For many, the term “diaspora” possibly sounds new and strange. However, its meaning is probably quite familiar.
“Diasporas are a group of communities of the same origin or the same conditions established in different countries” (Ashoka)
In Spain’s case the Latin-American diaspora is one of the biggest and many of its members still feel part of their country of origin even though they have spent years abroad.
This situation of leaving their countries and starting from 0 in a new place promotes an entrepreneurial attitude: searching for and identifying opportunities, adapting quickly, being resilient, among others. Migrating activates our “entrepreneurial fibre”.
According to a study by New American Economy, 45% of businesses in the Fortune 500 have been founded by immigrants and their children.
Despite figures showing that migrants start companies in the countries they move to, generate jobs, and invigorate the local economy, there is still a negative connotation surrounding migration:
1. We need to incorporate a new narrative, meaning, telling ourselves a new story about what’s happening and understanding what our role is in making this change. We need a new thought pattern that allows us to see the positive impact that migrants can generate, for the countries they find themselves in or their countries of origin.
2. Investigate what programs or initiatives are already going in this direction in order to join and collaborate. Initiatives can also be created that contribute to said objective and look for alliances with existing projects to join forces with, accelerate positive change and boost impact working as a team. Iberoamérica Changemakers Ashoka is an initiative to highlight, seeking to channel and connect the spirit of entrepreneurship to leaders of Latin American diasporas in Spain to co-create solutions that impact their countries of origin. How? Through a platform that acts as a bridge connecting them, enabling the creation of positive impact.
In other words, the idea is that diasporas like communities in the countries of origin transform into agents of change and motorise ideas and undertakings that improve their reality.
Ashoka’s work structure is focused on 3 principal axis: people, knowledge, and financing. Under this framework, they hope that migrant people strengthen ties to their places of origin, supporting their connections, knowledge, and financial resources for their growth.
After all, diasporas can generate many positive changes: they can contribute recuperation processes in Latin American countries, give potential to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, fill empty institutions, and create genuine involvement between people and countries. That phrase is being heard more and more: “I am a citizen of the world”. Why?
Rules are changing, geography now does not determine people’s identity. Many people consider themselves citizens of the world and not of a nation in particular.
Ashoka want to give way to this feeling of a global nation and establish a framework of collaboration in which members of diasporas can generate a systematic change in their countries of origin.
