Nabin Dhimal was born and raised in a refugee camp in Nepal. His family, along with hundreds of thousands of Nepali-speaking Bhutanese, were forcibly displaced from Bhutan after the Bhutanese Government implemented the "One Nation, One People" policy, which constituted ethnic cleansing. Living in a refugee camp for nearly two decades has deeply impacted Nabin's passion and commitment to working with refugees, immigrants, and forcibly displaced communities to foster a more inclusive, equitable, and just society.

Nabin has nearly ten years of professional experience. Currently, he serves as a Program Manager at Lutheran Community Services Northwest. In this role, he oversees culturally specific and dynamic programs to facilitate the integration of refugees and immigrants into self-sufficiency. Prior to this, Nabin worked as a Program Coordinator at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO), where he developed culturally and linguistically responsive strategies and led multiple youth academic programs to support newly arrived refugee youths. He also served as a Community Youth Ambassador at the City of Portland, collaborating with the Parks for the New Portlanders (PNP) program to design culturally responsive programs, ensuring
that services and spaces are welcoming and accessible to communities of color, immigrants, and refugees.

Nabin believes we must radically reshape the landscape of global migration by centering the voices of the impacted to be meaningfully integrated into decision-making processes. Nabin has extensive and diverse experience serving on various boards and committees, advocating for social justice and uplifting marginalized communities. He was a founding board member of Nesika Wilamut. Additionally, he served on the New Portlanders Policy Commission at the City of Portland and Metro’s Racial Equity Committee, which ensures that policies and practices integrate the voices of immigrant and refugee communities in Portland. Nabin Currently serves on the United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB), where he collaborates with diverse stakeholders and multilateral international partners to develop strategies that advance equitable and meaningful refugee representation and engagement.

Why MIMR

As part of the United States Refugee Advisory Board, I attended the USRAB Training Program (UTP) at Georgetown last fall. I was drawn to the rigorous and enriching week-long training under the insightful guidance of Professor Elizabeth Ferris, who heads the Institute for the Study of International Migration. Georgetown resonated with me, not just for its academic reputation but for its commitment to social justice and nurturing a culture of introspection. The MIMR program is the first of its kind in the US, and it seamlessly blends the expertise of distinguished faculty and an interdisciplinary approach to untangle the multifaceted complexities of forced displacement. As a former refugee, embarking on this journey fills me with excitement and a deep sense of purpose.