April at the International Institute of Akron

It’s been a busy month at IIA, and we are thrilled to share some major updates about our new office move! We’ll be sharing some of the latest updates and stories from our resettlement efforts, as well as ways that you can get involved.

New Office Opens May 11! 

We are excited to announce that IIA’s long-awaited office relocation is finally here! Our new, spacious location at 530 S. Main St., Ste 1762, is ready to welcome the public starting Thursday, May 11.

With our new home in the heart of Akron, we are thrilled to continue our commitment to serving the refugee and immigrant communities. Our team looks forward to sharing our latest updates, achievement, and inspiring stories from our new space.

Thank You – Central Intermediate School 

Last month in Wadsworth, students from Central Intermediate School collected and donated toiletries for incoming refugee families in Akron. Thank you to these amazing students for being such great welcomers

Donations Needed 

We are currently seeking for donations to support our efforts in assisting refugees and immigrants in integrating into their new communities.

If you can donate anything on the list of needs below, please contact IIA’s Housing and Donation Specialist, Dan Hennon at dan.hennon@iiakron.org. 

Current Needs:

-        Blankets

-        Comforters

-        Towels

-        Pillows

-        Pots

-        Pans

IIA is Hiring!  

IIA is excited to announce that we are currently seeking to fill the positions of Staff Attorney, Refugee Resettlement Case Manager, Community Support Specialist, Interpreter, Communications Intern, and Refugee Resettlement Intern. If you are interested in applying for any of these opportunities or wish to learn more about them, visit our website at www.iiakron.org/join-our-team.

 We encourage all qualified candidates to apply and look forward to hearing from you!

Eid Mubarak! 

Eid al-Fitr, also known as the “Festival of Breaking the Fast,” is a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of the month-long fasting period of Ramadan. This year, Eid was celebrated on April 21st. Eid Mubarak!

 
 

Thanks for staying up to date on everything IIA, and we look forward to sharing more information soon!

Statement on the Jayland Walker shooting, grand jury decision

In June of 2022, the Akron community called for justice after 25-year-old Jayland Walker was shot 46 times and killed by eight Akron City Police officers. Today, a special grand jury of the State of Ohio has decided not to charge the police officers involved in the shooting, reinforcing the injustice that black communities continue to face locally, state-wide, and nationally.

We recognize the pain and trauma that this decision has caused the Walker family and our Akron community. It is unacceptable that black and other marginalized communities continue to be disproportionately affected by police violence, and we must work together to advocate for systemic change.

The International Institute of Akron continues to stand with the Walker family to honor Jayland’s life, to advocate for racial justice, and bring an end to police violence.

Sincerely,

 

Madhu Sharma

IIA Executive Director

March at the International Institute of Akron

As we enter into the month of April, we want to take a moment to reflect on the incredible work our agency has done over the past few weeks and other important happenings that took place in March! The IIA team has been working tirelessly to provide critical resources and services to those we serve in our community, and we’ll be sharing some of the latest updates and stories from our resettlement efforts, as well as ways that you can get involved and support our mission.

International Women’s Day 

At IIA, we’re lucky to know some remarkable women making a positive impact in our community every day.

On March 8th, International Women’s Day, we celebrated these women and thanked them for sharing their talents and cultures, and for continuing to make Akron and the world a better place for women and girls to thrive.

Voices of Unity: Afghan woman’s harrowing story of service, escape 

On March 21, Fox 8 News released a segment from their “Voices of Unity” series, sharing the inspiring story of Lida Ahmadi, a mentor at IIA.

Lida came to the U.S. from Afghanistan after assisting dozens of Afghans in evacuating their country once the Taliban overtook Kabul. Not long after her own resettlement, Lida was asked to work part-time at IIA as an advisor and mentor to Afghan youth through the Afghan Refugee School Impact Program (ARSI). In this role, she works with young Afghan girls to help them adjust to U.S. culture.

Fox 8 News shared Lida’s experience to the U.S. and her final days in Afghanistan. It also highlighted her incredible work with Afghan youth.   

To view Lida’s interview, you can follow this link to the Fox 8 News website: Voices of Unity: Afghan woman’s harrowing story of service, escape.

Happy Nawroz

Nawroz, the first day of the Afghan New Year, is celebrated on March 21st, when friends and family come together to enjoy the holiday. One of the traditions of Nawroz is the serving of a special mixture of dried fruit and nuts known as “haft mewa,” along with desserts and green tea.

This month, the IIA team had the opportunity to experience this beautiful tradition firsthand, thanks to the thoughtful efforts of staff members Tamana and Samsor. They brought the spirit of Nawroz to our office and shared this lovely tradition with our team, creating a welcoming atmosphere that left a lasting impression on all of us.

Trauma-Informed Care Staff Training 

This month, the entire team at IIA had the privilege of participating in a comprehensive training session on providing trauma-informed care to the populations we serve. Our staff enjoyed learning from Michelle Kriedler, who holds a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree and is a Licensed Independent Social Worker-Supervisor (LISW-S).

During the training, our team received an in-depth overview of trauma and its impact on our clients’ day-to-day lives as they work to rebuild their lives in new communities. The training was specifically designed to equip our staff with the knowledge and skills required to provide the best possible support to all our clients, regardless of the challenges they may be facing.

We would like to extend a special thank you to Michelle for her invaluable contribution to this informative training.

Join our Team! 

IIA is excited to announce that we are currently seeking to fill the positions of Staff Attorney, Communications Intern, and Refugee Resettlement Intern. If you are interested in applying for any of these opportunities or wish to learn more about them, visit our website at www.iiakron.org/join-our-team.

We encourage all qualified candidates to apply and look forward to hearing from you!

Donations Needed! 

We are currently seeking for donations to support our efforts in assisting refugees and immigrants in integrating into their new communities.

If you can donate anything on the list of needs below, please contact IIA’s Housing and Donation Specialist, Dan Hennon at dan.hennon@iiakron.org. 

Current Needs:

-        Blankets

-        Comforters

-        Towels

-        Pillows

-        Pots

-        Pans

Thanks for staying up to date on everything IIA, and we look forward to sharing more information soon!