Engage In Real Life is proud to partner with the Manzanita House to provide culturally responsive programming for youth across Spokane. Below, enjoy a letter from Irshad Ahmad Rahimi, Manzanita House’s Cultural Engagement Navigator.

Rooted in welcome, Manzanita House is devoted to creating space where all immigrants can fully and freely participate in community life. Recognizing the resilience of the communities they serve, their mission is to welcome and equip immigrants with tools, resources, and connections to achieve equity in the Inland Northwest.

Manzanita House provides immigration legal services, community power building, resource navigation, and more. Since 2022, they have served individuals from over 100 countries, and in 2023 alone, they supported more than 1,400 individuals.

 

Hello,

My name is Irshad Ahmad Rahimi, and I serve as the Cultural Engagement Navigator at Manzanita House. I work primarily with multicultural middle and high school students in Spokane to strengthen cultural norms and address disparities. I also support the school engagement process. Together with local schools, we identify student and family needs and offer culturally responsive activities including:

  • Language clubs
  • Sports programs
  • Youth cultural celebrations
  • Educational workshops

In an exciting new initiative, we launched Spokane’s first youth cricket team, which now plays weekly and brings students from diverse backgrounds together through sport. Cricket is more than just a game for us. It’s a way for youth and adults to feel seen, to stay active, and to strengthen relationships with one another.

Being an Engagement Navigator has been one of the most meaningful parts of my journey. I truly enjoy building trust and connection with our community members, and seeing people come together through sports, storytelling, and shared culture. I’m proud of what we’re building together.

If you’re interested in joining our youth cricket team, or learning more about the programs we offer, feel free to contact our office:

📞 Phone: (509) 308-8404
📧 Email: info@mhspokane.org

Below, I’m sharing a few photos from our recent youth activities to highlight the joy and engagement of our programs. Thank you to EngageIRL for the opportunity to share and celebrate the work happening across our community.

Warmly,

Irshad Ahmad Rahimi