Mayor Andre Dickens welcomes Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken to the City of Atlanta |
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Mayor Dickens and Secretary Blinken met at Refuge Coffee Co. in Midtown for a conversation on Atlanta’s efforts to support immigrant and refugee communities as well as our role on the global stage.
During the visit, Mayor Dickens and Secretary Blinken had the opportunity to speak with Refuge Coffee Founder Kitti Murray and learn about her organization's work to help resettled refugees and other immigrants.
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Did you know - the artist of the mural at Refuge Coffee Midtown is Teresa Abboud and is called "let’s celebrate together”. Teresa moved to Atlanta a few years ago from Lebanon. |
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Mayor Andre Dickens Leads City-to-City Mission to Addis Ababa to Celebrate the Establishment of Ethiopian Airlines' Direct Commercial Air Service Connecting ATL to ADD |
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Upon arrival in Ethiopia’s capital city and home of the African Union’s headquarters, Mayor Andre Dickens and other Atlanta leaders met with Addis Ababa’s Mayor Adanech Abiebie, the city’s first woman mayor, US Ambassador to Ethiopia Tracey Ann Jacobson, attended a networking reception at AmCham Ethiopia and had the opportunity to exchange with local entrepreneurs and innovators after a panel discussion organized by iceaddis and Creative Hub Ethiopia. On the next day, Mayor Dickens and Atlanta leaders met with leaders of Ethiopian Airlines, students of the Ethiopian Aviation Academy, and students and faculty of
Cambridge Academy Ethiopia. The school is quite global; its 800 students represent over 40 countries! The delegation ended their mission in Ethiopia with a ceremony to celebrate the launch of the inaugural flight. After welcoming the Atlanta delegation in Ethiopia, it was the City's turn to showcase everything Atlanta has to offer! A group of Ethiopian government and airline officials met with Invest Atlanta, Atlanta BeltLine, Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs and toured the National Center for Civil and Human Rights to explore the City of Atlanta's historical, sustainability, and business ecosystem. Atlanta City Council President Doug Shipman also welcomed H.E Ambassador Seleshi Bekele, Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States and provided a proclamation celebrating the direct service between ATL and ADD. Thank you Ethiopian Airlines and the Ethiopian Embassy in the U.S. for choosing Atlanta! We look forward to strengthening ties between our cities in the months and years to come. |
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Connecting Atlanta to the World through City Diplomacy |
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Our office, the Truman Center for National Policy, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber welcomed city leaders, nonprofits, academia, businesses, Consular Corps members, economic development agencies, and civic organizations for two City Diplomacy discussions exploring how to maximize the benefits of Atlanta’s diplomacy for all residents and the role of Atlanta in shaping American foreign policy.
The first discussion was a strategy session with leaders from key regional organizations involved in the City of Atlanta's international engagement efforts. The roundtable provided a unique opportunity for various stakeholders to converse on how we can connect local action to foreign policy, enhance the City of Atlanta's economic engagement and inclusion efforts, and develop a cohesive international strategy for the region.
Following the roundtable, Mayor Andre Dickens, Paige Alexander, CEO of The Carter Center, Katie Kirkpatrick, President and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Jon Temin, Truman Center's Vice President of Policy and Programs led a conversation on Atlanta's expanding global footprint and what makes Atlanta built for the future and a city of opportunity for all.
The panel also highlighted findings from the Truman Center’s City & State Diplomacy Task Force, co-chaired by Mayor Dickens, about how cities’ international engagement can deliver benefits for local constituents and improve the United States’ global standing. |
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Mayor’s Annual Ramadan Iftar Dinner |
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Mayor Andre Dickens joined the Islamic Speakers Bureau to host, for the second time, the Mayor’s Ramadan Iftar Dinner at City Hall. This annual event is an opportunity for the City to celebrate its diverse Muslim community and employees and publicly reaffirm its commitment to supporting them. Being home to over 100,000 Muslims and 80 mosques, Atlanta is one of the few cities that celebrate Ramadan in this manner. During the dinner, Mayor Dickens presented the City’s highest honor, the Phoenix Award, to Amb. Dr. Amina Smaila, Consul General of Nigeria in Atlanta, Rabbi Peter S. Berg, and Ann W. Cramer in recognition of their leadership and their commitment to service. |
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Mayor Andre Dickens joins the 11th Youth Observer to the UN to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of Education and Sharing Day |
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Mayor Andre Dickens joined the United Nations Association of the United States of America, 11th Youth Observer to the UN Himaja Nagireddy, Global Goals Ambassador for Quality Education Virgil Parker and several students and teachers to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of Education and Sharing Day! Education and Sharing Day celebrates teachers, mentors, and role models who work to inspire and teach future generations and uplift our education system. The day also honors the work of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, a leader and advocate who fought hard for social justice and student rights. His work exemplifies how we can work together to uplift future generations and build a better education system for our planet. |
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Mayor Andre Dickens joins panel on “Building our Future Cities” at Cities Summit of the Americas |
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At the first-ever Cities Summit of the Americas in Denver, Mayor Andre Dickens joined event host Mayor Michael B. Hancock of Denver, Colorado, and Mayors Delroy Williams of Kingston, Jamaica, Victoria Woodards of Tacoma, Washington, Frank Scott, Jr.. of Little Rock, Arkansas, Montserrat Caballero Ramírez of Tijuana, México and moderator George Burciaga of The U.S. Mayoral Roundtable . for a panel on “Building our Future Cities” to discuss the creative, innovative ways Mayors are tackling common challenges that work for their communities. “We are trying to build not only a city for today’s infrastructure, but a city for tomorrow,” said Mayor Dickens as he spoke about his commitment to #MovingAtlantaForward and the strategies in place for addressing affordable housing, workforce development opportunities, and improvements in the City of Atlanta’s sustainability efforts and reducing the city’s carbon footprint. Thank you to The U.S. Mayoral Roundtable and Summit of the Americas for hosting an engaging conversation! |
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MOIIA Executive Director Vanessa Ibarra also participated in a panel at the Cities Summit of the Americas to address gender-based violence in our cities |
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Hosted by The Carter Center, the Metropolitan State University of Denver, and Peace in Our Cities, the panel also included Sara Rose Serin-Christ, Gender-Based Violence Program Planner for the Department of Violence Prevention, City of Oakland, Katherine Miller, Director of the Phoenix Center, Denver, Nallely Diosdado, Student at MSU Denver, moderated by Varina Winder, Deputy Senior Official and Senior Advisor in the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) at the U.S. Department of State. During her remarks, Vanessa spoke on the challenges the city faces when it comes to gender-based violence and why it’s important to ensure that all women in Atlanta receive key information from the city in equitable ways to live safe, prosperous lives, and to strengthen their communities. “Addressing gender-based violence requires a collaborative approach among government, law enforcement, community-based organizations, schools, and other institutions. The City of Atlanta is fortunate to have a strong partnership across sectors/industries. Mayor Andre Dickens always says Atlanta is a group project in order to continue Moving Atlanta Forward together.” -- Cities Summit of the Americas (CSOA) is a U.S. government-led effort to convene city, state, municipal, and regional leaders from throughout the Western Hemisphere to focus on shared challenges and opportunities alongside diverse stakeholders from the private sector, civil society, and youth. |
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MOIIA continues partnership with Feed the Children and Americold Logistics, LLC for a series of community resource events |
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Follow the link below to watch ATL Channel 26's coverage from the launch event on March 1st! |
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MOIIA and UPS host the 3rd annual Women Export University |
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Another successful Women Export University in partnership with UPS is in the books! We had the opportunity of hosting the 2023 Women Export University program at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs. Women Export U is a partnership between MOIIA & UPS that aims to increase the participation of women-owned businesses in exporting & create more opportunities for women entrepreneurs to achieve economic equality. MOIIA Executive Director Vanessa Ibarra & Maria Luisa Boyce, VP of Global Public Affairs at UPS kicked things off by welcoming City of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens who provided opening remarks: "Women Export U is yet another shining example of our work to keep Moving Atlanta Forward. Together, we can make Atlanta a city of opportunity for all—a place where Atlantans can embark on a pathway toward prosperity. We are excited to see the growth & development of women entrepreneurs in Atlanta as you continue to strive for excellence and success." UPS' Kevin Warren, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer, & Laura Lane, Executive Vice President & Chief Corporate Affairs & Sustainability Officer, gave a lively fireside chat about the important role that women entrepreneurs play in today's economy & made sure to note that "When women succeed, the world succeeds." The Women Export U program continued throughout the day with various panel discussions & conversations around e-commerce, export strategies, marketing, & various federal, state, & local resources for women entrepreneurs. |
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The City of Atlanta welcomes a high-level delegation from the Czech Republic for the Czech American Business Forum |
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We enjoyed welcoming a high-level delegation of representatives from the Czech Republic to the City of Atlanta! Chief of Staff Odie Donald II joined Senator Ossoff's Chief of Staff, Reynaldo Benitez, and the Metro Atlanta Chamber in a meeting with Edvard Kozusnik, Czech Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade, and his team to discuss further cooperation between the Czech Republic and the City of Atlanta/ State of Georgia, particularly in the areas of trade promotion, innovation, technology, and agriculture.
Our team also had the pleasure of briefly meeting Markéta Pekarová Adamová, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, and welcoming back to Atlanta, Ambassador Miloslav Stašek.
Our International Business Manager, Nicholas J. Mulkey, joined the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Georgia Department of Economic Development for a discussion with the visiting Czech companies about the international business ecosystem and why the State of Georgia and the City of Atlanta is the best place to do business.
Lastly, our Deputy Director Paulina Guzman and Global Engagement Manager Meredith Steinmetz-Rodriguez met with Jan Woska of the Czech Embassy and Czech Honorary Consul Monika Vintrlikova to discuss an exciting Czech sports diplomacy program for Atlanta youth coming this fall.
Thank you Monika for coordinating the delegation's visit to Atlanta! We look forward to future opportunities of strengthening our relationship with the Czech Republic. |
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Check out our incredible impact with Atlanta Braves Foundation at #HomePlateProject! |
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This month, we welcomed delegations from around the world! |
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Chief of Staff Odie Donald and our office welcomed Rudy Grant, Consul General of Barbados in Miami, and Invest Barbados to discuss mutual areas of cooperation, including arts and culture, tourism, renewable energy, and education. Thank you to David Cutting, Honorary Consul of Barbados in Atlanta, for your collaboration and support! |
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We welcomed the Royal Norwegian Consulate General in New York, Consul General of Norway Heidi Olufsen to discuss the City's economic opportunities and potential areas of collaboration around sustainability, education, innovation, and entrepreneurship. |
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We welcomed Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State responsible for Pakistan, Jason McClellan, Senior Advisor Jennifer Miller, and Sanam Azeem with the Pakistan American Friends Atlanta to discuss the City of Atlanta’s work with communities from South and Central Asia and how the State Department can support our office's efforts in engaging with overseas partners, attracting international students and investments, and celebrating communities from this region. |
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The Atlanta Fire Rescue Department (GA) covered topics that firefighter delegates from Brazil would need to learn about arson investigations and being a Fire Marshal in the City of Atlanta and the AFRD. It provided delegates the opportunity to gain an experience and insight that is vital for their professional development, and opened discussions to future collaborations. |
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The Office of Housing and Community Development welcomed a German Marshall Fund of the United States delegation representing six German cities, the City of Seattle and the City of St. Louis to discuss barriers to accessing quality affordable housing and possible solutions. |
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The Atlanta Police Department (APD) welcomed a delegation representing the German Police University in Münster, Germany for an exploratory tour of Atlanta's public safety ecosystem. The group learned about APD's history, command structure, training, and recruitment strategy. |
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We welcomed ProChile USA Trade Commissioner Claudia Serrer and AmChamChile to the City of Atlanta! While in Atlanta, Claudia met with Senior Tech Advisor, Donnie Beamer Jr., Skillshot Media Founder/CEO, Ghost Gaming owner Todd Harris and toured Georgia State University Creative Media Industries Institute's state-of-the-art facility. ProChile USA was interested in learning more about the innovation, technology, creative, and esports/gaming industries in the city.
Our International Business Manager, Nicholas J. Mulkey, also joined the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Invest Atlanta in welcoming AmChamChile, an organization working to promote the development of trade, investment, and new business between the United States and Chile.
Thank you ProChile USA and AmChamChile for visiting Atlanta & we look forward to hosting you again! |
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Our office and the City of Atlanta Department of Human Resources hosted a delegation from Uzbekistan under the auspices of the U.S. Department of State’s Embassy in Tashkent. The delegation was eager to learn more about DHR’s core functions, the labor market in the U.S. and Atlanta, and how the department handles requests for religious freedoms in the workplace.
A special thank you to both Deputy Commissioners of Human Resources, Candace Kollas and Anthony Roberts, for the insightful presentation and conversation! And a thank you to the Georgia Council for International Visitors (GCIV) for coordinating the delegation’s visit. |
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During the session, representatives from WorkSource Atlanta presented on U.S. job readiness, career counseling, and job placement assistance.
MyCity ATL is a community engagement program by our office, structured to empower our immigrant and refugee population to directly engage with city services on topics that are important to New Americans.
Thank you to WorkSource Atlanta for their collaboration in these efforts! |
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Continuing to celebrate ATL Year of The Youth! |
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Tri-Cities High School's Multicultural College & Career Week |
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As part of Tri-Cities High School’s Multicultural College and Career Week events, MOIIA’s Peter Pimentel presented to ESOL students about our office.
Peter spoke to students about our office’s mission and community engagement strategies. He also answered questions about higher education for undocumented youth and provided students with resources and information about financial assistance in college. |
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Peter also spoke to The Lovett School students about what the City of Atlanta is doing to address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In preparation for their exams, students discovered the interconnected nature of each of the SDGs, and they learned about the City’s objectives around sustainable development. |
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Atlanta Global Studies Center hosts P-12 Teacher Workshop for World Languages and Global Learning |
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The Atlanta Global Studies Center organized a P-12 Teacher Workshop for World Languages and Global Learning to convene language educators to discuss how to connect world language across curriculum, advocate for language programs, and build an engaged community among teachers and students. Our office's Deputy Director, Paulina Guzman, spoke on the City of Atlanta's Year of the Youth campaign and how our office can support in advocating for global language learning and cultural competency. | | |
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Agape Youth & Family Center Joins Community Resource Event |
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Meet our awesome volunteers from Agape Youth & Family Center! These students recently supported one of our Community Resource Events in their local neighborhood, earning Community Service Hours and serving their own community at the same time! Agape Youth and Family Center was one of 19 organizations to receive grant funding from Mayor Andre Dickens’ Youth Development Grant Awards, facilitated by Urban League of Greater Atlanta. Thank you Agape for your incredible efforts to provide in-school, after-school, and summer programming students in City of Atlanta Government! This work is Moving Atlanta Forward by closing equity gaps in predominantly Black and Latinx communities. We look forward to continued partnership with our friends at Agape! |
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Our team participated in Atlanta Department of Transportation's Bike and Roll to School Day at Crawford Long Middle School! Our Community Navigators and Community Engagement team provided volunteer opportunities and summer activities to students looking to get involved. This event promoted walking to school as a healthier and more environmentally friendly alternative. Mayor Andre Dickens and city leaders joined the celebration of a brand new walk/bike lane on Empire Blvd SW near the school! |
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MOIIA Community Navigators joins training with The Giving Kitchen |
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Our Community Navigator team participated in a virtual training with Giving Kitchen!
The Giving Kitchen provides emergency financial assistance for food service workers across the United States, including those who work in restaurants, catering, concessions, food trucks, cafeterias, and bars!
They offer compassionate care and response to crises, and their application for assistance is available in both English and Spanish. They also offer interpretation in over 180 languages. |
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The 2023 Coalition on Adult Basic Education Conference came to Atlanta! |
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The 2023 Coalition on Adult Basic Education Conference took place in Atlanta with the theme "Elevate to a Higher Level". Over 1500 participants in the adult education space gathered to share knowledge and network. Debra Means-West, Director of Network and Resource Development of World Education Services Global Talent Bridge and our Senior Manager Valerie Mills presented on the topic: "Supporting the Economic Inclusion of Immigrants and Refugees Who Have International Education and Experience". Their session discussed the collaborative efforts taking place at the state and local levels to maximize the potential of immigrants and refugees. As part of WES Global Talent Bridge’s Skilled Immigrant Integration Program, they featured our office’s approach to tackling skill underutilization through MyCity ATL — a community engagement program designed to inform and empower the immigrant and refugee population in Atlanta to directly engage and interact with city services on topics and resources that are important to New Americans. They shared an overview of our targeted adult education initiatives and discussed successes and challenges in developing strategies to connect skilled immigrants with resources aimed at academic and professional opportunities. |
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Valerie Mills attended the Welcoming America Interactive 2023 Conference in San Jose, CA. The Welcoming Interactive gathered practitioners to learn about inclusion strategies for immigrants in communities around the world!
Thank you Welcoming America and the City of San Jose for hosting an awesome opportunity! |
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MOIIA joins YKK Corporation of America in welcoming Matt Murray, U.S. Senior Official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) |
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Our Deputy Director Paulina Guzman joined Jim Reed and Jessica Kennett Cork of YKK Corporation of America in welcoming Matt Murray, U.S. Senior Official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) to discuss how APEC can best connect with local AAPI communities in Atlanta. Murray was visiting Metro Atlanta for a Symposium on ASIA-USA Partnership Opportunities (SAUPO), the largest Asia-focused business conference in the United States. |
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Atlanta-Montego Bay Sister Cities Committee hosts its annual Spring Luncheon at Atlanta City Hall |
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The Atlanta-Montego Bay Sister Cities Committee hosted its annual Spring Luncheon at Atlanta City Hall! Led by Dr. Yvonne Smith, AMBSCC Chair, Montego Bay is the second longest sister city relationship that exists between the City of Atlanta and our 17 sister cities. We share a common commitment to education, health, civic engagement, and diversity. |
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City of Atlanta hosts Haitian Flag Day Ceremony |
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It was a pleasure to host the Haitian Flag Day ceremony and celebrate the Haitian community and culture in Atlanta! Thank you to the Consulate General of Haiti and the Georgia Haitian American Chamber of Commerce, Inc. for bringing this memorable event to Atlanta City Hall. |
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Juneteenth Freedom Day & Immigrant Heritage Month Community Resource Fair Wednesday, June 21 | 4 – 5:30 PM | Park Vista Apartments |
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Our office is partnering with the Atlanta Braves Foundation and the Mayor's Office of Constituent Services to host a community resource event at Park Vista Apartments (Benteen) in Atlanta to celebrate Juneteenth Freedom Day and National Immigrant Heritage Month! Join us for free food, resources, performances and more! All are welcome to attend, and no documentation is required to receive items. |
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Free Citizenship Clinic Saturday, June 24 | 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM | Rosel Fann Recreation Center |
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Join our office and Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta for a free citizenship clinic! We'll have a host of resources available from local organizations, Mi Familia Vota, and Atlanta Legal Aid Society, so we encourage everyone to come and learn more. Registration is required by Friday, June 16, 5:00 PM. Walk-ins will not be served. | | |
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Aspen Germany's "Responsive and Responsible Cities: Implementing Urban Futures" Monday, June 26 | 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM | Franco German Cultural Center |
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Join us for a discussion on the importance of citizen engagement in Atlanta and beyond with our Executive Director Vanessa Ibarra, Paige Alexander (CEO, The Carter Center), Clyde Higgs (President & CEO, Atlanta BeltLine Inc.) and Anna Roach (Executive Director & CEO, Atlanta Regional Commission). | | |
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Popsicles in the Park is back! |
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ATL Parks and Rec's family-friendly activity is a perfect way to enjoy a summer day and connect with neighbors! Grab a friend and cool down with a free popsicle. Stop by to say hello to team MOIIA! We will be hosting a table at every event. |
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