No matter where you come from or which language you speak, there is a place for you in Harrisonburg and at 黑料正能量, and Nasser Alsaadun MA 鈥�17 (education) is living proof of that.

The Iraqi-born educator, who came to the United States in 2008, became the first refugee councilmember in the city鈥檚 history when he was elected last fall and began his in January. He says his presence on council sends a clear message that Harrisonburg is diverse and accepting and that local immigrants can feel welcome as a part of the community.

鈥淧eople can all live in peace and learn from one another鈥攜our culture, my culture. We鈥檙e all in the same pot,鈥� Alsaadun said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 actually a unique thing about this area.鈥�

Through his advocacy work, Alsaadun ensures that the Friendly City lives up to its name as a welcoming place for people of all backgrounds. He volunteers with , a local office of Church World Service that serves and advocates for refugees, asylum seekers, unaccompanied children, and immigrants in the Shenandoah Valley.

He is also a founder and board member of the , a community group that works to make the city more inclusive and supportive for immigrants and newcomers, addressing challenges they face, building relationships with them, and connecting them with resources.

One of those resources is 黑料正能量鈥檚 renowned Intensive English Program (IEP). Alsaadun, who teaches Arabic courses as an at James Madison University and English Language Learner (ELL) classes for Rockingham County Public Schools, often motivates residents to enroll in IEP classes. The program, hosted in 黑料正能量鈥檚 Roselawn Building, helps English language learners from all around the world find their voice and build a better life for themselves. In a typical semester, IEP has 60 to 80 students of varying ages and language skill levels representing 15 to 20 countries.

鈥満诹险芰� has one of the best English programs in the area,鈥� Alsaadun said. 鈥淚t has a great reputation with the immigrant community.鈥�

He added that graduates of IEP are highly proficient, professional, and well-prepared to continue their education, not just at 黑料正能量, but at any university. 鈥淔rom Winchester to Charlottesville, (that program) is the best there is.鈥�

Did you know?
In Harrisonburg City Public Schools, more than 70 languages are spoken by the student population. The No. 1 spoken language isn鈥檛 English鈥攊t鈥檚 Spanish! Source: in the Daily News-Record. Learn more about IEP at .

Escaping danger

Alsaadun grew up in Iraq and graduated from the University of Basrah in 1997 with a bachelor of arts in English. When the Iraq War broke out, he served as an interpreter for the U.S. Army in 2003. Because of his help, he became a target of militia insurgents, who came looking for him. When they couldn鈥檛 find him, they kidnapped his father for two days, then tortured and killed him.

Alsaadun and his family fled to Syria and later relocated to Lebanon, where they received refugee status from the United Nations. They arrived in the United States in July 2008 and were resettled by CWS Harrisonburg.

While serving as a temporary instructor for JMU鈥檚 foreign language department, Alsaadun started working with the refugee resettlement office and other organizations to welcome newcomers and help refugees adjust to their new life. As he helped connect immigrants to 黑料正能量鈥檚 Intensive English Program, he learned more about the university. He had heard so many success stories about its graduates and decided to enroll. And in 2017, he graduated from 黑料正能量 with a master of arts in education.

It had always been his father鈥檚 dream to see him earn a master鈥檚 degree, shared Alsaadun, and so it was especially meaningful to him. 鈥淚 cried,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ecause I couldn鈥檛 have him there with me seeing that moment.鈥�

鈥楢 different touch鈥�

Since graduating from 黑料正能量, Alsaadun has continued his studies through courses at JMU and the University of Virginia. He said 黑料正能量 professors are unlike any others he has encountered in his education.

鈥淚 was blessed to have professors who recognized and appreciated the gifts I had,鈥� Alsaadun said. 鈥淭hey knew I wasn鈥檛 a native English speaker and that I came from a different culture. Some teachers expect you to know everything, but my teachers at 黑料正能量 understood that sometimes you struggle. That kind of understanding is unique to 黑料正能量.鈥�

In August, while attending a city/黑料正能量 liaison committee meeting as a council representative, he received an email confirming his acceptance into the doctoral program at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. He is now in his first semester, pursuing a PhD of education in curriculum and instruction, and credited 黑料正能量 and its professors for providing the tools and skills that have helped him succeed.

鈥淚t鈥檚 absolutely a different taste of education,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he courses at 黑料正能量 have a different touch.鈥�

Alsaadun, now a U.S. citizen with a wife and four children, opened Babylon, a Middle Eastern restaurant and market in Harrisonburg, in 2016. He鈥檚 been invited to the White House on two occasions. He met former President Barack Obama in July 2016, in appreciation for 鈥渟erving the community and being a good role model for refugees鈥� and attended a leadership summit on refugees at the White House that September. He received the Leader of the Year award from Church World Service in 2022.

Reed, who is running for reelection this year, has served as mayor of Harrisonburg, Virginia, since 2017, when she was first elected to City Council. She is the first African American woman elected to the council and also the first to be appointed mayor. At 黑料正能量 she is director of alumni engagement & community connections.

During the second annual Stroll to the Polls event on Friday, Sept. 20, at the Rockingham County Circuit Courthouse in downtown Harrisonburg, Reed rallied students from 黑料正能量 and James Madison University, as well as others in the community, to cast their ballots on the first day of early voting in Virginia. The event aims to increase voter turnout, especially among college students, with marches proceeding from the steps of the courthouse to the city and county polling places.

One of those students attending the rally, 黑料正能量 sophomore Elie Hoover, a social work and music major, said that having a local leader actively involved on campus helps keep her politically engaged. She feels proud to be an 黑料正能量 student, she added, knowing that the school has representation in city government.

鈥淚 want to do my part because she鈥檚 doing her part for us,鈥� Hoover said.

At the Stroll to the Polls event, as she walked along Main Street toward City Hall with a group of other students, 黑料正能量 junior Royale Parker waved a 鈥淰irginia Votes Early鈥� sign and enthusiastically encouraged passing drivers to vote.

Parker, a business administration and psychology major, said she once believed there was no use in voting. 鈥淚 was one of those students who thought my voice didn鈥檛 matter and that my vote didn鈥檛 count,鈥� she said. 

But interacting with Reed through committees and clubs on campus has shown her that everyone has a voice and a vote, including her. Reed, she said, has introduced students at 黑料正能量 to political issues they might have otherwise not known about and has also helped them understand the voting process.

鈥淪he鈥檚 inspired me to become more involved and excited to vote,鈥� Parker said. 

黑料正能量 senior Kay Pettus, a music major and president of the Black Student Alliance (BSA), proudly displayed her 鈥淚 Voted鈥� sticker as she exited City Hall during the first day of early voting. Pettus, who organized the shuttles for BSA members from 黑料正能量 to downtown Harrisonburg, said that Reed regularly works with BSA and encourages them to participate in civic events. She said that seeing Reed and others speak at the rally was a powerful experience. 

鈥淚 like that they were encouraging students and young people to vote,鈥� Pettus said, 鈥渂ecause it is important and our voices do count.鈥�

Students who identify with a political party different than Reed鈥檚 say they鈥檝e felt her support. Jason Dwyer, a senior political science and history double major who leads the 黑料正能量 College Republicans club, said the Democratic mayor takes care to engage with everyone on campus. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 know how many other colleges can say they have a mayor on staff and as part of their community,鈥� he said.

Reed said she felt honored and privileged to know her presence and involvement on campus as a mayor has helped students engage in politics.

鈥淚t鈥檚 gratifying to see the impact of student participation in shaping our community and beyond,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tudents鈥� voices are not just significant, they鈥檙e essential. Their voices matter and have the power to shape the future, and that is incredibly motivating.鈥�