recently,
the couple signed on as ambassadors for CWS, intent on
sharing their stories with fellow LGBT refugees.
"They told me, 'You never judged us never didn't
help us because of who we are, and that's made the
whole difference in our resettlement,'" said Mabel
Hernandez of CWS Miami.
"They've done phenomenally well." S
*LGBT is short for lesbian, gay, bisexual
and transgender.
In concert: together
Fencing: the art or sport of fighting with swords
connecting the dots: buffalo, new york
;
lancaster, pennsylvania
; denver, colorado
policy points: our roots
Refugees
participate in an
English class at
Kakuma Refugee
Camp in Kenya.
"Opening our
docks and
our doors to
refugees has
been part
of the great
tradition of
our country.
It defines us."
Secretary of State John Kerry,
Washington, DC, June 20, 2013
34 e j|us a
Communities
Ramadan is "a one-month intensive training
program for your soul, a sort of spiritual boot
camp," according to Uzair Siddiqui.
"You're focusing on being a better
version of yourself," he said, "and when
you have so many people focused on
bettering themselves, it builds a great
sense of community."
To promote the spirit of Ramadan year-
round, Siddiqui a 20-year-old student at
the University of Cincinnati attends and
organizes programs offered by Muslim Youth
of North America, a nonprofit organization in
Plainfield, Indiana, with branches throughout
the United States and in Ontario, Canada.
The organization holds camps to help
Muslim secondary-school and college
students enjoy time with peers and learn
more about the tenets of their faith.
Siddiqui has attended the camps since
he was 13, initially prompted by his parents
but soon at his own request. The camps'
programs are planned by students. Fariha
Hossain, 18, a student at Indiana University,
calls the mix of recreation with spiritual-
growth seminars and visiting speakers
"phenomenal." As she is beginning to think
of her life after college, she also enjoys the
career advice and emotional support.
During Ramadan, because potential
campers are likely to have lower energy
due to the daytime fast, there are online
lectures by professionals whose
occupations range from neurosurgeon to
basketball player and question-and-
answer sessions afterward.
Hossain and Siddiqui are looking forward
to the debut of the organization's Hira
Institute, a retreat named for the Cave of
Hira, where it is believed that the first verses
of the Quran were revealed. Making its debut
in 2014, the institute will become an annual
three-week event in August at which young
people can meet scholars and artists who
will help them explore their faith.
"I think it will be a life-changing event,"
Siddiqui said. S
Inspired by Ramadan
LAUREN MONSEN
"When you have so many
people focused on bettering
themselves, it builds a great
sense of community."
Phenomenal: very good or great: unusual in a
way that is very impressive
ap imagesMuslim pilgrims visit the
Cave of Hira, where it is
believed that the first verses
of the Quran were revealed.
e j|us a 35
Ramadan in America
IMAM SUHAIB WEBB
The author, Imam Suhaib Webb,
is resident scholar at the Islamic
Society of Boston Cultural Center.
When I travel to other countries, one of the first
questions I'm asked is, "What is Ramadan like in
America?" For American Muslims, like Muslims
everywhere, it is a time to reconnect with God by
observing fasts and through personal reflection
and an increase in prayers and charity.
Most Islamic centers stay open all the time so it
is easy to visit one during the month and worship.
Oftentimes, there are lectures held in the mosque,
so in addition to the acts mentioned above, there
are opportunities to rekindle an intellectual
interest in faith.
Guests frequent Islamic centers in higher
numbers. Non-Muslim family members
accompany recent converts, co-workers share
a meal with a friend, and in conjunction with
universities, schools or other religious institutions,
guests are invited to experience the food and
spiritual blessings of the month. Oftentimes, civil
and political leaders visit centers, acknowledging
the important contributions of American Muslims.
Most mosques host daily iftars a dinner at the
time of breaking the fast. You find everything on
the menu, from strictly American cuisine to choices
from Southeast Asia, Arab countries, Africa and
Europe. It is a food lover's dream. Extra prayers are
held at night, usually led by a skilled reciter of the
Quran, and the community experiences a spiritual
high that is unique to this blessed month.
Ramadan in America brings together an
individual sense of responsibility with a greater
sense of community and pride. Ramadan here is
unique, just like it is unique in other countries,
and a time for stomachs to stay empty while
hearts are filled.
Fariha Hossain says her work with
Muslim Youth of North America has
enriched her faith and given her
valuable leadership training.
Uzair Siddiqui said the
organization provides
strong mentors
for students.
connecting the dots: cincinnati
; plainfield, indiana
; boston
courtesy of uzair siddiquijmac photographycourtesy of imam suhaib webb
36 e j|us a
Last Word
state department photoRefuge in Time of Need
ANNE C. RICHARD
Anne Richard assistant secretary of state for population, refugees and migration
worked earlier with the International Rescue Committee, helping victims of conflict.
Refugees are different from other immigrants. They have
fled their homes to escape the threat of death or persecution.
They have been targeted because of their race, ethnicity,
nationality, religion, political beliefs or membership in a social
group. Many have survived terrible ordeals: the deaths of loved
ones, torture, upheaval, dangerous journeys and the loss of
everything they knew.
The United States works to spearhead humanitarian relief
for refugees overseas. But we also lead in welcoming refugees to
our shores. Every year the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees (UNHCR) identifies tens of thousands of refugees
eligible to be resettled. Since 1975, three million of them have
come to the United States. In 2013, the United States admitted
70,000 refugees from 65 countries.
They have been resettled under a program sponsored by the
Department of State, in cooperation with other U.S. government
agencies, UNHCR, the International Organization for Migration
and hundreds of civic and church groups.
The State Department provides funding for resettlement
organizations in cities and towns all across America, which help
refugees such as those described on pages 32-33 to find apartments
and jobs, enroll their children in school and establish themselves
in their communities.
I have met with refugees in many cities a Congolese family
in Oregon; Iraqis running a restaurant in Maine; Somalis living
in Minnesota and Cubans in Florida. The amazing thing about
refugees is how resilient they are. Most find jobs, learn English,
support themselves and their families, and put down roots. After
five years, refugees may take the test to become U.S. citizens.
There is no limit to what they can achieve. Former Secretary of
State Madeleine Albright first came to this country as a refugee,
fleeing with her family from communist Czechoslovakia. She and
other refugees have not only found new hope and opportunity
here. They have also helped make our nation stronger. S
Anne Richard (right) meets with Malian refugees
in Damba Refugee Camp, Burkina Faso.
state dept
Resources
map adapted from eve steccatib New York, p. 4, 7, 8
b Palo Alto, p. 6, 29
policy
points
Rocketing Innovations
"By buying the services of space transportation rather than
the vehicles themselves we can continue to ensure rigorous
safety standards are met. But we will also accelerate the pace of
innovations as companies from young startups to established
leaders compete to design and build and launch new means of
carrying people and materials out of our atmosphere."
President Obama, John F. Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island,
Florida, April 15, 2010. See pages 3031, A New Space for Business
Our Roots
"[O]pening our docks
and our doors to
refugees has been part
of the great tradition of
our country. It defines
us. It really is who we
are. Most people came
to this country at one
point or another from
another place."
Secretary John
Kerry, World Refugee
Day event, June 20,
2013. See pages 3233,
Finding Their Way
Healthier
Living
According to the Centers
for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), 1
in 8 U.S. preschoolers
is obese, and children
who are obese are five
times more likely to be
overweight or obese
as adults. "We must
continue to strengthen
and expand proven
strategies that help our
children live healthier
lives by avoiding obesity
in the first place."
Janet L. Collins,
director of the CDC's
Division of Nutrition,
Physical Activity, and
Obesity. See pages 45,
Elevating Nutrition
Working Together for Oceans
"We know exactly what is threatening our oceans, and we have a very good understanding
of what we need to do in order to deal with these threats. We don't yet have the political
consensus or the urgency translated into political action. And we know that there's no way
that governments are going to tackle this enormous challenge, frankly, without significant
impetus from the private sector, the NGO community, academia, media, and others."
Secretary John Kerry, Economist World Ocean Summit, February 2014. See pages
2227, Acid Oceans; Diving in, Cleaning Up
b Boston, p. 8, 35
b
An American Mindset
"As we look out across this room, we're reminded that what makes somebody
American isn't just their bloodlines, it's not just an accident of birth; it's a fidelity to
our founding principles, a faith in the idea that anyone, anywhere can write the next
chapter in this American story."
President Obama, ceremony to swear in new American citizens at the White House,
March 2013. See pages 2021, New Arrivals Change America
b
b
b Buffalo, p. 32
b Lancaster, p. 32
b Denver, p. 33
b Austin, p. 15
b Weslaco, p. 14
b Las Cruces, p. 15
b
b Los Angeles, p. 17
b Berkeley, p. 26
Plainfield, p. 34b b Cincinnati, p. 34
Monterey Park, p. 18
Huntington Beach, p. 27
Malibu, p. 27
bWashington, p. 19
College Park, p. 20 b
b Atlanta, p. 29
Huntsville, p. 6
Memphis, p. 15, 28
b Cape Cod, p. 24
U N I T E D S TAT E S D E PA R T M E N T O F S TAT E
B U R E A U O F I N T E R N AT I O N A L I N F O R M AT I O N P R O G R A M S
Embassy of the United States of America