Northern Nevada International Center

08/21/2026

🌍 Impact Through Exchange: Leadership in Action

What happens when an exchange experience becomes part of how you lead?

In 2023, Carlos Alberto Vaz de Vilhena Coelho Júnior participated in the SUSI McCain program through the Northern Nevada International Center.

Connecting with experienced leaders during the program helped Carlos define the kind of leader he wanted to become and those lessons continue to shape his work today.

Carlos is a Police Officer with the Paraná Military Police (PMPR) in Brazil, where he serves in the Justice and Discipline Subsection and as a Unit Patrol Coordinator. He also teaches new PMPR soldiers in Applied Criminology for Policing and Human Rights, bringing lessons from his exchange experience into the classroom.

His journey shows how international exchange can influence leadership long after participants return home, from the way they manage teams to the way they teach and serve their communities.

✨ The most lasting lessons of exchange are the ones we carry into our work and communities!

🌎 What happens when Northern Nevada opens its doors to the world? Like, share and follow along our Impact Through Exchange series to discover the people and possibilities that grow from those connections.

08/19/2026

🌍 Impact Through Exchange: The Ripple Effect

What happens when Northern Nevada connects with a leader from Ghana? The impact can travel thousands of miles.

During the 2024 Mandela Washington Fellowship, Banasco Seidu Nuhu came to the University of Nevada, Reno through the Northern Nevada International Center, where he built connections with fellow leaders and members of our community.

One of those connections, with Leonard Lafrance of NCLab,continued long after the Fellowship.

Today, that connection has sparked a strategic partnership with NASCO Feeding Minds, Tech-Talent Africa, and NCLab to provide young people in Ghana with training in Data Analytics, Python Development, and Automation Technology.

Banasco, now Executive Director of NASCO Feeding Minds and CEO of NascoTech, continues to lead in digital education, youth empowerment, and sustainable development across northern Ghana.

“The fellowship proved that when global connections are leveraged intentionally, they produce tangible local outcomes.”

This is the value of exchange. A connection made in Northern Nevada can become a partnership in Ghana and create opportunities for young people thousands of miles away.

✨ Exchange creates connections that can continue to make a difference across communities!

Like, share, and follow Impact Through Exchange as we celebrate the connections and partnerships that continue to create impact around the world.

08/18/2026

Happy National Nonprofit Day! 💙

Today, we celebrate the people, organizations, volunteers, partners, donors, and communities who believe that positive change is possible and work tirelessly every day to make it happen.

At NNIC, we are proud to create better understanding across cultures, welcome newcomers, create more opportunities for international exchange, and strengthen our community through connection.

From refugee resettlement and language access to international exchange and community partnerships, every connection has the power to create impact.

To our incredible partners, volunteers, supporters, and fellow nonprofits: thank you for showing up, engaging in conversations, and building a stronger community together. 🌎🤝

Here’s to the power of the nonprofit sector and to the people who make the work possible.

💬 Tell us: What does community impact mean to you?

08/17/2026

We’re honored to have community partnerships like this that strengthen our work and help us share valuable community resources with visiting delegates. These connections create opportunities to learn, connect, and build a stronger, more globally connected community.

Thank you to the Northern Nevada International Center for allowing us to host several international delegates from a number of European countries, alongside two liaisons from the State Department. We have done this several times over the years, and it allows us to explain our criminal justice system and the WCDA's priorities, as well as hear about their countries systems.

08/15/2026

The NNIC team has been engaging in productive conversations this week with partners across Nevada, including the Nevada Office for Refugees, Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada, the UNLV Immigration Clinic at the Boyd School of Law, and Iris Jones, Director of the Governor’s Office for New Americans.

We’re grateful for the continued collaboration, shared commitment, and strong partnerships that help strengthen support for our refugee communities.

We look forward to continuing this important work together! 🤝🌎

Like, share, and follow NNIC to stay connected with our work.

08/15/2026

🌍 Impact Through Exchange: Meet Aspen Neahusan Romero

For Aspen Neahusan Romero, participating in the Algerian Youth Leadership Program (AYLP) now known as Youth Leadership Program with Algeria (YLPA), in 2013 sparked a lifelong passion for cultural exchange, language learning, and global connection.

Aspen still remembers the excitement of meeting the Algerian students for the first time, the music, the dancing, and the joy of connecting across cultures despite differences in language and background. That experience opened the door to a world of possibilities and inspired a lifelong journey of learning.

The impact of AYLP extended far beyond the exchange itself. It inspired Aspen's family to host a Japanese exchange student, led her to spend a year studying in Germany through the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) program, and ultimately shaped her career as a high school German teacher.

Today, Aspen is helping the next generation discover the world through language and cultural exchange. As a teacher, mother to a bilingual Mexican American daughter, and chaperone for a summer study program in Germany, she is passing on the same curiosity and global perspective that AYLP inspired in her more than a decade ago.

Reflecting on her experience, Aspen shares:

"Programs like AYLP make the world a better place because they break down barriers and connect us to one another."

Aspen's journey is a reminder that one exchange experience can inspire a lifetime of learning, leadership, and connection—creating ripple effects that extend across generations and around the world.

✨ One exchange program. A lifetime of impact.

🌍 Like, share, and follow our Impact Through Exchange series as we celebrate the inspiring journeys of exchange alumni making a difference around the world, one story at a time.

08/13/2026

🌍 Impact Through Exchange: Meet Amira Boutaiba

For Amira Boutaiba, serving as a chaperone during the Youth Leadership Program Algeria (YLPA) 2023 was more than an international exchange, it was a powerful reminder of how cultural connections can transform lives and build lasting relationships.

Throughout the program, Amira experienced the warmth and generosity of American communities while supporting Algerian youth as they embraced new experiences, challenged themselves, and grew as emerging leaders. The friendships formed during the exchange have become lifelong connections, and reunions since the program have felt like reconnecting with family.

Today, Amira serves as a Senior Program Coordinator at the Algerian Startup Fund, is a practicing architect, and is an active member of the Bilahoudoud Education Community. The lessons and relationships from the exchange continue to shape her work, reinforcing her commitment to empowering young people and fostering cross-cultural understanding.

Reflecting on her experience, Amira shares:

"My exchange experience with NNIC completely changed my perspective on American communities. The kindness, generosity, and support we received made us feel truly at home. Watching the students grow throughout the program deepened my belief in the power of cultural exchange to build understanding, lifelong friendships, and lasting relationships."

Exchange is about more than travel, it's about creating connections that inspire leadership, strengthen communities, and bridge cultures for years to come.

✨ One exchange program. A lifetime of impact.

🌍 Like, share, and follow our Impact Through Exchange series as we celebrate the inspiring journeys of exchange alumni making a difference around the world, one story at a time.

08/08/2026

🥖 A heartfelt thank you to Beloved’s Bread for their generous donation of about 15 loaves of fresh bread to support Northern Nevada International Center clients.

Acts of kindness like yours help nourish families as they build new beginnings in our community. Your generosity reminds us that even a simple loaf of bread can make a huge difference.

Thank you for standing with our community and helping us welcome our newest neighbors with care, compassion, and hope. ❤️

08/05/2026

📚 Free ESL Classes Coming to NNIC! 🌍

We're excited to partner with Truckee Meadows Community College (TMCC) to bring free English as a Second Language (ESL) classes to the Northern Nevada International Center!

🗓️ Course Dates: August 17 – November 12
📍 Location: NNIC ESL Classroom
⏰ Schedule: Mondays, Wednesdays & Thursdays | 6:00–8:30 p.m.
📖 Format: 8-week, in-person course

These classes are open to all eligible community members and you do not need to be an NNIC client to participate.

Ready to strengthen your English skills in a supportive learning environment? Register today by scanning the QR code on the flyer or visiting this link in bio: https://www.tmcc.edu/adult-basic-education/student-registration

Please help us spread the word by sharing this post with friends, family, neighbors, and anyone who could benefit from this opportunity!

08/03/2026

On behalf of the entire board and staff of NNIC, we are heartbroken by a life gone too soon!

Anabela Soares was a 2025 Mandela Washington Fellow (MWF) who brightened the cohort with her light and warm energy. Our deepest condolences to Anabela's family and friends in Angola and to the 2025 MWF cohort across the continent.