Immigrant Buddies
Immigrant Buddies
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About Immigrant Buddies

Our Story & Mission

The number of immigrants in America is increasing exponentially, and it is often a challenge for them to integrate into America smoothly and efficiently. Immigrant Buddies is currently a startup project initiated in September 2023 in Houston, TX, which houses one of America's highest concentrated and fastest growing immigrant populations.  Immigrant Buddies helps new immigrants adjust to life in America smoothly and efficiently by connecting them with Buddies (mentors and friends) who support them in achieving their goals. Currently, it is a manual service where interested participants can sign up through this website. Eventually, it will be a peer-to-peer tech platform where immigrants can search, request, and interact with their Buddies based on areas of assistance: navigating employment, American culture, language skills, healthcare, transportation, education, legal services, and more. The platform will be simple and accessible. Partnerships will form organically, and there are no stringent requirements. 

We envision a diverse, inclusive, and prosperous society where every immigrant feels welcome and integrated, and every person gains cross-cultural understanding and friendship.

Smooth and efficient immigrant integration

A prosperous and thriving economy and society

Cross-cultural understanding and friendship

Buddies will help immigrants with what they need to integrate and adjust, so they can have a great quality of life in the US and fulfill their goals of why they came here. Immigrants can develop a support system faster and acheive stability and success.

Cross-cultural understanding and friendship

A prosperous and thriving economy and society

Cross-cultural understanding and friendship

Our goal is to foster genuine and productive relationships between immigrants and Buddies, bridging cultures and nationalities. As native-born Americans understand and befriend immigrants,  there will be more cultural awareness, diversity, and inclusion in society.

A prosperous and thriving economy and society

A prosperous and thriving economy and society

A prosperous and thriving economy and society

Immigrants are a significant contributor to the nation's economy, making up 13% of America's population, 1 in 6 workers, and 1 in 5 business owners. When immigrants resettle and integrate faster, they boost the prosperity of America. 

The Team

Immigrant Buddies has an evolving talented team of volunteer professionals.


Board Members: Abel Mucyo, Ashish Nirkhe, Jan Reese Rondina, Jennifer Jiang, Julie McCusker, Lyan Baek


Designers: Alison Yi, Grace Sim, Julia Pekelnaia, Ralph Rezza


Developers: Amudha Balamurugan, Kevin Lobo, Maeve Tra, Nife Sofowoke, Shaunty Rashidi


Marketers: Aline Domingues, Amruta Ambre, Ashish Nirkhe, Lauren Ahern


Advisors: Anisa Siegel, Haana Rafiq


If you are interested in joining the team, please email info@immigrantbuddies.com.

The Founder

Jennifer Jiang is the Founder of Immigrant Buddies. She moved to America from China at age 4. With her background as an early childhood immigrant, she now aims to help other newcomers adjust to life in a new country. 


Jennifer has experience in a variety of disciplines, including UX Design, Product Management, Copywriting, English Tutoring, and the Service Industry. 


She received a Bachelor in Business Adminstration from Emory University and a UX Certificate from General Assembly. 

Partner Spotlight

For more than 20 years, Upwardly Global has advanced workforce inclusion for work-authorized immigrants, refugees, and asylees with professional experience and international degrees by helping them secure jobs at their skill level in order to ensure a diverse workforce, build resilient communities, and contribute to a robust U.S. economy.

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