AN EVENING OF ETHNIC FOOD, MUSIC, FASHION, AND UNITY
CONCORD, NH – The Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (ORIS) is pleased to present the 2nd Annual Umoja (Unity) Gala on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at 6:00 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center.
Guests will enjoy a thoughtfully curated array of cuisine from Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East, including dishes such as Matbusha- (thick, flavorful dip served with flatbread), MalabarPrawns, Egyptian Lahma Bil Basal (tender beef in a rich onion sauce), Channa Masala Chole (chickpea curry), Tharid (Emirati Lamb stew), Plantain Cake, Mandazi (African donuts), and much more.
Performances by local musicians including Martin Toe, a local hip-hop artist originally from Liberia, and the Himalaya Heritage Performing Arts Group presenting classical kirtan and Nepali folk songs will entertain guests throughout the evening and the Jamhuri Band will return with their Swahili music that is sure to pack the dance floor. Emelyne Adios of Style by Emelyne will present a fashion show featuring her clothing designs made of kitenge, a fabric with brightly colored designs from her native country of Burundi. Raffle tickets will be available for purchase to enter to win unique, themed raffle baskets.
The Umoja Gala was first held in February 2019 as a fundraiser for New American Africans (NAA), a post-resettlement organization for African refugees who have been resettled here in New Hampshire. ORIS is also a post-resettlement organization, whose mission is to aid in the resettlement of refugees and immigrants in New Hampshire by providing assistance, training, resources, and opportunities that promote self-sufficiency. In late 2019, ORIS and NAA merged in order to consolidate and expand services, share valuable resources, and simplify fundraising without competing with each other, thereby broadening each organizations’ approach and strengthening the capacity of the new American communities and service providers across city lines.
Now that the organizations have merged, in the true spirit of “Umoja” (oo-MOE-jah), which means “Unity” in Swahili, ORIS is pleased to continue the annual Umoja Gala and build on the success of its inaugural event.
The 2nd Annual Umoja Gala is sponsored by Parker Education, Mesa Law, St. Mary’s Bank, Northeast Delta Dental, Next Rung Technologies, Norman Associates, Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare, Associated Grocers, Elm Grove Companies and several in-kind sponsors and supporters. The presenting sponsor of the Umoja Gala is Hannaford Supermarkets.
“We are very proud to sponsor this wonderful event. Our friends at ORIS work hard to equip New Americans with the knowledge and skills to reach their goals,” said John Fifield, Director of Operations for Hannaford. “We at Hannaford witness firsthand the richness of diversity in our local communities, and appreciate the wonderful benefits that New Americans offer to our business. Together, we can all build a better today and tomorrow for New Hampshire.”
The Umoja Gala takes place on Saturday, March 14, 6:00pm-10:00pm at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord, NH. Tickets are $80 per person and can be purchased by visiting www.RefugeeSuccess.org. There is also an option to text-to-donate for people not able to attend: Text UMOJA to 44-321. For questions or more information, please contact Jessica Livingston, Event Coordinator, at 603.568.5740 or jessica@jlivinspirations.com.
Celebrations in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are happening across the state of New Hampshire! For a full list of events and dates, visit American Friends Service Committee at https://www.afsc.org/story/martin-luther-king-days-2020
Join us for food, music, stories and a silent auction
View professional photographs of artworks created by teenage asylum seekers who were kept in a detention center in Tornillo, Texas. The artwork shows us that children from Central America remember the beauty of their countries, even though they were forced by gangs and governments to leave.
Additional programs on Thursdays, 6-8 PM at Jupiter Hall:
Jan. 23 – The Journey (film “Which Way Home” and discussion)
Jan. 30 – Trauma and Healing (a panel of professionals who
work with children affected by trauma)
Feb. 13 – What to do/How to help (activists and helpers share the ways they work to bring change and help others)
Sponsored by Welcoming Manchester, Welcoming New Hampshire, and the Kent St. Coalition
CONCORD AND MANCHESTER, NH – The Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success (ORIS) is pleased to announce its recent merger with New American Africans (NAA). Both organizations serve newly resettled refugees and immigrants in New Hampshire by providing assistance, programs, training, resources, and opportunities that promote self-sufficiency, so new Americans can successfully integrate into their new homes, and become productive and participating members of New Hampshire’s communities. As ORIS continues to grow and engage new stakeholders, this consolidation is an exciting milestone that will increase our statewide potency to amplify a united voice for new Americans.
New Hampshire is a small state, with nearly 8000 nonprofit organizations. As uncertainty continues to permeate the funding landscape, both locally and nationally, nonprofits in New Hampshire must get creative and collaborative in order to be sustainable. The situation is even more dire for organizations that provide services to refugees and immigrants. Despite the current administration’s decision to reduce the number of refugees to be resettled in the United States down to 18,000 – the lowest number since the inception of the refugee resettlement program in 1980 – there are many refugees and immigrants who are already here and still in need of assistance as they navigate the challenges of integrating into a new culture.
NAA was founded in 2004, supporting newly arriving African immigrants and refugees in their journey of integration and adaptation to a new life in Concord, New Hampshire. NAA fulfilled their mission through after-school and summer literacy programs, women and youth groups, and their signature Friday Family Fun Nights.
ORIS has been operating since 2005 as the Somali Bantu Community Association, and since 2011 as the Organization for Refugee and Immigrant Success. Their mission is to aid in the resettlement of refugees and immigrants in New Hampshire by providing assistance, training, resources, and opportunities that promote self-sufficiency. In 2008, the organization established Fresh Start Farms, a collective brand for new American farm enterprises, which develops local markets and trains farmers in business planning, building competency and integration into New Hampshire’s vibrant and growing local food system, while also expanding access to healthy, affordable, and culturally appropriate food to food-insecure families across southern NH.
During a collaborative agricultural project earlier this year, ORIS and NAA began exploring the idea of a deeper collaboration or partnership. Although each organization was physically located in separate cities – ORIS in Manchester and NAA in Concord – their missions and visions aligned in a way that a merger would give them the ability to achieve certain goals almost immediately. Joining organizations allows them to consolidate and expand services, share valuable resources, and simplify fundraising without competing with each other, thereby broadening each organizations’ approach and strengthening the capacity of the new American communities and service providers across city lines.
NAA is now a program of ORIS, with Program Director, Carolyn Musyimi-Kamau, operating in Concord. NAA’s services and programs will continue with the goal of expanding the reach to multiple ethnicities in addition to Africans. Additionally, five members of NAA’s board of directors have joined ORIS’s board of directors, increasing the effectiveness of the organization with new networks and institutional knowledge.
As the work continues under the umbrella of ORIS, the staff and board are looking forward to the many opportunities available to strengthen and expand programming for new Americans in New Hampshire. Today, ORIS’s collective staff and board represent seven countries and are fluent in thirteen languages. The power of ORIS lies in its cultural understanding, linguistic expertise, and first-hand knowledge of the immigrant experience.
“At the end of the day, our work is about fulfilling our mission of supporting new Americans on their journey to integration and independence. Through partnerships and collaborations, we are able to fulfill our mission in a more significant way, leading to real, sustainable change in the lives of new Americans and their families. When new Americans can thrive in their new homes, the whole community benefits.” Mukhtar Idhow, ORIS Executive Director.
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UMOJA GALA – Celebrate Unity!
In the spirit of unity, ORIS is thrilled to host the 2nd annual UMOJA Gala. The UMOJA Gala was first held in February 2019 as a fundraiser for NAA. Now that the organizations have merged, ORIS will continue the event, which was very successful in its inaugural year.
The 2020 UMOJA Gala will be held on Saturday, March 14 at 6:00 p.m. at the Grappone Conference Center in Concord. The UMOJA Gala is a special evening to celebrate the many cultures of the people we serve and to learn more about the mission and work of ORIS. Enjoy delicious international foods, entertainment by local performers and artists, themed raffle items and more!
