Immigrants in Arlington County

External Relations Manager, Columbia Pike Partnership

Josue Bastidas was born in New Jersey and grew up in Queens, New York, but he quickly learned about the sacrifice often required of immigrants at an early age. His father who moved to the United States from Colombia at age 17, worked the early morning shift as a city bus driver. In order for Bastidas and his two younger brothers to get a ride to school, they had to accommodate his schedule by waking at 5 a.m. He remembers his mother, an immigrant from Mexico who worked as a home health aide, packing up the entire family in the pre-dawn hours. “We were all part of that struggle,” he says. “But I developed a deep respect for my parents’ resilience at a young age.”

Bastidas also developed a deep respect for the power of community and how the two forces could offer protection during difficult times. Nearly five years ago after moving with his wife to Arlington, he immediately sought out ways to get involved locally and put down roots. After volunteering with civic organizations and helping out with elections, Bastidas eventually got a job at the Arlington Chamber of Commerce in 2023, where he discovered the joy of walking around the neighborhood and meeting business owners face to face. “This is how true connections are created and how you develop trust,” he says.

Two years ago, Bastidas was hired as the external relations manager for the Columbia Pike Partnership, an economic development nonprofit that assists more than 300 businesses—many of which are immigrant-owned. He continued his practice of walking to meet business owners along the 3.5-mile Arlington throughfare that runs between the Pentagon and the Fairfax County border and learned about the unique stresses they were facing. He heard stories about how a years-long utility and street reconstruction project snarled traffic and blocked storefronts. He also heard about the impact of mass layoffs of federal workers and an intense increase in federal immigration enforcement. These events kept many shoppers at home, including ex-federal employees who were cutting back on spending and many immigrants who were afraid to leave home. Nearly 30 percent of the area’s residents were born in another country, including large communities from Ethiopia, El Salvador, Bolivia, Peru and Ukraine.

The Columbia Pike Partnership has worked hard to keep the corridor thriving. They host business development classes and loan workshops. And they sponsor three annual festivals, including a new multicultural festival and monthly movie nights with Spanish subtitles. There are also lunch clubs, happy hours and a weekly farmer’s market. “Small businesses are an engine of the local economy,” he says. “A small restaurant might employ 20 people who live in the community and pay local taxes. Together we can unlock many resources to help keep small businesses thriving.”

Yet it’s through his personal conversations when Bastidas learns how people are keeping their businesses and dreams alive. “So many of our business owners are taking risks and finding creative ways to survive,” he says. For example, one owner of a struggling Mexican restaurant started a food truck; another expanded delivery services to home-bound customers. After one restaurant owner told him that workers were nervous about immigration enforcement, Bastidas connected him to a Latino liaison group that works with local police. He also helps laid-off workers find new jobs. “Everyone knows me, and I love the hands-on aspect of helping people survive,” he says. “I’m inspired by their resilience every day.”