There was a lot to be grateful for this month, from welcoming three new IIA hires to sharing a team lunch together for Thanksgiving. We’re excited to share all the IIA November updates with you below!
Welcome to the Team: Hector, Ann, and Megan!
IIA has welcomed three new staff members to our growing team this month! We’d like to warmly welcome Hector Smith, Ann Gardner, and Megan Morris.
As a Staff Attorney, Hector Smith joined the IIA legal team on November 7th. His day-to-day work included consulting, screening, and discussing services with clients, as well as reviewing cases for court. Before IIA, Hector worked as a prosecutor for Summit County after graduating from the University of Akron School of Law.
Hector emigrated from Jamaica to the United States in 2013 and began working at a hotel in North Carolina. In this role, he felt he couldn’t achieve his dreams of positively affecting American society and providing meaningful work to his community.
Before coming to the United States, Hector received his bachelor’s in law degree from England and decided to pursue his law degree in Akron. He chose to pursue immigration law to best impact his community. Hector’s long-term goal is to open his own immigration law firm while working part-time at a non-profit to help underserved communities.
IIA Staff Attorney, Hector Smith
Like Hector, Ann Gardner joined the IIA legal team this past month as a Staff Attorney to represent clients in court, specializing in family immigration, asylum, removal defense, citizenship, and visas for survivors of crimes and human trafficking. Ann received her law degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law, specializing in International Human Right Law.
Before joining IIA, Ann worked for eight years in the International Programs Office at Youngstown State University. Her work included helping faculty obtain visas and green cards, promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, and assisting students in study abroad programs. She decided to make a career change and go into immigration law to impact the lives of refugees and immigrants in Akron positively.
One thing Ann enjoys about her new role at IIA is working with so many refugees and immigrants on the IIA team. She feels lucky to get to know the IIA staff and work with such an incredible team while doing something she loves.
IIA Staff Attorney, Ann Gardner
Last but certainly not least, IIA’s newest Social Services Case Manager recently joined the team, Megan Morris! Her primary responsibilities at IIA include client home visits, taking clients to doctor appointments, purchasing diapers, formula, and infant clothes, and filling out paperwork to sign clients up for social benefits.
Before transitioning to IIA, Megan worked at the Rape Crisis Center in Akron as an advocate for two years; she is currently getting her masters in social work and will graduate with her degree in 2024. She looks forward to working with clients from different cultures and backgrounds and helping refugees and immigrants integrate into their communities.
IIA Social Services Case Manager, Megan Morris
2021 Annual Report
In 2021, IIA continued our mission to enrich the vitality of our community by helping immigrants achieve an empowered life with dignity, connection, and belonging.
We faced many challenges that turned into successes due to the generosity and support of our community in Akron and Summit County.
Learn more about IIA's work in our 2021 Annual Report, now available atAnnual Report 2021.
Staff Spotlight: Bikabe Milanga
Bikabe Malanga, an employment case manager at the International Institute of Akron, is no stranger to the challenges that immigrants and refugees face. He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Kivu region, but due to war and political instability, he was forced to leave his home when he was ten months old. Bikabe and his family then spent twenty years living in a refugee camp in Tanzania before resettling in Akron.
Learn more about Bikabe’s story and work as an IIA Employment Case Manager on our blog,Staff Spotlight: Bikabe Milanga.
IIA Employment Case Manager, Bikabe Milanga
Thank You, Our Lady of the Elms!
IIA staff had the opportunity to visit a couple of lovely Sisters at Our Lady of the Elms to share stories of the tremendous impact they've had on our clients over the past year.
Last year, these ladies took the initiative to coordinate a transitional housing space for our clients who had recently arrived in Akron and were waiting for permanent housing. The house donated was on Our Lady of the Elms campus and had not been used for some time. Initially, it was a perfect space for Afghan evacuees coming to Akron, but it expanded to help refugees from countries such as Ukraine, Bhutan, and more.
The transitional housing option allowed IIA to place clients in a reliable home until we found comfortable, safe, and permanent housing for families to move into.
The entire IIA is grateful for the beautiful partnership developed with Our Lady of the Elms. We cannot thank their community enough for being so welcoming to Akron's newest residents!
IIA staff with the Sister’s from Our Lady of the Elms
Feeling Grateful for IIA!
Being an IIA team member is like being a part of a big family full of passionate people who want to better their community, and this is something we are incredibly grateful for this Thanksgiving season.
Before the long holiday weekend, IIA staff enjoyed a fantastic turkey lunch with all the best Thanksgiving fixings! It was a lovely afternoon of great food and even better people.
International Institute of Akron to swap office in “International Neighborhood” for downtown in 2023
In January 2023, IIA will be moving our main office from our current location in North Hill to downtown Akron. Our new address will be530 S. Main St., Ste. 1762, Akron, OH 44311.
While our education department will continue to be housed in North Hill at The International House of San Tomasso, our new downtown location will be central to our clients, who reside all across Akron.
An Office Relocation Packet, with parking, bus, and contact information in English, is availablehere. Packets in Pashto, Dari, Swahili, Burmese, and Nepalese will be added soon.
Thanks for staying up to date on everything IIA, and we look forward to sharing more information soon!