Communities Are Still Welcoming—Let’s Help Them Thrive
It’s been a tough week, with challenges that have shaken us to our core. This week’s inauguration reaffirmed the importance of standing up for welcoming. The recent wave of executive orders issued by the new administration sent a stark message: the promise of belonging and thriving in America is not a right we all share, but a privilege granted at the discretion of a powerful few.
Rather than fostering a welcoming nation where diversity is celebrated as our strength, these executive orders risk isolating us—not just from the world, but from each other as neighbors—by fueling fear, suspicion, and division based on where we’re from, the color of our skin, or how we identify.
This is Your Moment to Act
At Welcoming America, we reject this fearful vision of America and reaffirm our commitment to building a nation of neighbors—where every person can feel at home. Together, in partnership with communities, we are writing a different story—one where neighbors come together, diversity is celebrated as an asset, and inclusion is at the heart of all we do.
America’s moral compass lives in our communities—and our local leaders are lighting the path forward. Welcoming America’s mission is to amplify these community champions whose efforts ensure that compassion, courage, and our better angels guide the way.
Their work to create welcoming communities is vital, but they can’t do it alone. Local leaders need all of us to stand with them and take action. Will you join us?
Here’s How You Can Help
- Donate: Support organizations like Welcoming America, your local immigrant service provider, mutual aid programs, and organizations working at every level to protect and uplift our communities.
- Stay Informed: Welcoming America and dozens of national partners are working around the clock to provide you with up-to-date information and resources to help you navigate these changes and support families in your community. Share these resources widely with your network!
- Speak Out: Use your voice to advocate! Contact your local, state, and federal leaders to make your stance known with our letter-writing campaign. Have conversations with your friends and family about the real impact of these executive actions and why welcoming matters for everyone.
- Join Us: If you are part of a local nonprofit organization or municipality, join our Welcoming Network! We’re a coalition of 300+ nonprofits and local governments across the U.S. working to ensure our communities are welcoming to all.
Even in these challenging times, the generosity and resilience of our neighbors remind us that hope outshines fear. Together, we can hold onto the vision of a welcoming nation and continue to illuminate the road ahead—a path where welcoming is not just a word, but a powerful movement to build a more inclusive society.
About Welcoming America
Welcoming America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. Through the Welcoming Network, we work to change systems and culture by providing communities with the roadmap they need to create welcoming policies and share new approaches to inclusion to create an environment where everyone can truly thrive. Learn more at welcomingamerica.org.
Media Contact: Leslie Nguyen-Okwu, [email protected]