The company organizes many different events, striving to bridge commerce with community.
BOISE, Idaho — A community development organization founded by Idaho refugees is working to support small business growth while giving back to the local community.
Samuel Bisoka is the Director of Community Development at Luxan. The company is run by three Boise State students and roommates. Luxan operates as a consulting firm with a focus on helping small enterprises expand their operations.
According to their website, Luxan “exists to empower individuals and communities through creative storytelling, strategic consulting, and community-centered programs.”
“So, the whole idea is to help small businesses grow,” Bisoka said.
The company brings diverse expertise to its work, drawing from various professional backgrounds and international experience.
On Aug. 15, the company helped organize a local fashion show in Boise, at the Global Lounge, alongside refugees and the multicultural community, showcasing their talents.
“We have so many talented people within our communities, but they don’t have the resources, or they don’t have the platform to come out and offer their services,” Bisoka said. “We’re hoping to be that platform, were hoping to provide that opportunity,” Bisoka said.
He added that the fashion show is about more than generating sales, but instead allowing the artists to share their stories through art.
“Coming from the backgrounds we come from, and coming from refugee camps, coming from these countries where it’s like for the majority of your life, you’re not seen,” Bisoka said. “You matter, we see you, we see your art, we see you expressing yourself, and we acknowledge your existence, and we see the talent you have.”
Bisoka emphasized, Idaho’s refugee community is an important part of the economy and local refugees are proud to contribute to it.
From 2005 to 2019 refugees and asylum seekers generated $124 billion more in taxes than the government spent on services for them, according to a 2024 economic report from the U.S. department of Health and Human Services that was shared with KTVB from the Idaho Office for Refugees.
“In Idaho, members of the refugee community help fill gaps in the workforce. From October 2022 to February 2024, 230 Idaho employers hired 465 people arriving through the refugee resettlement program,” the Idaho Office for Refugees said on their website.
Luxan also does many other things for the community. Such as back-to-school fundraisers and workshops that aim to connect commerce with community.
“We all have those different skill sets, data analysis, and just knowing how we all work in different industries,” he said.
Beyond their consulting work, the company has been involved in community outreach efforts, including food distribution to Boise’s unhoused population.
“It was just kind of us going out and doing it. We’ve done it before the company even started,” Bisoka said.
The company was officially established earlier this year, with the initial concept presented in May. The company has also hosted panels in multicultural dialogue within the community.
“We have had people from multicultural backgrounds come and speak on identity, culture, faith and politics, ” he said.
The founding team includes members with diverse international backgrounds. One founder, Stan, came from Zambia in 2015, while Bisoka immigrated from Botswana in 2012.
“We build spaces that uplift, connect, and empower,” the website states. “Through culturally-rooted events, youth programs, and creative initiatives, our community development work celebrates identity, nurtures leadership, and expands access to opportunity. Whether it’s through workshops, marketplaces, or bold conversations, we aim to ignite local pride and create lasting impact from the ground up.”
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