Pete Lerma
Richards/Lerma’s creativity displayed its international and local impact when its campaign #BeGolden – whose aim is to improve the way our community embraces immigrants – became the focus of the event held by the Dallas Regional Chamber last August 10. Pete Lerma, the agency’s Principal and Founder, and Head of Art Rodrigo Maycotte were on hand for the event: Economic Inclusion & Innovation: A Snapshot of Immigrants in Dallas. “There’s a great need in the labor market for workers who contribute to innovation and development” Maycotte said. The conference showed the importance the Dallas municipality currently gives to assuring immigrants a place in the city’s present and future, and in the U.S. in general. “It was also very interesting to see how many people in the audience held important positions at the corporate, commercial and industrial levels, and who were there to be informed because they recognized the need to take these matters into account” he said. In the context of the event, Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings talked about the importance of embracing immigrants and making them feel welcome, and thanked the work the #BeGolden campaign is doing to help the City of Dallas achieve that goal. “I think it’s time for people, mainly immigrants, to realize there are people in the government and in our city who understand the immigrant community’s importance to the U.S., and that they must do what they can to ensure the well-being of its members,” he added. In conclusion, Rawlings noted that the results of the #BeGolden campaign have been so positive that the cities of Louisville and Houston have decided to launch the #BeGolden campaign as well.