In the 1850’s, Betsy Cohen's distant relatives came to the US from Czechoslovakia because they were fleeing being drafted into a war. Her dad’s side of the family started a distillery that didn’t do very well. Her mom’s side started a bakery that became large and lasted through many generations. Through her family’s stories and her work with immigrant populations, who have come here to start their own lives and businesses, she shares their resilience and hopes for their American dreams.

Betsy Cohen is the Executive Director of the St. Louis Mosaic Project, a public-private partnership that aims to attract and retain international talent in St. Louis. The project's goal is to make the St. Louis region the fastest-growing major metropolitan area for foreign-born individuals by 2025. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more here.