The Ohio Immigrant Alliance (OIA) hosted a preview of its upcoming concert at the Columbus Arts Festival, called “Ohio Is My Second Country,” with Demba Ndiath, Shema Asifiwe, and Salif Sarr. Watch the video; read the summary; and view the presentation.

OIA’s concert will take place on Saturday, June 13, at 3pm on the festival’s Cultural Arts Center Stage at 139 W. Main Street (map). Attendees should ARRIVE EARLY (2pm or earlier), as the festival is large and OIA time slot starts right at 3pm.

On June 13, you can dance to hits from Salif Sarr, a Mauritanian-American pop star based in Columbus. Listen to this playlist to get ready; and order your concert t-shirt to wear at the festival. Salif is internationally renowned for his voice and songs that highlight Fulani culture and his love for his people.

Anticipating major changes in immigration policy during the second Trump administration, Ohio Immigrant Alliance started the Ohio Immigrant Hotline in January 2025. We knew this resource was needed due to our experiences during the first Trump presidency, when helping each other deal with stressful immigration situations was vital. The Hotline is part of our “Build The Nest” strategy and the OhioIsHome.org resource website. 

On March 25, OIA released a report about the Hotline’s first year of existence, using Hotline operations data, called “Connecting Ohio: The Ohio Immigrant Hotline’s First Year in Action.”

The first organization to join our new sponsorship program at the Ohio Immigrant Hotline is Vibrant Ohio. For the entire month of March, VO is supporting our work to respond to the calls, texts, and emails coming into the Hotline from across Ohio. We are grateful for community partners who recognize that systems like these help keep us safe and protect all of our rights.  

Vibrant Ohio is a statewide organization that enhances local immigrant and refugee integration efforts to build a more inclusive, equitable and prosperous Ohio economy. They believe that immigrants, refugees, and the broader international community all make Ohio a more vibrant place to call home. Vibrant Ohio serves as a trusted connector to Ohio immigrants and refugees, including those in our major cities and a growing number of smaller communities.

On January 29, OIA’s Demba Ndiath spoke at a press conference at the Columbus Liberation Center about our endorsement of the January 30 National Shutdown. Here are his prepared remarks.