History
The Bhutanese Community Association of Akron, Inc. is a non-profit, educational, apolitical and social organization formed by people of Bhutanese origin, many of whom resettled in Akron and its neighboring areas in the state of Ohio in the United States of America.
In the early 1990's, thousands of Bhutanese citizens, mainly consisting of Nepalese ethnicity, were forced to leave their home country of Bhutan by the government of Bhutan. They were evicted for demanding rights and freedom, and for protesting against racist and discriminatory policies. The majority of these people took refuge in Nepal and lived in refugee camps managed by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), while others took asylum in India.
Since that time, several bilateral talks were held between the governments of Bhutan and Nepal for repatriation, but no headway was made. The government of Bhutan is determined not to take any of its people back home to Bhutan, thereby, effectively rendered more than one hundred thousand people homeless, stateless and hopeless, and without any future. Therefore, the governments of the United States of America, and some other donor countries, graciously offered to resettle these people to their respective countries on humanitarian grounds, so that these people can once again rebuild their lives for a better and brighter future.
Under the auspices of the Third Countries Resettlement (TCR) program, International Organization of Migration (IOM) and UNHCR, many Bhutanese refugees are being resettled in several countries, including the United States of America, Australia, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, Denmark and the Netherlands. In the United States, Bhutanese refugees are being resettled in towns and cities all over the nation, including a large number of families in Akron and its neighboring areas in Ohio.
The Bhutanese Community Association of Akron, Inc. has been established to provide a common platform for discussion of issues affecting the Bhutanese community including Bhutanese culture, traditions, language, and religion, as well as challenges and opportunities in the United States including local customs and laws. It also coordinates common efforts and responds to critical social needs of the Bhutanese community. By drawing on the community's collective strengths it strives toward the consolidation of brotherhood, thereby achieving social harmony and securing happiness. In these ways, the association facilitates and promotes the smooth transition and integration of the people of Bhutanese origin into the general population of the United State of America.
The BCAA logo is that is proudly presented on each page of this website was created by Dhruva Rai.
In 2009 an interim committee was formed to create an association. Members of the interim committee included Ghana Shyam Adhikari (interim Treasurer), Kashi Dulal (interim President), Yadu Dulal, Mon M. Dhungana, Geeta MIshra, Khem Niroula, Amber Subba, Krishna Subba (interim Secretary), Naresh Subba, and Srijang L. Subba. That committee created bylaws, acquired an Employer Identification Number, wrote the initial articles of association, applied to the Secreatary of State of Ohio to incorporate the association according to the laws of Ohio.
A general election was held at which time officers were elected and bylaws were approved. An almost 100% turnout showed strong support for forming an association. The first Executive Committee was made up of three officers (President-Amber Subba, Secretary-Krishna Subba, and Treasurer-Gopal Lepcha) and twelve Trustees (Al Bhadhur Biswa, Rajendra Chettri, Mon Maya Dhungana, Bhim Kumar Kateel, Devi Maya Mainali, Sudan Rai, Bishnu Kumar Subba, Dhan Man Subba, Jas Maya Subba, Ram Kumar Subba, Sun Man Subba, and Deu Narayan Subedi). There was also an Advisory Board made up of 7 Advisors, one of whom serves as Chair. The members of the first Advisory Board were Kashi Nath Dulal (Chair), Ghana Shyam Adhikari, Bishnu Lai Dhimal, Kumari Mishra, Yasho0da Devi Phuyel, Dhruva Kumar Rai, and Naresh Subba. Finally, Terry Kuhn served as Statutory Agent to handle and advise about paperwork for the BCAA with the State of Ohio, the Internal Revenue Service, and banking institutions. After the election, Krishna Subba resigned as Secretary because of pressing demands of home, school, and employment; in his place Bhim Dhungana was appointed Secretary as described in the bylaws.