New American Leaders

When Ghida Dagher was just nine years old, she and her family fled civil war in Sierra Leone and sought asylum in the United States. Her perspective as a refugee and immigrant fueled her passion for public service, which led her to get involved with our partner New American Leaders—a nonpartisan organization that trains first and second-generation Americans to run for public office. Today, she’s the organization’s president and CEO. Her inspiring journey is featured in Carnegie Corporation of New York's new comic series, which celebrates the ways immigrants enrich American society. Check it out:

At the start of #WomensHistoryMonth, we hosted our 2025 #ReadytoLead National Women’s Training in #Georgia ?? We welcomed a powerful cohort of ambitious women leading the charge?for our democracy! Thank you to our trainers Colorado State Senator Julie Gonzales and Ohio State Representative Munira Abdullahi for their necessary insights; our measured panelists Georgia State Senator Nabilah Islam Parkes, Georgia State Representative Mary Ann Santos, and Roswell City Councilmember Sarah Beeson; and our case study presenter AND 2025 New American Hero Honoree Georgia State Representative Ruwa Romman ?? All this would not be possible without the support of our partners Emerge Georgia, New Georgia Project, and to Asian American Advocacy Fund for providing a wonderful space for us to build community and empower the leaders of tomorrow?????????? ?? to Crystal on Brand #NewAmericanLeaders #DemocracyNeedsUs #WomenInPolitics

Join us on this IG Live in 15 minutes with Vote Mama Foundation! https://lnkd.in/gZK3vw8B

We are honored to announce our first 2025 #NewAmericanHeroAwards honoree, Georgia State Representative Ruwa Romman! ?? Ruwa was born in Jordan and is the granddaughter of Palestinian refugees. When she was only seven, she and her family moved to #Georgia. Despite her difficulties in immigrating to a new country, Ruwa used those experiences to become the leader she knew her community needed. As Georgia State Representative for House District 97, she continues to ensure that her constituents are heard and adequately empowered. ?? Join us at the New American Hero Awards on Thursday, June 26th as we celebrate Ruwa and the ways her leadership has inspired countless others to continue advocating for our communities! ?? Secure your spot at https://bit.ly/NAHA2025 #NewAmericanLeaders #DemocracyNeedsUs #ImmigrantLeadership #CelebrateImmigrants

Each year, the #NewAmericanHeroAwards brings together the brightest and boldest leaders in our movement to honor those of immigrant backgrounds who are driving transformative change in our democracy. By sponsoring this annual event, you can help us advance diverse representation in leadership and social justice. ?? Interested in empowering immigrant voices? Learn more about our sponsorship opportunities today at https://bit.ly/NAHA2025 #NewAmericanLeaders #DemocracyNeedsUs

Thank you to each and everyone of our initial sponsors on your support for the 2025 #NewAmericanHeroAwards! ?? Because of you, we can continue to build on our leadership, governance, and research programs to make the dream of a more inclusive democracy a reality. Want to join the festivities? ?? Reserve your ticket today at https://bit.ly/NAHA2025 #DemocracyNeedsUs #NewAmericanLeaders #CelebrateImmigrants

Have you heard the splendid news? ?? ?? The deadline for #NewAmericanLeaders Rising to Run has been EXTENDED. Submit your applications by Monday, March 31st at 11:59pm ET! Rising to Run is a program designed to empower women of color and New American women who have previously run for office and lost. If you know of an inspiring woman looking to run again, share this post with them or directly DM us their names and we can reach out directly! Close out Women’s History Month strong by re-committing yourself to public service ?? Learn more and apply at https://bit.ly/RTR2025 #DemocracyNeedsUs #WomenInPolitics #CampaignTraining

Wow, getting my very own comic was unexpected but I’m so glad it happened! Thank you, Carnegie Corporation of New York, for uplifting my immigrant story through this beautiful animated series on “Great Immigrants, Great Americans”. There are millions of stories like mine across the United States—stories rich with lived experiences, culture, and talents. Despite the divisive narratives we often hear, immigrants aren’t to be feared. We are to be celebrated and revered for our strength, resilience, and contributions to every industry, space, and most importantly, to our democracy. At New American Leaders, we know that representation matters—not just in storytelling, but in leadership. That’s why we train and support New Americans who are ready to lead and shape a more inclusive democracy. If you believe in the power of immigrant leadership, join us in this movement. At a growing organization like ours, every bit of support—whether financial or in-kind partnership—makes a huge difference. If you’re interested, please reach out to me. My gratitude to brilliant creatives at Jongsma + O'Neill who took such a heavy and complicated story and distilled it so beautifully. Thank you for taking such good care of it.

"Belonging is the antidote to loneliness, and giving circles—doing good in a group—are a great way to build belonging, engagement, and community… Giving circles not only allow us to come together to do good but also act as a form of support in tough times, strengthening our ties to our community and to each other.” As we work towards building a democracy that works for all of us, we understand how critical it is to build healthy communities rooted in trust and a sense of belonging. BIPOC-led organizations, often at the forefront of such movements, however, face funding challenges that hamper them from truly achieving these goals. Twenty-six percent of BIPOC-led nonprofits received at least half of their fiscal 2021 support as unrestricted funding, compared with 41 percent of white-led nonprofits. We commend the leadership of Hali Lee, the Asian Women Giving Circle, and the Donors of Color Network for?guiding philanthropy to a place of solidarity, and for also creating new opportunities for BIPOC-led nonprofits to properly thrive and adequately serve their communities' needs!

Ghida Dagher grew up in a Lebanese family in Sierra Leone. When she was nine, civil war forced them to flee and find safety in the United States. Her understanding of hardship and opportunity inspired her to pursue a life of public service, from nonprofit work to serving as Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer's director of appointments. Today, Dagher serves as the president and CEO of New American Leaders, a nonpartisan organization dedicated to building a more inclusive democracy by training first- and second-generation Americans to run for public office. “Too often, new Americans see that their communities are being left out of key conversations," she says. “As a refugee and as an immigrant, there’s a sense of responsibility … to carry forward this message of inclusiveness, this message of hopefulness, this message of unity. Ultimately, all of the things that are American in my eyes.” ?? Discover Ghida Dagher's full #ImmigrantStory in our latest comic: https://lnkd.in/ee2htwXF ?? #DidYouKnow: 49.5% of immigrants are naturalized U.S. citizens. (via American Immigration Council) ------ A part of the #GreatImmigrants initiative. Concept and Script by Jongsma + O'Neill Illustrations by Chuan Ming Ong #ImmigrantStories #NewAmericanLeaders #InclusiveDemocracy #FirstGenAmericans #CivicEngagement #Immigration #ImmigrantVoices