Nashville International Center for Empowerment

NICE is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to ensure refugees and immigrants achieve their full potential now and for generations to come.

We do this through direct social services and educational programs. In the 1990s, thousands of refugees fled war-torn Sudan hoping to find a safe place to live, work and raise families with dignity, but for many of these refugees, especially the women, war had rendered formal education impossible. As a result, those refugees who came to Middle Tennessee found that resettlement was extremely diffic

ult, and they struggled to find a place where they could learn English and begin their integration. In 2005, a group of these Sudanese men and women, lead by the current President & CEO Gatluak Ter Thach, founded the Sudanese Community & Women’s Services Center with the goal of providing Sudanese refugees the skills they would need to facilitate independence and self-sufficiency. As word spread quickly throughout the refugee and immigrant communities in Nashville, the SCWSC began receiving requests for help from non-Sudanese. Eventually, our mission was amended to meet the needs of the larger refugee and immigrant community, and in the spring of 2010 our name was changed to Nashville International Center for Empowerment, more fully representing the services we provide and the multi-cultural community we serve. Since our founding, NICE has helped more than 7,000 people from 43 nations living in the Nashville area, with most of our clients being of African, Asian and Middle-Eastern descent. We aim to increase our clients’ abilities to effectively read, write, and speak English through our adult and youth education programs, as well as facilitate self-sufficiency and integration through employment and resettlement services. These programs are offered to legal permanent residents with refugee, ayslee, or immigrant statuses. Fundamental to the mission of NICE is the elimination of the root causes of poverty within greater Nashville’s refugee and immigrant community, the creation of opportunities for upward socioeconomic mobility, and the social integration of those it serves. Clients are encouraged and even challenged to think beyond their current circumstances and discuss long-term goals. NICE makes every effort to establish the foundation necessary to achieve these goals by placing clients in educational and employment environments that are conducive to ultimate success.

06/05/2026

June is National Immigrant Heritage Month🌍

At NICE, every month is a reminder of why this work matters.

We are proud to walk alongside refugees and immigrants in Middle Tennessee as they build new lives, contribute to our community, and enrich Nashville in ways we are deeply grateful for. Those we serve are kind, brave, hard-working, and resilient.

This month, we celebrate YOU—our clients, staff, volunteers, and everyone who has found a home here. You belong.❤️

Photos from Nashville International Center for Empowerment's post

06/02/2026

NICE Race for Refugees 2026 ✅️ 🏃

We're incredibly grateful for the outpouring of support at our very first Race for Refugees 5K & 10K! Together—through 200 registrations, event donations, and sponsorships—we received nearly $29,000 to fuel our work empowering refugees and immigrants in Middle Tennessee.

Special shoutout to everyone who made this event happen, including:

Sponsors: Bridgestone, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Erica S. Gilmore (Metropolitan Trustee), MJ Morgan Group, and Crema Coffee Roasters

Prize donations: MyGym, Centennial Sportsplex, Fahrenheit Yoga, Hola Yoga, FleetFeet, StretchLab, and Honeytree Meadery

Timing service: A Matter of Timing

Running fuel: Sin Miedo Trail Runners

Food trucks: Roscoe's Smoked BBQ and Waffle Wheels

Race branding and design: Hailey Miller Beiden

Photography: Brandon Gnetz

MC: Max Rykov

And all of our wonderful staff and volunteers!

05/26/2026

What a beautiful way to celebrate the moms in our communities!💐

On May 16th, NICE and Catholic Charities came together to host a Mother's Day celebration for MIHOW clients and their families, welcoming 20 women and their children for an afternoon of food, music, crafts, and raffle prizes.

A heartfelt thank you to our generous partners who made it possible: Second Harvest, FLWR Shop, Turnip Green Creative Reuse, and BUMC & Debby.

05/26/2026

Congratulations are in order!🥳

Join us in congratulating Michelle Davenport (middle right), one of our NICE English instructors who was awarded the 2026 Adult Educator of the Year! This is an incredible award from the Nashville Public Library that celebrates change makers in Middle Tennessee.

Michelle has reached hundreds of English language learners over the past 12 years in Nashville. Her student, Mustaf, has this to say about Michelle: “She is a good explainer and she checks our homework. We play games and she adds new words when we are in class. I feel comfortable when I am in her class and she helps a lot.”

Congratulations Michelle! Thank you for your dedication to your students!

05/18/2026

This World Refugee Day, we're coming together for an evening you won't forget.

World Refugee Day: Songs & Stories with Resonance of the Land
Thursday, June 18th | 6–8 PM
Global Education Center
Free | Limited capacity — RSVP to secure your spot!

Hear firsthand stories of lived experiences and enjoy a live drum performance by the NIRMA Project. It's an evening of music, meaning, and community.

RSVP here: https://buff.ly/ncDWDnV

05/18/2026

Come join a vibrant, diverse, and passionate team!

The Social Services Case Manager will work directly with clients to determine eligibility, assess needs and goals, advocate for quality services, and provide timely referrals to internal and external resources. This is a full-time role.

Please visit our website to apply or for more details: buff.ly/LPQD3bN

05/15/2026

Help make our 1st annual Race for Refugees 5K/10K a success!

We need a variety of volunteers to help with setup, registration, water stations, and more on Saturday, May 30th. More info and sign up link here: https://buff.ly/cszVSyd

05/11/2026

Meet Hai (left), our newest MIHOW team member!

Hai came to the U.S. in 2007 from the Maela Refugee Camp in Thailand, and she's now serving families in Nashville's Burmese community. We're grateful to have her on the team and can't wait to see the impact she has. Welcome, Hai!

05/08/2026

English language learning is at the forefront of what we do at NICE—and how NICE's story began. These programs help open doors for refugees and immigrants to thrive. We're honored to receive grant funding from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to continue these programs, and incredibly grateful for their long-standing support!

05/07/2026

Closing health gaps, one community at a time.❤️

We're proud to celebrate five newly certified Community Health Workers — Amiira, Byamungu, Hanan, Hawzheen, and Abraham — who graduated on April 15th alongside partners TNCHWA and Vanderbilt School of Nursing. All five are current or former NICE staff, and they're now equipped to make a real difference where it matters most.

This is what health equity looks like. Congratulations! 🎉

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Location

Nashville

Telephone

+16153159681

Website

http://www.empowernashville.org/

Address

417 Welshwood Drive, Ste 100
Nashville, TN
37211

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm