From Darkness to Hope The following is a speech by Sumaira Aman, an iACT for Refugees client, shared at iACT’s A Night Under One Sky in October. Good evening, everyone! My name is Sumaira Aman. I am originally from Kabul, Afghanistan- a beautiful country nicknamed the Heart of Asia. I […]
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Volunteer Spotlight: Carina Chowdhury
Carina Chowdury – iACT Volunteer How long have you been in Austin? 12 years How long have you volunteered with iACT? For 2 summers. What made you want to volunteer with iACT? I initially started looking for opportunities for my high schooler, but as I learned more about iACT, I […]
Read MoreDoing Good Together: Estate Sale Reflections – What Really Matters
Estate Sale Reflections: What Really Matters By Simone Talma Flowers One Saturday afternoon, after running errands, I noticed signs in my neighborhood announcing an estate sale. Normally, I drive past them without a second thought—my home already holds more than enough things. But that day, something nudged me to follow […]
Read MoreDoing Good Together: Faith and Growth
Faith and Growth By Rev. Leslie Woods Water is water, right? As a kid, each summer, I visited my bestie. We were playing outside, and I ran in the house to get water from the tap. She was midsentence, “Wait, remember…”, when I took a good gulp or two of water […]
Read MoreBoard Spotlight: Michelle Bonilla
iSpeak Board Spotlight: Michelle Bonilla, Board President Where are you from? How long have you lived in Austin? I’m from Los Angeles, grew up in Madrid Spain and have lived here since 1976-49 years! Wow-I’ve never done the math before! How long have you served on the iACT Board? I […]
Read MoreiSpeak Intern Spotlight: Zeke Hermano
Where are you from? I am from Houston, Texas. My parents immigrated to the United States from the Philippines. How long have you been in Austin? I have resided here since enrolling at the University of Texas in the fall of 2023. What degree are you pursuing in school? I am […]
Read MoreiACT for Refugees: iBelong
We had a wonderful summer with our Wednesday night iBelong group mentoring sessions, with students and mentors completing their twelve week commitment. We’ll continue with monthly group gatherings, with more details soon. Our mentoring program is also moving into an exciting new phase. Starting this October, we’re partnering with Pflugerville […]
Read MoreHands on Housing: Christopher Estrada
Client Stories: Christopher Estrada Originally from Austin, Mr. Estrada is a jack of all trades who worked several different jobs to support his family. Through Habitat for Humanity, Mr. Estrada built the home on the east side, and is proud of creating a safe place to raise his sons. As […]
Read MoreiSpeak Volunteer Spotlight: Raise the Roof
By Elham Sadat At the last Raise the Roof event, I joined an incredible group of people—neighbors of all faiths and backgrounds—to paint the home of an elderly woman living with cancer. With every brushstroke, laughter, and shared sip of cold water, I felt a deep sense of purpose. It wasn’t just […]
Read MoreiACT for Refugees: A Friendship Beyond Language
At iACT, we offer English classes to support people in their journey of reintegration into our country. More than just a classroom, this space becomes a meeting point of cultures, traditions, nationalities, and languages. Individuals from all over the world, different in age, race, gender, and origin; but united by […]
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