Our Progress

On July 18, 2026, in partnership with the City of Boulder, Ilalle Hill Organization hosted an Immigrant Heritage Month celebration. The community gathering brought Boulder residents together to recognize and honor the cultures, customs, and contributions of our immigrant communities. The program featured Nepalese and Ugandan dancers, whose performances highlighted the richness of their cultural heritage and provided attendees a meaningful opportunity to engage with traditions and identities represented within Boulder’s immigrant community. Ilalle Hill Organization expresses its sincere appreciation to all volunteers who generously contributed their time and effort to prepare delicious food for attendees, which added hospitality, cultural authenticity, and a welcoming atmosphere to the event. The main speaker, a representative of the Nepalese community, delivered remarks emphasizing that the City of Boulder belongs to all its residents and we should all be mutually supportive of each other. This message underscored the importance of inclusion and reflected the purpose of Immigrant Heritage Month.  Special recognition is extended to Nangolehituk Peter, our Community Coordinator, for his leadership in organizing and coordinating this public event, and for Alyssa Perkins, Program Coordinator for emceeing. Ilalle Hill Organization also acknowledges Frank DeDominicis, a Global Goodwill Ambassador and senior advisor to our organization. Also, we thank the community women who prepared South Sudanese, Sudanese, East African, and Mediterranean cuisine. Their contributions demonstrated the commitment, service, and collaboration that continue to strengthen community engagement. This year’s celebration further reflected the growing partnership between Ilalle Hill Organization and the City of Boulder, whose continued support demonstrates meaningful appreciation for the organization’s work within the community. The City of Boulder continues to support events that celebrate community involvement, culture, identity, tradition, dance, heritage, and sharing nutritious food, which all contributes to fostering connections among residents. The Immigrant Heritage Month celebration served as a meaningful expression of unity, inclusion, and community partnership. The Ilalle Hill Organization extends gratitude to the Chamber staff, all performers, volunteers, speakers, and partners who contributed to the success of the event. We look forward to continuing and expanding this important work in collaboration with the City of Boulder in the future .

The Juneteenth celebration held at the Chamber of Commerce Boulder on June 20, 2026, was meaningful and open to the public event that brought together approximately 60 attendees, including children, families, friends, colleagues and community members. The gathering created a welcoming space for reflection, socialization, learning, celebration, while honoring the significance of Juneteenth day in American history. Frank DeDominicis opened remarks on the program by speaking about the history of Juneteenth and the purpose of the event. His remarks helped frame the celebration as both educational and commemorative, reminding attendees of the importance of recognizing Juneteenth as a symbol of freedom, justice, love, inclusion, togetherness, embracing one another and resilience. The event offered an opportunity for the community to come together in shared understanding and appreciation. One of the highlights of the celebration was the meal, which featured South Sudanese, East African, and Mediterranean cuisines prepared locally by a wonderful South Sudanese women’s group. The food was enjoyed by all with gratitude for the event and created a warm setting for connection and conversation. Children also added to the festive atmosphere by gathering around a whiteboard to draw with washable markers, bringing energy and joy to the event. Boulder City Mayor Aaron Burk shared positive remarks and encouraged community leaders to embrace one another in recognition of Juneteenth as a foundation of the community. He emphasized the importance of unity, respect, and togetherness across differences. Guests spent time socializing, sharing stories, and enjoying one another’s company in an atmosphere filled with high energy, laughter, and community spirit. We are grateful to the City of Boulder for providing this opportunity for the community to come together in celebration.

During my recent Africa visit, I witnessed the resilience of farming women, seeds of hope in Kakuma Kalobeyei, an integrated settlement with an arid environment, scorching heat, water shortages, and a limited food to supply the entire refugee settlement population. The women, Seeds of Hope in Kakuma- Kalobeyei settlement, decided to organize themselves to till the ground with and irrigate it despite limited water sources. The little bit of rainwater was sufficient to grow vegetables to feed their families. Because of the situation of limited water, no fencing, no tools, and no drought-resistant seeds to improve and expand community gardens, Ilalle Hill Organization is reaching out to the friends, colleagues, and well-wishers across the globe on behalf of the women of the Seeds of Hope. Kakuma Kalobeyei settlement needs support and cash donations to help expand, improve, and grow more food to feed their families and others around the villages of Kalobyei settlement. Hunger and a massive nutrition crisis is hitting the Kakuma refugees hard. The Ilalle Hill Organization team is available to answer questions about Womens’ Seeds of Hope in Kalobeyei Kakuma refugee camp. Following the 2025 USAID funding cutoff, the lives of refugees in Kakuma have experienced severe disruptions. The rationing system categorizes families into four distinct groups: Category 1 receives half rations contingent on family size. Category 2 receives a quarter of the half rations. Category 3 receives a minimal allocation. Category 4 receives no food assistance.

The Ilalle Hill Organization successfully hosted “Advancing Human Rights Access for Immigrants and Refugees in the City of Boulder, Colorado 2025” on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at the Boulder Chamber of Commerce. This timely community gathering, funded by Human Relations Funding and brought together 50 participants, including children, youth, parents, and community leaders, in a welcoming and educational space focused on empowerment, know your rights awareness, and connection. The program opened with remarks from Ilalle Hill Organization Executive Director that highlighting the urgent need for equitable access to resources and stronger human rights protections for immigrants and refugees in Boulder city. A keynote address by immigration attorney Catherine O. Brown who offered clear, practical information on basic civil rights, specific protections for immigrants and refugees, legal processes, and available support services. Her talk helped attendees better understand how to navigate complex systems and access resources essential to safety and stability. Participants heard powerful presentations from community own journeys, challenges, and hopes for a more just future. Throughout the afternoon, African delicacies fostered a warm, communal atmosphere, while children and youth engaged in interactive activities that encouraged cultural pride, creativity, and unity. The event closed with words of gratitude from Ilalle Hill’s Executive Director and Senior Advisor, and Director of Community Coordination in of the City of Boulder, thanks to the Human Relations Commission. Overall, the gathering strengthened community bonds, deepened understanding of constitutional and human rights, and elevated the voices and experiences of refugees and immigrants in Boulder

The Impact of Immigrant Heritage Month on the Boulder Community

The Immigrant & Refugee Center of Northern Colorado’s generous donation to Ilalle Hill Organization of four boxes of children’s books and one laptop fills us with deep gratitude.

Boulder City MLK Legacy Celebration