Lessons and opportunities to build belonging: A look at our 2022 Fund to Foster Belonging grantees
Connection is the antidote to social division. Communities that intentionally bring people from all walks of life together reap the benefits of being a more welcoming place for all. Intergroup bridging is one way to foster connections among groups from different migration backgrounds. Bridging activities bring people together, and research shows that building bridges between…
Read MoreHow to get started with Welcoming Week
Welcoming Week is an opportunity for communities to come together and celebrate the values that make places more welcoming and inclusive for all who live there. In the months leading up to Welcoming Week, it’s time to start brainstorming ways to get involved. Whether you plan a local event or share your thoughts on social…
Read MoreWorld Refugee Day: Building communities where refugees belong
Each June, we recognize the importance of welcoming refugees into our communities. June 20 is internationally designated by the United Nations as World Refugee Day. The day celebrates the strength and courage of people who have been forced to flee their home country to find safety and belonging in a new place. This year, World…
Read MoreImmigrant Heritage Month: Celebrating our stories of immigration
Each year, Immigrant Heritage Month celebrates the contributions immigrants and their descendants have made to the history and culture of the United States. In this blog, Welcoming America staff share their immigration and/or immigrant heritage experiences. What is your experience with immigration? I am an immigrant myself. My parents moved my siblings and I to…
Read MoreThree tips for community foundations wanting to advance immigrant inclusion
A new white paper from Welcoming America explores the capacity community foundations have to advance the work of welcoming newcomers into U.S. communities. Through our project and white paper we ask: How are community foundations currently engaging in welcoming work? What are the opportunities for community philanthropy to play an even stronger role in advancing…
Read MoreWhy We Gather: #Interactive2023 Reflections
Last week, more than 600 leaders from across the globe joined us in the Certified Welcoming city of San José, California for the 2023 Welcoming Interactive. Welcomers from local governments, nonprofits, and other sectors spent three days exchanging practices and ideas for including immigrants and refugees in their communities. A truly global event, participants from…
Read MoreFarewell, Isha: Parting words from our deputy director
Editor’s note: Isha Lee, deputy director of Welcoming America, is departing the organization after eight years of service. During her tenure, Americans faced some of the most momentous challenges to our well-being and democracy and witnessed profound transformations within the fields of immigration and belonging. Isha came to Welcoming America in 2015 as the first…
Read More#WomenOfWelcoming: Celebrating history and inclusion for Women’s History Month
In the United States, Women’s History Month takes place during March to celebrate the contributions and achievements of women in a variety of fields, from the past to the present. At Welcoming America, we are proud to lead a membership network of 300+ nonprofits and local government organizations that work to help communities become more…
Read MoreYes, welcoming is hard, but not impossible: a response to the crisis narrative of the migrant situation in the U.S.
When someone chooses to make our community home, flattery — not indignation — should be our response. If they, like my own family, have traveled thousands of miles, fled an oppressive regime, and want to work so they can feed their family, consider yourself doubly flattered, because it means you’ve done great work creating a…
Read MoreConnecting Indigenous storytelling to build bridges in Charlotte
A story’s ability to bring people together is boundless. Ramona Moore Big Eagle knows this because storytelling is in her blood. Based in the newly Certified Welcoming city of Charlotte, North Carolina, Ramona is an educator, legend keeper, enrolled member of the Tuscarora nation, and recently, a gardener. Through her work with the Universal Institute…
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