Category: Welcoming

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See you August 18 to Discuss Everyday Racism – Fostering Inclusion & Belonging Series

Join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities! 

Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
Friday August 18, 2023
10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) on Zoom

In this virtual session of the Fostering Inclusion and Belonging series we’ll share tools, strategies and an exercise to support our journey for racial equity and justice. It is helpful when working together to observe, untangle, and understand different components of racism…so that we can get to the proactive work of creating strategies and solutions together.

We’ll tackle the challenges of recognizing racism in everyday situations and identify systems that perpetuate racism – maybe even unknowingly – with an interactive exercise. 

(If you registered for a previous session this year, there is no need to register again.)

Also remember to mark your calendar for the final session in this series and kick off Welcoming Week with us! 

  • September 8, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) – Welcoming Week Kick Off!  Focus on positive practices and tips for storytelling and how to use storytelling locally to promote belonging! We’ll celebrate together how our stories are core to our communities on this first day of Welcoming Week. This year’s Welcoming Week is September 8-17… and beyond!
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Welcoming Week 2023

Welcoming Week
September 8-17, 2023

Every year, communities across Nebraska host September Welcoming Week events as one way of building communities of belonging. Welcoming Week uplifts and celebrates the values that unite us as neighbors, parents, and colleagues, to make our communities more welcoming to all those who call Nebraska home. 

We invite you to participate by finding an event near you or by hosting an activity in your community, your workplace or your neighborhood. 

Want to participate in Welcoming Week but not sure where to start? Welcoming America has put together lots of tools to help you get started. Welcoming Week activities can be as big as a whole community festival, as simple as a proclamation from your mayor or join a local volunteer effort. Find more ideas in this blog post.

Welcoming Week webinar
If you missed the webinar, you can find it here. Share the link with partners and collaborators. The webinar is also in French, German, Italian and Spanish. 

Tool Kit with ideas, tools, resources, and guidance to create your own Welcoming Week activities. The tool kit has templates for proclamations, media releases, planning guides and graphics to help you have a successful Welcoming Week. 

Register your event! 

Welcoming Week is an opportunity to share your Welcoming events with your community and be counted among those across the globe! You can also share your activities and events with us. We want to help promote your events. 

Khenda and Christa want you to have a great Welcoming Week so please reach out to us with any questions. We’d love to help think through an idea you have or share what we have learned from past events. Welcoming Week aims to showcase the successful multi-racial democracy we can be if everyone truly belongs in the places they call home, including immigrants and refugees and we want to support you in your community. 

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See you July 14 to discuss Disability Justice – Fostering Inclusion & Belonging Series

Join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities!

Let’s Talk Ableism, Disability Justice, and Belonging
July 14th from 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) on Zoom

We hope to see you at the second session of our (virtual) annual statewide welcoming convening series, where we’ll discuss disability justice and belonging! Together, we’ll talk through challenges to disability justice and identify immediate actions we can take in local communities to improve accessibility.

For Session 2, guiding our discussion and learning will be Dr. Lauren Obermark from the University of Missouri-St. Louis who will share approaches on moving from assumptions to access, and Carlos Serván, Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, who has a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority backgrounds. You can read more about each of them below!


(If you registered for the first event, there is no need to register again.)

Please let us know what you need to be able to participate!
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Christa (402-438-8853 x114, cyoakum@neappleseed.org) or Khenda (402-438-8853 x122, kmustafa@neappleseed.org). We’ll try our best to accommodate requests.

Dr. Lauren Obermark is an associate professor in the English department at the University  of Missouri-St. Louis, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses that explore disability and access as part of broader work for social justice. She is also a researcher and author who publishes articles and essays that approach disability as a complex identity and culture. In all work, whether it be teaching, research, or community engagement, she advocates for transformative access, especially in education, where disability is often minimized and ableism is built into many structures, policies, and approaches. 

Dr. Obermark always looks for opportunities to connect with others to imagine more radically accessible futures, as disability is too often an avoided topic which results in misunderstanding and furthers inequities.

Carlos R. Serván, born in Lima, Peru was blinded and lost his right hand in an explosion while training with the Peruvian police when he was 20 years old. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1989 to receive training on blindness techniques and soon after found his passion in serving people with disabilities. He had to learn English and then earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and later a dual graduate degree obtaining a M.P.A. and a J.D. His disability, together with his immigrant and minority experiences, have given Mr. Serván a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority backgrounds. He knows what it is to be disadvantaged; to face discrimination, and he knows what it takes to succeed.  

Carlos Serván is also the author of two books. Began to Run Again and Running Dreams: A Story of Strength and Determination.  

Remember to mark your calendars and plan to join us for the rest of the series as well:

  • August 18, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) – Session 3: Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
  • September 8, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) – Session 4: Welcoming Week Kick Off!
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It’s finally here! Nebraska is Home: Fostering Inclusion and Belonging.

Join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities!

Next Friday, join our (virtual) annual statewide welcoming convening series – which brings together community leaders from all over Nebraska to share our experiences, insights, and strategies for building welcoming and inclusive communities. 

During these summer sessions, we will have the opportunity to hear from experienced local leaders, participate in workshops, and network with peers, all with the aim of enhancing our collective knowledge and skills. We hope you will join us on the following Fridays as we work toward building belonging for all.


(You can register for the series and attend whichever dates work for you!)

Session 1: Welcoming Week Tips & Ideas
Friday, June 16, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT)

Every year, communities across Nebraska host September Welcoming Week events as one way of building communities of belonging.

In this session, we’ll experience a variety of Welcoming Week activities and get tips and ideas from leaders who have hosted successful Welcoming Week events – large and small – in their local communities! Together we will:

Enjoy African drumming with Seth Mock, an immigrant Nebraskan from South Sudan and founder of Lincoln’s Midwestern African Museum of Art.

Get up and move our bodies with the YMCA of Greater Omaha.


Celebrate community with food as Liz Rodriguez from Centro Hispano Comunitario shares how they coordinated a cooking demonstration that brought together Columbus neighbors.

Remember to mark your calendars and plan to join us for the rest of the series:

July 14, 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 2: Ableism and Belonging
Discuss ableism, disability justice, and belonging with Dr. Lauren Obermark from the University of Missouri-St. Louis who will share approaches on moving from assumptions to access, and with Carlos Serván, Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, who has a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority and immigrant backgrounds.

August 18, 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 3: Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
With the interactive exercise “Everyday Racism” we will identify real situations of racism and recognize how internalized, interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism are interwoven. We’ll learn together while also practicing an interactive tool we can use in our communities. 

September 8, 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 4: Welcoming Week Kick Off!
Focus on positive practices and tips for storytelling and how to use storytelling locally to promote belonging! We’ll celebrate together how our stories are core to our communities on this first day of Welcoming Week. This year’s Welcoming Week is September 8-17… and beyond!

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Join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities!

Join our (virtual) annual statewide welcoming convening series – which brings together community leaders from all over Nebraska to share our experiences, insights, and strategies for building welcoming and inclusive communities.

During these summer sessions, we will have the opportunity to hear from experienced local leaders, participate in workshops, and network with peers, all with the aim of enhancing our collective knowledge and skills. We hope you will join us on the following Fridays as we work toward building belonging for all.

Save the dates now and register for the series!


(You can register for the series and attend whichever dates work for you!)

We are excited that the topic for our kickoff session will be Welcoming Week Tips & Ideas:

June 16 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 1: Welcoming Week Tips & Ideas
Every year, communities across Nebraska host September Welcoming Week events as one way of building communities of belonging. Join us to experience a variety of Welcoming Week activities – including a cooking demonstration (yum!) and dance lesson 💃🕺– and get tips and ideas from leaders who have hosted successful Welcoming Week events – large and small – in their local communities! Learn how to get started setting up your Welcoming Week event, whether it’s cooking together, music, dance, community conversations, storytelling, or other ways to bring neighbors together!

Celebrate Siouxland Event (2022)

Remember to mark your calendars and plan to join us for the rest of the series:

July 14 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 2: Ableism and Belonging
Discuss ableism, disability justice, and belonging with Dr. Lauren Obermark from the University of Missouri-St. Louis who will share approaches on moving from assumptions to access, and with Carlos Serván, Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, who has a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority backgrounds.

August 18 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 3: Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
With the interactive exercise “Everyday Racism” we will identify real situations of racism and recognize how internalized, interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism are interwoven. We’ll learn together while also practicing an interactive tool we can use in our communities.

September 8 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 4: Welcoming Week Kick Off!
Focus on positive practices and tips for storytelling and how to use storytelling locally to promote belonging! We’ll celebrate together how our stories are core to our communities on this first day of Welcoming Week. This year’s Welcoming Week is September 8-17… and beyond!

Register now and watch your inbox for more details and speakers for these upcoming sessions!

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Celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month! 

The month of May was chosen to celebrate AAPI heritage and culture to commemorate the first Japanese immigrants who arrived in the United States on May 7, 1843. May is also the anniversary of the 1869 completion of the transcontinental railroad, which was built mostly by Chinese immigrants.

Today, the Asian Americans and Pacific Islander community continues to face discrimination and barriers to opportunities, despite their role in building this country.

Our communities are strongest when everyone feels safe, valued, and respected. The Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Island population in Nebraska is growing, contributing greatly to our communities as business owners, faith leaders, artists, students, teachers, and in many other roles.

This month, there are many ways you can learn more about and be more inclusive of our AAPI neighbors and co-workers.

Community Events

Sunday, April 30, 1:00 – 5:00 PM, Lancaster Event Center, 4100 N. 84th Street, Lincoln
The Asian Community and Cultural Center kicks off Asian American and Pacific Islander month with the AAPI Heritage Celebration featuring performances, family games, multi-cultural demonstration, Asian cuisine and more!

Saturday, May 27, 1:00 – 6:00 PM, Antelope Park, 1650 Memorial Drive, Lincoln
The Karen Society of Nebraska will close out AAPI Month with the AAPI Festival 2023. Everyone’s favorite DMNV Lion Dancers will perform. Other performers include the Pole Dance, vocalists and musicians.

Learn Throughout the Month

Untold Migrant Stories, a program at the Asian Community & Cultural Center
Find stories by local AAPI youth about their lives, their families’ journey – opportunities and struggles – in their own words.

Food

Visit local Asian restaurants, try flavors new to you, or learn to cook a new recipe.

Learn to cook Pad Thai from our friends at the Karen Society of Nebraska

  • Insta Pot Chicken Biryani, Biryani is a popular Indian one-pot dish. It’s generally made with rice and some kind of meat and flavorful spices.
  • Japchae, a Korean warm pasta salad, with naturally gluten-free pasta (sweet potato vermicelli) and a ton of vegetables.

Books

Music

Take Action

Write or call your state senator and ask them to support LB298 with Amendment 1188. This bill prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, sex, disability, or national origin in schools, nor can schools policy prohibit a student from wearing attire, including religious attire, natural and protective hairstyles, adornments, or other characteristics associated with race, national origin, or religion; or require a student’s hair be permanently or temporarily altered.

Write or call your state senator and ask them to vote for LB138 with Amendment 837, which would provide and authorize a “driving privilege card” for Ukrainian refugees who have settled in Nebraska yet are ineligible for a “operator’s permit” (ordinary drivers license).

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Save the Dates! Virtual Welcoming & Belonging Series

This summer, you’re invited to join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities!

This virtual series will provide collaborative sessions, presentations, and networking with Nebraskans who are committed to creating communities where everyone, including our immigrant neighbors, feels valued.

Each session will take place on a Friday
from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM CT (11:00 AM -12:30 PM MT)
via Zoom

Session Dates:
June 16 – Session 1: Welcoming Week Tips & Ideas
July 14 – Session 2: Ableism and Belonging
August 18 – Session 3: Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
September 8 – Session 4: Welcoming Week Kick Off!

As in years past, expect these sessions to be interactive. We know from your comments that time to meet and engage with others doing similar work is one of the best things about these opportunities.

Watch for an exciting list of presenters and registration information soon! In the meantime, mark your calendars – and share this blog with your friends and networks.

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MLK Day – How will you strengthen your community?

MLK QuoteToday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This is the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service. This holiday has become one day each year when people across the country step up to make communities more equitable and take action to help fulfill Dr. King’s dream.

Together, we can strengthen ties to our communities and to one other while we address critical issues that divide us. 

How will you strengthen your community?

    • Engage with your community and create constructive action
      • Host a discussion on Dr. King’s life and teachings or his principles of nonviolence. 
      • Attend or organize a local event – see a list of possible events below!
    • Act on Dr. King’s legacy of social justice and equity
    • Recommit by volunteering to serve others. You can clean up a public space, mentor a young person, or help those who are food insecure. 
      • Serve meals at a homeless shelter.
      • Remove graffiti and litter from a park or neighborhood.
      • Organize a coat drive or a blood drive.

Join one of the many events across the state to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr:

28th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Rally (Lincoln) – January 16th

    • The Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Youth Rally and March is proud to announce the 2023 theme MLK to Me • “Walk Together.” This experience will be live-streamed Monday, January 16, 2023, with the “Pre-Rally Program” beginning at 9:30 am (CST), followed by the 28th Annual “Call to Action Program” beginning at 10:00 am.
    • All “live” components will take place at 14th and “R” Street • Centennial Room • Student Union • The University of Nebraska Lincoln.

MLK Week UNL (Lincoln) – January 16th-24th

    • The Office of Diversity and Inclusion presents a week-long celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Events are designed to facilitate both reflection and action toward a better appreciation of and respect for the dignity of every person. While each of us has the power to make a difference ourselves, we can make the biggest impact when we work together. Find a complete list of activities in the link above.

UNK MLK Day of Service Luncheon (Kearney) – January 25th

    • Join UNK Student Diversity & Inclusion in celebrating the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a featured keynote Dr. Bernard Lafayette, Jr., followed by the 3rd Annual MLK Day of Service Project from 2-5pm.
    • Dr. Lafayette co-founded the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee [SNCC] in 1960 with his college roommate, Rep. John Lewis. He was a leader of the Nashville Movement Lunch Counter Sit-ins in 1960, and the 1961 Freedom Rides, and directed the Selma, Alabama Voter Registration Project (as depicted in the 2014 Academy Award-Winning motion picture “SELMA”)

Creighton University MLK Week (Omaha) – January 13th and 18th

    • Guest speakers Latasha Morrison, author and certified trainer in cultural intelligence and unconscious bias and Jonathan C. Augustine, reconciliation scholar, ordained minister and professor.

Doane University MLK Week (Crete) – January 16th-20th

    • A week’s worth of programming including a march, lunch and learns and service projects and movies under the theme “UNITY, commUNITY, opportUNITY.”
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Photos + Videos from Your Welcoming Week!

YAY for a successful Welcoming Week 2022!

Welcoming Week 2022 gave us a chance to celebrate #WhereWeBelong by bringing people together across lines of difference to develop greater understanding, mutual support, and communities where we all belong.

This year, creative Welcomers across Nebraska hosted festivals, virtual cooking tutorials, and storytelling events. And several local elected leaders gave official proclamations for Welcoming Week, including in South Sioux City, Columbus, and Lincoln!

Here are a few photos of some of the celebrations across the state. Check out a slideshow photo roundup:

See Thumbnails

Beyond Welcoming Week

We love Welcoming Week so much we’re extending it, so the fun doesn’t end! Here are some upcoming events and ways that you can continue building communities #WhereWeBelong

Thank you for celebrating with us, and for being an integral part of what makes Nebraska so welcoming.

Please reach out to Christa and me to support additional welcoming and belonging activities throughout the year!

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Welcoming Week is Underway: Local Events inside!

Welcoming Week

Celebrate Welcoming Week!

Happy Welcoming Week! Nebraskans across the state are celebrating what makes Nebraska communities vibrant and strong.

Here’s how to participate:

Find local events NEAR YOU! From festivals and parades, to learning events, cultural performances, and sharing food and stories of belonging, there’s still time to join a Nebraska Welcoming Week event in a community near you!

You can also join a virtual event or participate in a Welcoming Week event outside Nebraska if you are traveling – Welcoming Week is being celebrated around the world!

Print a Welcomer sign for your office, business or to post on social media or use a virtual Welcomer background in your next video call! You can see examples below of leaders from across the state who joined us virtually to kick off Welcoming Week together as part of our statewide convening to build more inclusive communities!

Welcomers

Don’t forget to engage on social media! Share your photos and experiences with welcoming on social media using the hashtag #WhereWeBelong. Follow Nebraska Is Home and Welcoming America on Facebook or @WelcomingUSA and @NebraskaIsHome on Instagram and Twitter.

Enjoy these photos of Welcoming Week events that have happened so far across the state:

Harvest Moon Festival
Yezidi dance group performing at the Harvest Moon Festival organized by the Asian Community and Cultural Center in Lincoln
Rogelio
Rogelio Rodriguez with Unity in Action speaks at South Sioux City Council about the Welcoming Week proclamation that the Council gave
Why Lincoln
Community members came together in Lincoln to share stories of migration around the theme “Where We Belong: Why Lincoln”

Thank you for celebrating Welcoming Week and Where We Belong with us!