Rachel Orehek

Born in Los Angeles to Honduran parents, America Ferrera knows what it’s like to grow up in America living between cultures. However, when learning about the ‘American experience,’ she seldom found stories similar to her own. As a result she decided to seek out and publish a collection of these experiences. With contributions from Ferrera and 31 other prominent figures,  American Like Me  provides a firsthand look into living between cultures and forging an identity in modern day America. I was kind of blown away by this book. I suppose a part of me expected the different sections to be discordant with varying levels of entertainment, but I honestly learned something new and saw from a different perspective with every essay. Perhaps my favorite entry, is the first: Reshma Saujani was born and raised in a city called Schaumburg, right outside of Chicago, Illinois. As her name indicates, she is of Indian descent, but her parents were actually born and raised in Africa, an...

To : Professor Clark Hansen, CEO, AMDP From : Rachel Orehek, R&D Analyst, AMDP Date : March 11, 2020 Subject : Recommendation to Invest in Aveda You requested information on potential investment opportunities with socially responsible businesses that support local living economies. After researching many companies, I have found that Aveda not only aligns with our organization’s values, but operates in a socially responsible, environmentally sustainable, and greatly profitable manner. AMDP Standards Let me first outline the AMDP criteria for investing opportunities. The Triple Bottom Line The Triple Bottom Line provides a framework that requires organizations to conduct business ethically and successfully. The three P’s of the Triple Bottom Line are: ·        People : Fair and mutually beneficial treatment towards all involved individuals (customers, employees, suppliers, and communities) ·        ...

For my second book, I have chosen to read American Like Me by America Ferrera. I was intrigued by this option because the author is primarily known as an actress ( Ugly Betty , How to Train Your Dragon , etc.), but the purpose of this book does not revolve around her own rise to fame. Instead, Ferrera features an array of first-hand accounts from other immigrant/first generation individuals. From what I’ve read on the blogs of my classmates, this book offers a glimpse into living life between two cultures and finding your own identity throughout the process.   I, myself, am not a child of immigrants- in fact, I believe my ancestors came to America as early as the 1890s. Although it can be fun to trail the lineage of my family tree (and even claim to be Italian, Slovenian, or Irish instead of, simply, another ‘white American’), the truth is that I do not have any direct connection to the immigrant experience. I also didn’t grow up in Southern California (which boasts one of the l...