What is the Persian New Year (Nowruz)?

Nowruz is a Persian holiday that marks the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere. The day Nowruz is celebrated changes each year depending on the equinox. This year, it is planned to be observed on March 19th. Nowruz comes from the ancient language of Avestan, which can be translated into “New Day.” This holiday represents rebirth, new beginnings, and a new life. The Persian New Year typically lasts around two weeks or 13 days.

Nowruz is celebrated by 300 million people globally, but it is observed mainly in Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, India, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Turkey, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Nowruz has been observed for 3,000 years in many diverse regions, including the Balkans, the Black Sea Basin, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Middle East, and many other parts of the world. The Persian New Year has Zoroastrianism roots, which is a religion that predates Christianity and Islam. Those celebrating Nowruz promote peace, solidarity, and other essential values among friends, families, and other members of the community. Before the holiday arrives, people engage in spring cleaning and social gatherings with friends and family. The Persian New Year is celebrated by decorating the Haft Seen table, which consists of seven things that begin with the letter “S.” The Haft Seen table usually contains other items, such as a mirror to symbolize the past year, painted eggs to represent fertility, and a lit candle that indicates happiness.

There are also a variety of other food dishes that are commonly eaten during this time, like “ash-e resteh” or noodle soup and Haft Mewa, a seven fruit salad.

IIA staff celebrating Nowruz, 2023

 

February at the International Institute of Akron

February has left as quickly as it came. Still, our work in the immigrant and refugee community is ongoing, with the resettlement of 50 refugee arrivals in Akron this past month and providing our additional services to the greater immigrant community. We look forward to sharing more about our work this past month, ways to get involved, and more below.

Immigrant Spotlight: Barthelemy’s Social Justice Journey 

Barthelemy's story is one of resilience, leadership, and a commitment to social justice. He is a testament to the power of perseverance and the impact one person can have on their community.

In our latest blog post, you can learn about Barthelemy's work with international and local refugee organizations.

Read his story at: https://www.iiakron.org/blog/2024/2/23/immigrant-spotlight-barthelemys-social-justice-journey

 
 

Outreach in the Community  

One of our work's greatest joys is the opportunity to go out into the greater Akron community and educate and advocate for refugees and immigrants.

On February 17, IIA’s Eka Anthony spoke with the Akron Torchbearers to discuss his work as a young leader in the immigrant community. Eka shared his experience coming to Akron as a refugee, working his way up to a case management role at IIA, and what motivates him to make an impact in his community. The Torchbearers left the discussion feeling inspired by Eka’s work and leadership in Akron’s immigrant community.

 

On Sunday, February 25th, the Girl Scouts of Copley-Fairlawn hosted their World Thinking Day event, featuring presentations from over a dozen troops about various countries of their choosing. As part of this event, the Girl Scouts decided to collect household donations for IIA clients. IIA Communications Specialist Liv Randall spoke to the girls about refugees and how IIA assists them in settling in Akron.

We’re grateful to everyone in the community who wants to learn more about Akron’s refugee and immigrant community! Education and understanding are excellent steps in making Akron a welcoming place for all.

 

Black History Month Business Spotlights 

For Black History Month, we’ve recommended two African-owned businesses to support in Akron! Although February has come to an end, it’s always a good time to support our local businesses and restaurants to uplift our immigrant community. Check out our recommendations below!

Recommendation Corner: Race-ing Fargo

This month, for IIA’s recommendation corner, we want to spotlight Race-ing Fargo, a book written by feminist anthropologist Jennifer Erickson that tells the story of the lives of resettled refugees in North Dakota. Race-ing Fargo details the individual stories of Bosnian Muslims and South Sudanese refugees who reveal their experiences fleeing from their home countries and growing accustomed to American culture. Erickson’s book tackles the many hardships of refugee programs, citizenship, language barriers, and the sense of belonging. Race-ing Fargo also speaks on the many effects of globalization, such as neoliberalism, and how its aspects are ingrained in America’s Immigration policy.

Social Factors describes Race-ing Fargo as “a meticulously researched study about citizenship and diversity practices among residents and newcomers resulting from refugee resettlement and how those played out in, and transformed, the small global city of Fargo, North Dakota—making important contributions to race, immigration, belonging, welfare, and globalization scholarship.”

You can access Race-ing Fargo at any of your local booksellers.

 
 

Get Involved

Donations:

As IIA begins to welcome many new immigrant families to Akron this year, we are always in need of donated goods such as hygiene products, cookware, bedding, and more.

To stay up to date on what is needed and to get involved, please visit: https://www.iiakron.org/donation-room.

Hiring:

Interested in working at IIA? We have multiple openings, including Community Support Specialists and Ukrainian/Russian Interpreters.

Learn more about the open positions and how to apply at: https://www.iiakron.org/join-our-team

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

Immigrant Spotlight: Barthelemy’s Social Justice Journey

 
 

On June 29th, 2023, 30-year-old Barthelemy arrived in Akron, Ohio, from Zimbabwe after residing in the country for 11 years as a refugee. Born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the city of Lubumbashi, Barthelemy conducted journalistic work and pursued academic studies before fleeing his home country in 2012. Fluent in French, Swahili, Lingala, English, and a local language from Zimbabwe, Barthelemy’s linguistic skills reflect his diverse background and experiences.

During his time in Zimbabwe, Barthelemy was deeply involved in social justice organizations for refugees, particularly those led by refugees themselves. He quickly rose to the position of secretary in the organization Youth Mobilizers, focusing on topics such as climate change in refugee camps, cultural diversity among refugees, and the rights of refugees.

Barthelemy later founded an organization called Youth Mental Health Promoters, serving as its president, to assist young refugees in adapting to their new lives in the Zimbabwean camp. Barthelemy became the refugee youth leader, leading over 5,000 youth. Additionally, he worked as a childcare worker at the camp and assisted the camp’s office with cases concerning domestic abuse. He actively participated in various refugee-led programs, including Engaging Men and Boys Through Accountable Practices to Prevent Gender-Based Violence Against Women (EMAP) and the Global Refugee Network. He managed to secure funding for five different refugee organizations at the camp.

Recognized for his leadership and service, Barthelemy was nominated as delegate and co-chair of the UNHCR Global Youth Advisory Council (GYAC), making appearances at various UN-led conferences in Geneva. He also attended various other UNHCR events, including the 2022 World Refugee Commemoration in South Africa, the 2023 UNHCR Global Refugee Forum in Geneva,  and the 2023 SDG Summit in New York.

Since arriving in Akron, Barthelemy had been resettled by IIA, and IIA’s legal team assisted him in acquiring travel documents to participate in more global conferences concerning social justice for refugees. Currently, he is working with the Global Refugee Youth Network. This refugee youth-led organization supports young refugees in developing their capacity to help each other, leading initiatives to respond to their community's needs, and advocating for change that they feel is important for them and their communities. In addition to working with the Global Refugee Youth Network, Barthelemy gives back to his local community as an ESL instructor and Bus Trainer at IIA.

Barthelemy has always been passionate about social justice advocacy, a passion that was ignited in him while living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His ultimate goal is to become a journalist while continuing to advocate for social justice. He encourages all refugees not to limit themselves and to share their unique skills with others to contribute to the development of society. As he puts it, “If you have talents, showcase them so they can contribute to the awesome development of the United States.”