International Institute of Buffalo (IIB)

Mar 06
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Liam Neeson: Irish History Month and Recognizing Women Immigrants and Refugees

By Education
Photo Credit: John Russo In celebration of Irish American Heritage Month, we are recognizing the economic, cultural, political, and social contributions of notable immigrants and refugees who’ve helped shape America’s vibrant tapestry. Today, we spotlight award-winning actor Liam Neeson. Born William John Neeson in June 1952 in Northern Ireland, Liam Neeson was raised by modest parents. His father was an…
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Mar 05
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Theresia Gouw: Women’s History Month and Recognizing Women Immigrants and Refugees

By Education
In honor of Women’s History Month, we recognize the economic, cultural, political, and social contributions of influential immigrant and refugee women who’ve helped shape the vibrant tapestry of America. Today, we spotlight trailblazing entrepreneur Theresia Gouw. Theresia was born in 1968 in Indonesia to parents of Chinese descent. Due to rising political tensions In Indonesia at the time, her and…
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Mar 04
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IIB Welcomes 39 New Americans from 19 Countries

By In the Community, News
We were honored to welcome 39 New Americans from 19 countries while they took their citizenship oaths at the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services Naturalization Ceremony in downtown Buffalo. Here are the countries from which these new American citizens traveled: Argentina, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, China, Congo, Germany, Greece, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Jordan, Mexico, Netherlands, Philippines, Russia. Trinidad and Tobago, Ukraine, Vietnam. Click…
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Feb 26
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Dr. Thomas Mensah: Black History Month and Recognizing Notable Black Immigrants and Refugees

By Education, History
As Black History Month comes to a close, we continue to recognize the economic, cultural, political, and social contributions of influential black immigrants and refugees who’ve helped shape the vibrant tapestry of America. Today, we spotlight Ghanaian American inventor and engineer, Dr. Thomas Mensah. Born in Ghana in 1950, Thomas Mensah was known as a bright and inquisitive child who…
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Feb 25
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Vadym Kolesnik: Celebrating Team USA, Immigrant Athlete’s Imprint on Olympic Games

By Education, Events, History, News
As the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan recently came to a close, we’ll  highlight our last world-class immigrant athlete who competed for Team USA in Italy. Today, we spotlight Ukrainian American skater Vadym Kolesnik. Born in Ukraine in 2001, Vadym Kolesnik was three years old when his grandmother first laced up his skates. As a teenager, he immigrated to Detroit,…
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Feb 19
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IIB Welcomes 30 New Americans from 18 Countries!

By In the Community, News
We were honored to welcome 30 New Americans from 18 countries while they took their citizenship oaths at a special U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services Naturalization Ceremony at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site in downtown Buffalo this morning. Here are the countries from which these new American citizens traveled: Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, China, Colombia, Congo, Costa Rica, Dominican…
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Feb 18
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Phillip Emeagwali: Black History Month and Recognizing Notable Black Immigrants and Refugees

By Education, History
In honor of Black History Month, we continue to recognize the economic, cultural, political, and social contributions of influential Black immigrants and refugees who’ve helped shape America’s vibrant tapestry. Today, we spotlight trailblazing Nigerian American computer scientist, Phillip Emeagwali. Born in Nigeria in 1954, Phillip Emeagwali mastered calculus by middle school, surpassing his instructors, but paused his schooling when the…
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Feb 13
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Team USA immigrant Olympic athlete Kaillie Humphries

Kaillie Humphries: Celebrating Team USA, Immigrant Athlete’s Imprint on Olympic Games

By Education, Events, History, News
Photo Credit: Associated Press As the 2026 Winter continue, we are recognizing world-class immigrant athletes who are or have competed for the U.S. National Team. Today, we spotlight the most decorated women’s bobsledder in history, Kaillie Humphries. Born September 4, 1985, Kaillie Humphries grew up in Alberta, Canada. Her passion for sports started early, initially focused on the slopes with…
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Feb 12
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Celia Cruz: Black History Month and Recognizing Notable Black Immigrants and Refugees

By Education, History
Celia Cruz In honor of Black History Month, we will recognize the economic, cultural, political, and social contributions of influential black immigrants and refugees who’ve helped shape the vibrant tapestry of America. Today, we spotlight Cuban American and Grammy Award-winning singer, Celia Cruz. Known as “The Queen of Salsa,” Cruz’s globally acclaimed career spanned from the 1940s into the 2000s.…
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Feb 06
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Campbell Wright: Celebrating Team USA, Immigrant Athlete’s Imprint on Olympic Games

By Education, Events, History, News
In the spirit of the 2026 Olympics Games in Milan, we’re highlighting world-class immigrant athletes who are currently or have competed for the U.S. National Team. Today, we spotlight Campbell Wright, a rising star in international biathlon competition. Campbell Wright was born to American parents who emigrated from the U.S. to New Zealand, granting him dual citizenship. Wright is recognized…
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