For these women, thriving as an immigrant in Phoenix means bucking cultural norms, language barriers and self doubt

Life growing up in the US has been a constant push and pull of two competing cultures, of the traditional and the modern. While encouraging their children to take advantage of the educational opportunities in the US, Maneshni’s parents also made sure their Iranian culture wasn’t forgotten at home.

“We speak Farsi around the house,” she said. “My dad always gets mad at me when I speak too much English. He’s like, ‘Don’t forget your language.’ So I try not to.”

Outside the house, however, Maneshni noticed that her parents and many other Iranians were never keen on revealing too much about their country or culture, lest others judged them unfairly.

“I’ve met so many people who moved here from Iran who want to forget about their culture,” she said. “Even my parents, when we go out, when somebody asks us where we’re from, they don’t immediately say Iran. But I immediately say Iran.”

Immigrants and economics in Phoenix

Immigrants make the Phoenix metro area go.

From the high rises of downtown Phoenix to its nearby bustling cities such as Tempe, Goodyear, Mesa and everywhere in between, immigrants have become a vital engine propelling Phoenix’s and the state’s economic growth. And, as the city continues to expand at a record clip, their numbers and influence are rising dramatically.

Phoenix is one of the fastest-growing cities in terms of population in the US, alongside the likes of Texas and Florida. New Americans — individuals in the US who are aspiring to take the path to US citizenship, or who have, in the recent past, become a naturalized citizen — make up an oversized portion of that population.

According to a recent study by the American Immigration Council, one in every six workers in Arizona are New Americans. They also contribute $7.3 billion in taxes annually to the state; they make up one-fifth of its entrepreneurs, or around 71,000 people; and they hold $23.5 billion in spending power.

Yet these New Americans face barriers to economic success, too.

Elnaz Bourbour, the economic empowerment manager at the largest resettlement agency in Arizona, International Rescue Committee (IRC) in Phoenix, has seen firsthand how talented and educated immigrants, such as teachers, pilots, beauty care experts, engineers and others fall into the many traps that are inherent in the American system.

“They have certifications that they’re underutilizing because there’s no pathway, there’s no resources for them to get their degree converted or get recertification,” she said.

Elnaz Bourbour. (Courtesy photo)

According to Bourbour, one of the most common barriers that IRC is seeing immigrants and refugees face as they come into the country is transportation. Since Phoenix is such a sprawling city, oftentimes jobs can be far from where they live. A lack of financial credit can be a barrier, too, as it’s needed to make large-scale purchases like a house or car.

Women immigrants often face even bigger barriers to work, from a lack of affordable child care to cultural norms where they are expected to stay home and not be too ambitious.

“How are they going to be able to pursue any sort of career pathway or choice when the cultural norm is that they need to stay at home, and take care of their children?” Bourbour said.

She noted that the city and state recognized the barriers and have started to implement programs to address these inequities. The state recently passed the bipartisan SB 1563, which creates a committee to explore barriers that refugees and immigrants are facing and then to produce reports to address these barriers. The City of Phoenix has also dedicated several million dollars from President Biden’s American Rescue Plan Act to help refugee and immigrant support organizations.

“So this city has actually been a very supportive entity in our work,” Bourbour said. “That money is going to go towards intensive case management for asylum seekers, financial coaching and English language referrals.”

What does it mean to thrive?

Technical.ly’s Thriving series seeks to understand how immigrants in the Phoenix metro area look at life in America. They discuss their work, their success and challenges, their experiences navigating daily life, and their general view of the new lives they have chosen to start in the Phoenix area.

We spoke to Maneshni and three other women immigrants who came from very different backgrounds and came to the US under varying circumstances. Two of our subjects were born in the US but lived their childhood and formative years overseas and returned as foreigners in every way except their official status. All of our subjects, however, faced similar struggles, including language barriers, institutional inefficiencies, racial biases, cultural and gender expectations, and even battles with their own identities. Each of them noted that having family members in Phoenix had been a big help.

Despite these challenges, all of these women believe that the road ahead on their immigrant journey is ripe with opportunity and that there is and always will be a place for them in the American tableau.

Eloísa Guillén, 27, Phoenix: ‘Even though our countries are neighbors, they are very, very different’

When Eloísa Guillén decided to emigrate from her home in Durango, Mexico to the United States in 2017, she started her journey with an enviable advantage over many immigrants: She was already an American citizen.

That didn’t mean, however, that the 27-year-old Phoenix resident didn’t face familiar obstacles many immigrants experience in the US. Language barriers, government processes, cultural differences, separation from family, discrimination, and the high cost of living were all facets of American life that the aspiring aesthetician and cosmetologist has had to grapple with.

Guillén was born in the United States to Mexican parents who had been visiting family in Phoenix. The family returned to Mexico where Guillén spent all of her childhood and early adult life. Her interest in beauty care began in her teens when she found herself dealing with chronic acne. She began studying skin care, and after high school, she got her licenses in cosmetology and aesthetics.

Guillén said she always had an independent streak and a drive to succeed on her own that didn’t align with traditional Mexican family values.

“In Mexico, the culture is a little more different,” she said. “Usually when you leave your house it’s because you are getting married or you are going to study or something else. If you as a woman just leave because you want to leave your house, they don’t see that very well.”

Eloísa Guillén. (Photo by Shanti Lerner)

Her parents supported her decision to move to Phoenix, where she had family, including an aunt who introduced her to the owner of a salon who promised Guillén a job.

“They [family in Phoenix] helped me a lot,” she said. “I know that if they weren’t here it would have been a lot harder.”

The transition to life in America was hardly easy, however. Her English was admittedly poor. She couldn’t enroll in community college to learn the language because she wasn’t a resident and it was too expensive, so she had to take English classes elsewhere for a year.

The process of transferring her licenses and getting certified by the city also posed a big hurdle: The City of Phoenix didn’t have any Spanish-speaking helpers to assist in the process, she said, and she had to figure out on her own how to navigate the system. The test she had to take was only given in English.

In 2022, after five years of working as a cosmetologist, she decided she needed to challenge herself yet again. She applied and was accepted to work as an aesthetician at a salon where the other employees only spoke English.

Guillén earns enough to pay her bills and to enjoy some leisure time like travel, hiking and going out with her boyfriend. While she says the cost of everyday life has become a lot more expensive lately, she still finds her job rewarding.

“I’m making people feel good,” Guillén said. “I hear a lot of experiences. People get to trust me and they become like friends. I’m not their therapist but they trust me and they tell me about other things and I like that they are comfortable to talk about those things with me.”

“I love it here, but had to struggle to adjust to here. It was culture shock.”Eloísa Guillén

Guillén noted that she has experienced negative attitudes from some customers when they found out she was from another country.

“I had some issues with clients,” Guillén said. “They were not very nice when I told them I was from Mexico. I can tell they were uncomfortable, they didn’t want to keep talking. It’s not attacking me because of my culture but I can tell they act a little differently when I tell them about it.”

She admits that she has found herself working more than she thought she would, and that making friends in Phoenix has been a challenge. While she misses the laidback lifestyle of Mexico, she has no plans on returning there to live. In fact, she is currently petitioning for her parents to get their green cards — another process that has been fraught with complicated challenges. It’s just another reminder that for all the opportunities America has to offer, the challenges can be daunting, especially if you are not prepared.

“I love it here, but had to struggle to adjust to here,” she said. “If I knew it would be so hard to communicate, I would at least be ready, learn more of the language, have an idea of how hard it is to get my license, what to expect. It was culture shock. Even though our countries are neighbors, they are very, very different.”

Her dream, she said, is to one day have a family, a house and her own salon in Phoenix. But this strong, independent woman is not waiting until all that happens to feel a sense of pride and accomplishment in what she has achieved on her journey in America.

“For six years I’ve been able to achieve a lot,” Guillén said. “I’ve been able to get a job where I work with only English-speaking people, to travel, and other things. I’m proud of that. To be able to help my family when I can, because honestly if I was in Mexico, that wouldn’t happen.

“Of course I miss my country, I miss my family, but I wanted to succeed in that aspect, to start over here but to be able to keep doing what I love.”

Hoa Do, 58, Downtown Phoenix: ‘I’m used to staying busy’

Fifty-eight-year-old nail salon owner Hoa Do — or Rose, as she prefers to be called — has never sat still.

She’s been working nonstop since she immigrated to the US from Vietnam when she was 18. Do, her younger brother and parents headed to California after her sister, who had immigrated first in the late ‘70s and ran a successful automobile body shop.

Working hard, however, has never been a bother for Do.

“I can’t say I’m tired, Do said. “I really like talking to customers. I don’t like staying at home and doing nothing. I like going to work and I’ve been working since I was a kid, I’m used to it and staying busy.”

Hoa Do, aka Rose. (Photo by Shanti Lerner)

With no formal education and only a few English classes under her belt, Do began her American journey by jumping right into work in the wholesaling business, the same business that her parents had done in Vietnam: She sold various products to budget shopping stores.

While Do says the wholesaling business was familiar and a profession that helped support her family financially, she admitted that after 20 years in the business, the work took a toll on her.

“Wholesaling in California was really hard and a lot of work and I wanted to spend more time with my family,” she said. “So I wanted to invest in myself and try opening up a different business, something lighter, by opening up a nail salon.”

Do sold her home in California and moved to Phoenix with her two daughters in 2005 to start a new life. Within a year of moving, she used the proceeds from the sale of her home and opened Cali Nails in a small strip mall near downtown on Phoenix’s busy Central Avenue.

But the move to the Valley of the Sun didn’t come without a price. When asked if she has faced any obstacles as an immigrant in Phoenix, Do scrunched her face and said “a lot” with a firm tone that echoed inside her salon.

While her time in the United States has spanned several decades, Do admits that the language barrier has been an obstacle she still faces daily when it comes to operating her business and managing bureaucratic processes.

“Of course it was very difficult for me, but thank goodness I have my daughter, Trina, who helps me translate a lot and helps me run the business,” Do said. “Trina helps me so much.”

Hoa Do, aka Rose. (Photo by Shanti Lerner)

Business challenges cause difficulty, too: In 2006, the construction of a 28.2-mile light rail line serving Phoenix and nearby cities blocked traffic from coming into her business. Several other establishments nearby were forced to close. Do held on, however, two years later the 2008 housing crash caused another sharp downturn in business. The COVID-19 pandemic also greatly affected business, but she managed to get some relief money to stay afloat.

While money is an important part of why she works, it’s not the only part that drives Do. The chance to help others also motivates her to keep working.

“Some of my longer-term clients who have been seeing me for 15 to 20 years, they come in here for more than just nails,” she said. “If they are feeling sick and they need more than just nails done, I am happy to give them fruit, back massages or hot oils. I really enjoy helping people. A lot of my clients are older women and I just love being able to provide for them and take care of them. I would help the community and some of my clients in California and the same in Vietnam.”

For Do, thriving and succeeding in America is all encompassing.

“Thriving means to me that I am able to increase my income, I’m healthy, everyone around me is healthy, and everything is beautiful.”

Of course, for Do, that perfect state of being doesn’t come from sitting still. The interview came to halt quickly as she had to run to the doctor for an annual checkup.

Cheyenne Mulroy, 23, Goodyear: ‘There is a lot of pressure’

Cheyenne Mulroy has feet in two countries: One in the Philippines and one in the United States. That’s how it’s always been for the 23-year-old who grew up in a multicultural household.

Mulroy was born in Honolulu, Hawaii to an American father and a Filipino Mother. At age 6, she and her family moved back to the Philippines, where she spent the rest of her childhood before moving back to the United States in 2012. They settled in Phoenix.

Like Guillén, Mulroy’s journey to the United States as an immigrant began at birth. And moving back and transitioning to life in America posed some unexpected challenges: “There was definitely a big culture shock because living in the Philippines, I got so used to the way we do things,” she said.

When asked if she felt like she fit the description of an immigrant even though she was born in the United States, Mulroy didn’t hesitate to answer.

“I do,” she said. “Because growing up in the Philippines I have always applied the customs to the way I live daily life here. I know the customs, I know the culture, how people are …”

Cheyenne Mulroy. (Courtesy photo)

Navigating the social aspects of her two cultures, however, has not consumed her. Instead, since moving to the United States, Mulroy has primarily focused on finishing her education.

Mulroy attended Estrella Mountain Community College, west of Phoenix, on a full scholarship and studied business administration. She graduated in just three years by taking on extra classes. Mulroy then wasted no time to continue her education, attending Grand Canyon University to get a masters in business on a partial scholarship.

She currently works as a marketing assistant for the Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona. Her dream job is to have a higher position in a business or in marketing and that the only thing preventing her from reaching those promotions is her lack of experience, which she is now building. A typical day at work is never the same, and that’s what she likes the most. As a marketing assistant, she promotes the different events held at the bases’ facilities — arts and crafts, the library, community college and others.

But while moving back to the United States has opened many opportunities for Mulroy, she is often reminded of the sacrifices that were made for her to get there. Those lessons are what drive her to succeed and to never take these abundant opportunities available in America for granted.

“My parents worked really hard when I was growing up. We weren’t financially rich or anything like that, but seeing what they went through encourages me to be successful.”Cheyenne Mulroy

“Yes, I think there is a lot of pressure,” she said. “My parents worked really hard when I was growing up. We weren’t financially rich or anything like that, but seeing what they went through encourages me to be successful.”

Mulroy’s dad is retired from the US Navy, while her mom is retired from the Post Office. The couple have instilled a work ethic in their three daughters that has clearly been heeded. Mulroy’s sister Camille, 36, is a nurse practitioner, and middle sister Cecilya is a real estate broker and also recently got her master’s in business.

“It is meaningful because I would say the lessons that I have learned are taking any opportunity that you can and running with it even if it’s not that CEO position,” Mulroy said. “I am willing to work hard to get where I need to be whether that’s just baby steps.”

For Mulroy, giving back to her mom and dad is her definition of success.

“What drives me more than just money is the fulfillment that I will give my parents and myself that day to day, I try my best to make them proud of who we are and what we have become because of their support, and that’s what drives me the most more than just the money aspect of it.”

Money, of course, still plays an important part in trying to achieve her goals. As she navigates her first steps in the workforce, Mulroy still lives with her parents in Phoenix to defray the ever-increasing cost of living. Those harsh economic realities only further her beliefs to stay true to her dual roots, stay humble, and keep focused on what’s important.

“You see not just in the Philippines but in Phoenix as well, homelessness has increased over the last few years.” she said, “and seeing how hard life is with inflation and the cost of produce at the grocery store, that impacts me to want to have stability to be able to live and be comfortable.

“Going to the gas station and not having to worry about not having the money for a full tank, that makes me happy. And having the means for the simple things — because I know if the simple things are able to be met, the big things will come with hard work.”

Autriya Maneshni, 22, Scottsdale: Storytelling is ‘what gets me out of bed’

Iranian-born Autriya Maneshni, 22, likes to think of her 14 years of living in the United States as one long, endless summer — because that’s how it started.

Maneshni’s father had gone to school at UC Santa Barbara in the 1970s, taking advantage of an Iranian government program before the 1979 Islamic Revolution that paid for students to be able to go to college in America. Her dad obtained his green card, and eventually so did the mother and children back in Iran, she said.

The family would take regular summer vacations in the United States. In the summer of 2009, Autriya, then just 8 years old and in the third grade, went on what she thought was another family holiday in America. Instead, they stayed.

Autriya Maneshni. (Photo by Shanti Lerner)

Over the years, Maneshni has fought to remain true to her upbringing. But several cultural clashes opened with her parents when she enrolled at ASU. The first came when she decided to move into the dorms and not live at home, as they expected.

The biggest shock for her parents came when she chose a major. Maneshni originally wanted to study biology and go on to law school. Her high school English teacher, however, saw something else in her and encouraged Maneshni to take up journalism.

“I honestly didn’t even know that journalism was really a major because back in Iran, it’s not something that you can really study,” she said, “In Iran you only have choices for like three majors and then some branches off those majors. Journalism is not one of those things, especially as a woman.”

She enrolled in the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at ASU’s downtown campus and knew from day one that she had found her calling.

“I love storytelling,” Maneshni said. “I love interviewing people. It’s what gets me out of bed every morning, knowing that my job is going to take me to a different location today.”

Maneshni upended her family’s expectations yet again as her graduation neared. She accepted a job across the country at a small TV station in New York state. In Iran, it’s not typical for women to move away from family until they’re married, she said.

Autriya Maneshni. (Courtesy photo)

Although she has trepidation about cutting the financial and family cords, Maneshni clearly has plans to follow through on her passion for telling stories, especially from the immigrant’s point of view.

“One of the other reasons I want to get into journalism is because I think immigration is covered so negatively here,” she said. “There is just so much more to immigration than someone doing it illegally or someone crossing the border. No offense to the reporters that go out and find these stories, but find a different angle. I’m so tired of it. I brand myself ‘the immigrant journalist’ because I am an immigrant myself. So I bring this totally new perspective to the table that I think is so valuable.

Maneshni is also going to make sure people know where she came from.

“I’m going to go on TV and I’m going to speak to the immigrants sitting at home who might look like me, that you belong on TV, girl,” she said. “It’s our world just as much as the next person who’s blonde and who has light skin. I think a lot of immigrants might feel afraid to take that risk and take that jump.”

This report is part of Thriving, a yearlong storytelling initiative from Technical.ly focused on the lived experiences of Philadelphia and comparative city residents. The goal is to generate insights about the economic opportunities and obstacles along their journeys to financial security. Here's who we're focusing on and why.