Title
Honoring and recognizing Ricardeau Scutt, business owner in the 4th Councilmanic district, for his hard work and success which proves the American Dream is still achievable when immigrants are given an opportunity at success.
Body
WHEREAS, In 2013 Ricardeau Scutt was given his own Saladworks franchise after winning on the hidden-camera Food Network show Giving You the Business; and
WHEREAS, Scutt immigrated from Haiti to Philadelphia in 2000, at the age of 20, to join his father. Due to English language barriers, Scutt had difficulty securing work; and
WHEREAS, After discussing his son's difficulty securing employment with a customer in his taxicab, the stranger helped Scutt find work as a dishwasher at a Philadelphia Saladworks restaurant; and
WHEREAS, Scutt worked his way up the chain of command and in 2003 he was promoted from shift leader to general manager of the store after it was taken over by the new leadership. Scutt still had only a basic understanding of English at the time; and
WHEREAS, In July 2005, Scutt obtained US citizenship after having taking years of English classes while also working two jobs. As a US citizen, Scutt was able to fast-track his mother and daughter's US residency, which they both obtained after the devastating 2010 earthquake in Haiti; and
WHEREAS, Scutt currently uses his new Saladworks franchise, located in the 4th Councilmanic District, to help financially support the rest of his family back in Haiti; and
WHEREAS, Scutt told the Philadelphia Daily News that in his home country, There are no jobs in Haiti, a job in there is like winning the lottery; and
WHEREAS, In the recent State of the Union Address, Present Obama exclaimed that it is time to fix the broken immigration system, urging Congress to pass immigration reform in 2014; and
WHEREAS, The broken immigration system kept Ricardeau Scutt and his mother and daughter separated for 10 years. However, Scutt's hard work and determination helped him earn his citizenship and achieve his own version of the American Dream.
WHEREAS, Scutt is an inspiration for us all, he arrived in the US with numerous barriers to career success, such as an inability to speak or read English and lack of vocational skills and job training. Still, Scutt was grateful for his opportunity to be in America and willing to persevere and work hard to climb the corporate ladder. His hard work earned him recognition that eventually led to his ownership of a Saladworks restaurant. Scutt's story proves the American Dream is still achievable when immigrants are given an opportunity at success; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, THAT THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Honors and recognizes Ricardeau Scutt, business owner in the 4th Councilmanic District, for his hard work and success which proves the American Dream is still achievable when immigrants are given an opportunity at success.
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