WE Pilot Participants Adapt to Meet COVID-19 Economic Inclusion Challenges
This piece was co-written by Steve Tobocman. Launched in February, the Welcoming Economies Technical Assistance Pilot (WE Pilot) supports local leaders in advancing policies, programs, partnerships, and practices that include immigrants as part of their local or regional economic strategy. Two of the three pilot initiatives are partnerships between a local economic development agency and…
Read MoreSix Ways to Support Refugees Virtually this World Refugee Day
June 20 is World Refugee Day. As an internationally-designated day of the United Nations, World Refugee Day was established as a way for people across the world to show solidarity for refugees and to honor their resilience and determination to find safe haven. By the end of 2018, 70.8 million individuals were forcibly displaced worldwide…
Read MoreImmigrant Heritage Month 2020: Stories of Welcoming
Immigrant Heritage Month celebrates the stories of immigrants and those with immigrant heritage. In this post, Welcoming America staff share their experience with immigration and/or their immigrant heritage. What is your experience with immigration? “With my family’s story as the backdrop, my personal and professional networks have always included friends and colleagues with diverse immigration experiences…
Read MoreStrategic language access is key to crises in Aurora, CO
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are sharing the stories and experiences of the Welcoming Network in responding to the crisis in their communities as well as the challenges facing immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations. This week, we hear from Ricardo Gambetta-Alvarado, Manager of the Office of International and Immigrant Affairs, City of Aurora, CO. COVID-19 has disrupted…
Read MoreMember Spotlight: Responding to COVID-19 in meat processing communities
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are sharing the stories and experiences of the Welcoming Network in responding to the crisis in their communities as well as the challenges facing immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations. This week, we hear from Kate Schieferecke, Refugee Resettlement Case Manager at the Catholic Charities of Southwest Kansas. COVID-19 has disrupted daily life…
Read MoreMember Spotlight: How Charlotte, NC makes emergency response more inclusive for all
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are sharing the stories and experiences of the Welcoming Network in responding to the crisis in their communities as well as the challenges facing immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations. This week, we hear from Emily Yaffe and Federico Rios of the Office of Equity, Mobility and Immigrant Integration of the City of Charlotte in North…
Read MoreMember Spotlight: How a YMCA in Illinois is keeping community during COVID-19
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are sharing the stories and experiences of the Welcoming Network in responding to the crisis in their communities as well as the challenges facing immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations. This week, we hear from Gloria Yen, Director of the New American Welcome Center at University YMCA in Champaign, IL. COVID-19 has disrupted…
Read MoreAdaptive, resilient, and innovative: How the Welcoming Network is responding to COVID-19
The Welcoming Network is composed of more than 200 local governments and local nonprofit organizations working to make their communities welcoming and inclusive places for all. In this Q&A, Christina Pope, Senior Network Director at Welcoming America, shares her observations on how the network is responding to the COVID-19 pandemic in their communities. What are…
Read MoreMember Spotlight: Resilience during COVID-19 in Salt Lake County
*As the COVID-19 crisis continues, we share the stories and experiences of the Welcoming Network in responding to the crisis in their communities as well as the challenges facing immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations. This week, we hear from Ze “Zee” Xiao, Director of the Mayor’s Office for New Americans in Salt Lake County, UT. COVID-19 has…
Read MoreHow to be a good neighbor during a crisis
As the spread of COVID-19 continues, we are inspired by the ways our Welcoming Network members continue to be positive role models for what it means to be a good neighbor, especially during times of crisis. We know that places that invest long-term in approaches to resilience will find themselves better prepared to confront the…
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