On Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m., Human Migration Institute (HMI) will celebrate a decade of transformation and resilience at its 10th Anniversary Gala, held at the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture in Riverside, California. The evening will spotlight powerful stories of refugee and newcomer families who have turned courage into new beginnings, honor the community that has walked alongside them, and unite community voices to shape a new decade of hope, resilience, and possibility
Founded in 2015 by a small group of Riverside residents, HMI began with a simple yet radical idea: that refugee families should be met not with fear or charity, but with compassion, commitment, and the belief that everyone deserves the chance to rebuild. Since then, HMI has grown into the only organization in Riverside County solely dedicated to empowering refugees—providing education, job training, intercultural programming, and day-to-day guidance to help families not just survive, but thrive.
Over the past decade, HMI has supported more than 1,500 individuals, facilitated over 10,000 hours of training and support, and helped countless newcomers pursue education, launch careers, and contribute meaningfully to their new communities. Its impact is not only seen in numbers, but felt in the voices and lives of those it serves.
Friba, one of the first participants HMI welcomed, fled war in Afghanistan where she had been a school principal. Today, she is a small business owner and serves as HMI’s Cultural & Community Liaison. “When you educate a girl or woman, you educate society,” she says. Through HMI, she found not just opportunity, but a platform to help others.
Tahira arrived in 2022 after escaping turmoil in Afghanistan. With no formal work experience and limited English, she faced the uncertainty of starting over in a new country. Through HMI’s wraparound services, including ESL classes, mental health counseling, and job readiness workshops, Tahira slowly began to find her voice and confidence. “It gives me courage and hope,” she shared, “helping me realize that I can rely on myself and be independent.” Today, she is not only employed, but actively encouraging other newcomer women to pursue their own path toward self-reliance.
Another powerful voice in HMI’s story is Amena, who fled Afghanistan in 2021 as Taliban forces seized control. With HMI’s support, she helped lead a dangerous evacuation, navigating gunfire, flooded trenches, and days without food. Today, she’s pursuing her Ph.D. in political science at UC Riverside. “All of my worries are gone,” she says. “I’m only concentrating on my studies here. It’s a really positive thing.”
These stories and many others, will take center stage during the gala, themed “Home, Hope, and Voices of Humanity.” The evening will include reflections from newcomer families and community leaders, cultural performances, a 10-year retrospective of HMI’s journey, and opportunities to connect with changemakers and advocates over dinner and drinks.
“This celebration is an incredible milestone, but more importantly, a tribute to lives transformed and futures still to be shaped,” said Selin Yildiz Nielsen, Ph.D., Founder & President of the Human Migration Institute. “When we started HMI ten years ago, then Glocally Connected, we believed every displaced family deserved more than safety, they deserved dignity, opportunity, and belonging. A decade on, that conviction has moved people from uncertainty to stability and from isolation to community. I’m deeply grateful to every supporter, partner, and newcomer who has built this with us. As we enter our second decade, our mission is stronger than ever, and we invite you to walk beside us as we build a more compassionate, connected world.”
Sponsorship opportunities are available and include recognition in event materials, visibility across HMI’s outreach platforms, and the chance to engage with a mission-driven audience committed to equity, inclusion, and human dignity.
For tickets, sponsorship information, or to learn more about HMI’s work, visit www.hmir.org/hmi10 or contact info@hmir.org.
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About Human Migration Institute (HMI)
Human Migration Institute is a nonprofit organization based in Riverside, CA that promotes community building in order to support refugee populations. HMI connects newcomers to essential services, such as resettlement assistance, ESL instruction, community tutoring, career pathways, and support for newcomer women and girls, helping them gain stability, confidence, and belonging. Both with local and global programs, HMI provides a second chance in creating a new meaning for “home” and “community” Guided by values of empathy, dignity, collaboration, and transparency, HMI transforms lives while strengthening the communities refugees call home.
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