Posts by Welcoming America
Achieving health equity as part of local welcoming efforts
Creating a welcoming community for immigrants can help to create a more healthy community for everyone, and such efforts to create health equity ensure that immigrants and refugees can participate fully and belong. A new paper released today by Welcoming America provides recommendations to help communities pursue a combined health equity and immigrant inclusion agenda.…
Read MoreCelebrating Immigrant Heritage, Building Shared Futures In Global Cities
Chicago’s ambitions to be “the most immigrant-friendly city in the world” made it a suitable setting for rich conversations about cultural heritage and inclusion at the Chicago Forum on Global Cities on June 1-3, timed perfectly with the kickoff of Immigrant Heritage Month, a nationwide celebration of our shared heritage of diverse cultures. Forum panelist Ronnie Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong-based Hang…
Read More50 cities and counties honored at White House
Local innovations to welcome all residents, including immigrants and refugees, are driving cultural vitality, prosperity, and global competitive edge. Today more than 50 U.S. cities and counties were honored at the White House for their innovative and proactive efforts to bring all residents into their community fabric. These communities understand that creating a welcoming environment…
Read MoreCNN op-ed: How refugees help their new communities
“Refugee” is a loaded word. It conjures up images of traumatized people living in crowded camps and inevitably leads to major rifts in national politics. The current debate centers on “Will refugees be allowed in our country?” But this short-term focus often obfuscates a more fundamental one — “What happens to refugees once they arrive…
Read MoreQ&A with Detroit about new Municipal ID program
Municipal ID programs are a great way for cities to break down barriers for residents and impact marginalized communities immediately in a meaningful way, while also creating lasting, positive effects for everyone. Creating a welcoming community is about more than getting to know your new American neighbors, it’s also about establishing tangible policies and…
Read MoreFive ways a police liaison to new Americans could benefit your community
Boise, Idaho, has a thriving refugee population that enriches the community’s social and economic fabric. This Welcoming America member is committed to inclusion and as part of their mayor’s priorities, has invested in a full-time police refugee liaison officer to respond to the unique needs of new Americans. “Law enforcement isn’t just about making an…
Read MoreRust Best Revitalized in Dayton
When faced with population decline and economic hardship, Dayton made a plan to harness the potential of immigrants to reimagine their community and create a brighter future for all residents. In 2011, the City of Dayton announced a communitywide initiative – guided by the Welcome Dayton plan – designed to attract, retain, and engage in…
Read MoreAnnouncing the WE Global Network
Today, Welcoming America, Global Detroit, and more than a dozen economic development initiatives throughout the nation’s Rust Belt launched the Welcoming Economies Global Network (WE Global Network). The network is comprised of groups from 10 states across the Midwest working to tap into the economic development opportunities created by welcoming immigrants. This launch comes on the heels of yesterday’s…
Read MoreHistory in the Making
Today, the White House announced a historic step toward creating the nation’s first federal integration strategy – one that recognizes the importance of local efforts to build welcoming environments where immigrants and long-time residents join together to create stronger communities. Read the report and fact sheet. The leadership of our partners across the country who are at the forefront…
Read MoreWelcoming Cities & Counties Reaches 50 Members
The immigrant welcoming movement has hit a major milestone: Welcoming America’s Welcoming Cities and Counties program has reached 50 members with the recent addition of the City of Decatur, Georgia. In under two years, the Welcoming Cities and Counties program has grown from 18 members to 50 members, more than doubling the number of municipalities dedicated to welcoming…
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