Som Nath Subedi

State: Oregon

City of Residence: Portland, Oregon

Country of origin: Bhutan

Arrival in the U.S.: 2008

Mr. Som Nath Subedi was one of around 100,000 victims of Bhutan’s “One Nation, One People” policy, which expelled his family from their homeland. He lived in a Nepalese refugee camp for almost two decades before being resettled to Portland, Oregon in 2008 under the US Refugee Resettlement Program. Since his arrival in the US, Mr. Subedi has worked as a refugee case manager, aiding as they become self-sufficient and integrate into Portland’s communities. He is also a Program Coordinator at Parks for New Portlanders, a program he co-founded and facilitates, which uses soccer to build ties between children and families from 22 countries and the City of Portland. In his free time, Mr. Subedi is an active writer, focusing on the stories of new Americans. His work has been published in print and broadcast media, and examples can be found on the Refugee Congress website. Of all his contributions, Mr. Subedi is most proud of his engagement and involvement with local communities.

Quote: Voting in local, state, and national elections for the first time is the ultimate expression of immigrant optimism.