The Carnegie Corporation of New York has announced its 2025 list of “Great Immigrants,” honoring 20 individuals who have made significant contributions to American society.
The annual tribute, now in its 19th year, celebrates naturalized citizens who have enriched the cultural and civic fabric of the United States.
Among them is Akiko Iwasaki, born in Japan, a leading immunologist at Yale School of Medicine and colead investigator of the Yale COVID-19 Recovery Study. Iwasaki’s research has shaped understanding of viral immunity and long COVID. In 2024, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people.
Two honorees from Iran were recognized for their contributions to culture and public life. Maz Jobrani, a comedian, actor, and author, became known not just for his stand-up but also for challenging Hollywood stereotypes. After early roles portraying terrorists on screen—including in a Chuck Norris film and the TV show 24—he began turning down such parts, using comedy to break barriers. Manoochehr Sadeghi, a grand master of Persian classical music and a respected educator, was named a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment for the Arts in 2003—the highest U.S. honor in folk and traditional arts.
Michele Kang, born in South Korea, is a pioneering businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the owner of the Washington Spirit women’s soccer team and CEO of healthcare IT company Cognosante. Her leadership has made her a standout in both tech and sports.
From India, two women were honored for their wide-reaching impact. Manjusha (Manju) P. Kulkarni, executive director of the AAPI Equity Alliance, cofounded Stop AAPI Hate in 2020—a national coalition created in response to the spike in anti-Asian violence during the pandemic. Priyamvada Natarajan, a theoretical astrophysicist at Yale University, is known for groundbreaking work on dark matter and black holes. In 2024, she too was named to Time’s list of the 100 most influential people and is a fellow of both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Astronomical Society.
Yuan Yuan Tan, born in China, recently retired as principal dancer of the San Francisco Ballet. Throughout her career, she championed Chinese American artists and served as an icon for Asian representation in the arts.
Also honored is Shahid Khan, born in Pakistan, who came to the U.S. at 16 and went on to revolutionize the auto industry. As founder of Flex-N-Gate, he developed a one-piece truck bumper that became an industry standard, adopted by automakers like GM, Ford, Toyota, and BMW. His company’s success made him one of America’s wealthiest entrepreneurs. In 2011, Khan made history again as the first Pakistani American to own an NFL franchise when he purchased the Jacksonville Jaguars.
This year’s honorees are named as immigration becomes an increasingly contentious issue. President Donald Trump’s administration is looking to add $150 billion to support his mass deportation agenda, which has drawn protests, as U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement looks to arrest 3,000 people in the country illegally each day.
The full list of this year’s Great Immigrants can be found at carnegie.org/awards/great-immigrants/2025-great-immigrants.
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