It’s been a busy new year at the International Institute of Akron due to our ongoing office move to Downtown Akron! Learn more about the office move and other IIA happenings from this past month below.

Office Move Updates

On January 11, IIA’s office space at Summa Health officially closed, and our staff began working remotely until our new office space at Canal Place (530 S. Main St., Ste. 1762, Akron, OH 44331) opens on March 31. The staff has done an extraordinary job acclimating to our new remote environment while continuing to serve our clients.

While we prepare to move into our new space, IIA Executive Director, Madhu Sharma, has been working to design the space to create a welcoming and calm environment for staff and clients who enter the space.

“Women, Life, Freedom”

Sima Arshadi is a mother, chef, artist, entrepreneur, and former participant in the International Institute of Akron’s economic empowerment program. In late 2022, Sima sat down with IIA’s Liv Randall to talk about the protests led by Iranian women last year and why their slogan, “Women, Life, Freedom,” is so resonant today.

You can read about Sima and the protests led by Iranian women in our blog post, “Women, Life, Freedom.”

Karen New Year

On Saturday, January 7th, the Karen Community of Akron hosted a beautiful celebration in honor of Karen New Year. The day was filled with Karen tradition, dance, culture, history, and food!

Thank you to the Karen Community of Akron for sharing your special day with IIA!

Ideastream Public Media “Arrivals”

Tamana Ziar is a resettlement case manager at the International Institute of Akron where she helps new arrivals. She resettled in Akron July of 2021 from her home country of Afghanistan.

Read and listen to more of her story as part of Ideastream’s new series "Arrivals," which explores stories of how immigrants came to Northeast Ohio and what life is like for them here.

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