There has to be a better way.
By 2019, Las Vegas financial services professional and agent for New York Life, John Balele, knew things could be better for the African immigrants living in his state of Nevada. He just didn’t know where to look for guidance or examples. He had begun exploring nationwide for African-led CDFIs (community development financial institutions) to serve as possible models, and potentially as a resource, to help him address the challenges he knew are faced by the African community in Nevada.
Those challenges include language barriers, lack of financial literacy related to the American economy, difficulty accessing capital, being a person of color in America, notable cultural differences, etc.
John’s exploration was focused on first seeing whether such a CDFI existed anywhere in the country and, second, examining what type of opportunities such a CDFI could foster to help the African populace in Nevada.
A chance personal connection opens the door.
John was sharing his thoughts and curiosity with a friend in Las Vegas. By chance, she happened to be the aunt of Nasibu Sareva’s wife. Nasibu is the CEO of African Development Center (ADC) of Minnesota. ADC was founded in Minneapolis in the early 2000s to address the very same kinds of challenges and concerns that are faced by African Immigrants in Minnesota. ADC and its track record of remarkable success has grown to include three additional regional offices in central and southern Minnesota.
The kind of resource John described sounded familiar to to Nasibu’s relative and she offered to check with Nasibu to see whether he thought ADC might be a possible resource. Nasibu and John held a Zoom meeting, and John was fascinated to hear all that ADC Minnesota has accomplished and the knowledge and resources that they have to offer. He asked Nasibu to mentor him and continue a conversation about possibilities in Nevada. John expressed that he felt that if ADC could bring such capabilities and resources to Nevada it would be a great contribution to the African community, could make a huge difference.
Getting to know Nevada. Getting to know ADC.
During a seres of visits, John introduced Nasibu to the African community in Las Vegas, most notably to a key nonprofit, African Diaspora of Las Vegas (ADOLV). They invited Nasibu to start attending the annual May 25 Africa Day and associated events in Las Vegas, and in 2020 Nasibu was asked to speak to the community. After the event, Nasibu met with the leadership of ADOLV. The people attending were thrilled to learn that a CDFI such as ADC of Minnesota already exists in the US.
ADOLV began to involve Nasibu in their activities and initiatives. After an internal meeting they invited Nasibu to meet to discuss how he and ADC could help ADOLV start something like ADC in Nevada, possibly opening a branch in Las Vegas. Nasibu continued attending the annual events, including a gathering in Washington, DC, with African ambassadors. The ambassadors celebrate Africa Day in DC.
In 2022 ADOLV formed a committee to explore the creation of an ADC branch in Las Vegas. They invited Nasibu to participate, and during 2023 they undertook a deep dive into the what that might look like. People from the committee expressed an interest in working for ADC when it comes to Las Vegas. There was a clear readiness among community members to help ADC build a successful resource enterprise.
With several trips that year Nasibu undertook significant research into the size of the African community, where, to date, the members of the community have been seeking economic services of various types, and getting to know existing businesses—how they started, what they’ve built, and the challenges they face. He learned that the African community, as in Minnesota, is large and energetic (the same percentage of the total population exist in both states) and faces the same challenges that ADC has helped African immigrants in Minnesota to overcome.
The right place, the right time.
ADC has also been approached by business and community leaders and elected officials in Dallas and Houston, Texas, Seattle, Washington, and Ohio. But, the Las Vegas community demonstrated a clear readiness and a sense of urgent commitment to make it happen—as soon as possible. And, the wealth of people ready to act, who were pushing Nasibu to get started, was unique. Even so, the possibility of eventual partnerships in other states remains real and vital.
The wrong idea. The right counsel.
Early in 2024 Nasibu made an in-depth presentation to ADC’s Board of Directors laying out his interest in pursuing the possibility in Nevada.
The Board pushed back. But, not against the idea—in favor of it.
They were excited about the possibility, and knew that Nasibu had been cultivating conversations around the country and had been mentoring the African Chamber of Commerce in Colorado for the past 3 years.
The problem they had was that Nasibu had presented a franchise model. In that format, a new free-standing nonprofit would be opened, staff would be hired, and then Nasibu would mentor and oversee the operation until it was clear that all services were being delivered effectively and professionally. Then, ADC would step back only to provide mentoring upon request. There would be no mingling of organizational or financial operations, leadership, fundraising, etc.
The board challenged Nasibu about to whom he would report in this type of role, who would pay him for his work, how would fundraising be done? They asserted that a better, cleaner, more clearcut and less confusing approach would be to open a branch of the Minnesota operation in Las Vegas. It would be an expansion of ADC’s mission!
Nasibu agreed, and felt the board’s demand improved his idea significantly.
The board continued to approve small phased pieces of Nasibu’s evolving proposal and push him to do more research and incorporate their input, as well as that of ADC’s attorneys. Nasibu welcomed and celebrates how the board’s guidance made the model more sound, workable, and ready to adapt to the future. This past spring the chapter, bylaws and budget were approved.
Looking ahead with anticipation.
At present, in Nevada the African community is invisible, is not sitting at the tables where decisions are being made on a daily basis. With ADC’s help and leadership there, Nasibu believes that, as in Minnesota, that will change. After many meetings and discussions with Nasibu and his contacts at ADOLV, Nevada elected officials, state and US, the chamber of commerce, and other community and business leaders are excited by the possibilities this inter-state collaboration can foster. Nasibu credits John Balele’s vision, support and insistence for bringing it all into being.