One of the best lines in the musical Hamilton comes as its hero, Alexander, the American revolutionary born in Nevis, and Lafayette, his French brother-in-arms, celebrate their impending victory over the British. “Immigrants,” they say with a high five, “we get the job done.” The lyric inspired a diverse group of rappers—K’naan, Riz Ahmed, Residente, Snow Tha Product—to build a full-length track around it, and it’s now a slogan for immigrant communities everywhere, featured on posters and mugs.
A version of this article appeared in the May–June 2022 issue of Harvard Business Review.