Blog

Posted on

Let’s launch Welcoming Week together!

Join us for the final session of the Nebraska is Home virtual summer series Practicing Community Tools for Race Equity and Belonging, as we launch Welcoming Week together!

Friday, September 9th at 10:00 AM-11:30 AM (CT) / 11:00 AM-12:30 PM (MT)
Inclusion Practices Everywhere in Community Work

Our final session falls on the first day of Welcoming Week, as groups across Nebraska and all over the country hold events that bring neighbors from different backgrounds together to get to know one another and celebrate what unites us as a community! This year, the Welcoming Week theme is “Where We Belong.”

Join our virtual session with other Nebraskans as we celebrate this week of belonging! Together, we’ll:

    • Preview techniques to speak up against stereotypes and other biased behaviors, without blame or guilt;
    • Share ideas, tips and learnings about holding neighbor-to-neighbor events year-round that promote inclusion and belonging; and
    • Create a Welcoming Week message together and hear what other Nebraskans have planned for this week and beyond!

REGISTER NOW
(If you registered for previous events in the series, there is no need to register again.)

Welcomers

We hope to see you there!

Posted on

Tea Time: Gear up for Welcoming Week!

Welcoming Week

Updates & Opportunities for Inclusive Communities

I’m happy you are here. This is my favorite time of year, when the days are sunny and breezy, music and cultural festivals are in full swing, and Welcoming Week is just around the corner!

Welcoming Week: “Where We Belong” Sept. 9-18

Welcoming Week is a national initiative that Nebraskans participate in each year in September. It’s a time for cities, organizations, and communities to hold events that bring neighbors from different backgrounds together to get to know one another and celebrate what unites us as a community. This year, Welcoming Week is September 9-18.

The theme for Welcoming Week this year is “Where We Belong.” By focusing on the places and spaces that foster belonging (ie. cities, workplaces, neighborhoods, etc.), we can go deeper and spark individual reflection on how and why belonging occurs, and ways we can break barriers so that places can foster belonging for all community members, including immigrants and refugees.

What’s happening across Nebraska?

Each September, people across Nebraska seize the opportunity to demonstrate their commitment to inclusiveness by hosting dozens of cultural and bridge-building events!

Events can be big or small, virtual or in-person. Find ideas, inspiration, and a toolkit on the official Welcoming Week website. You can also check out this recap of last year’s Welcoming Week festivities across Nebraska.

Already planning your Welcoming Week event? We’d love to hear about it and help get the word out. Email me!

We’ll start to add local events to our Nebraska Is Home Blog soon, so check back on the blog and help spread the word by sharing it on social media.

In the meantime, check out Belonging Begins With Us, where community members share their thoughts on ‘belonging.’ You can also share your story!

I can’t wait to hear about what’s happening in your community!

Beyond Welcoming Week

If you haven’t started planning your event yet, it’s not too late! We are extending Welcoming Week to the entire month of September and beyond. Send me a message, and I would be happy to help you plan an event to showcase what makes your community welcoming. The Welcoming Week Toolkit has lots of useful ideas, information, and even social media graphics to help you get started.

Thank you for making Nebraska a place where we all belong.

Posted on

Get ready for Welcoming Week!

This year, Welcoming Week celebrates its 10th anniversary with the theme “Where We Belong.” Since 2012, thousands of Nebraskans have participated through the arts, music, community meals, recipe exchanges, voter registration, and more —growing to more than 30 events in at least 8 communities and signaling broad commitment to welcoming values across our state.

Join us in 2022 to recognize and celebrate the people, places, and values that ensure everyone feels welcome and that they belong, no matter where they come from. Khenda and I are glad to talk with you and help to plan what you can do in your community! 

You can find our contact information and some ideas to get your started below.

Plan your event and join us in Celebrating Welcoming Week!
September 9-18, 2022
#WhereWeBelong

WELCOMING WEEK RESOURCES

  • Resources and best practices for planning your event – See slide presentation and recording
  • Welcoming Week Toolkit
  • Visual assets to promote your event!
  • Campaign hashtags: #WelcomingWeek2022 and #WhereWeBelong
  • National Partner social media handles: @WelcomingUSA (Instagram/Twitter) @WelcomingAmerica (LinkedIn/Facebook)

Share your event with the Event Submission Form and be counted among the many events across Nebraska and across the country:

We urge you to continue to visit the Welcoming Week website where you can sign up for updates, add your events to the map, and much more!

Posted on

Our past, our present and our future! Celebrating Immigrant Heritage Month

June is Immigrant Heritage Month. This is an opportunity to reflect on our past, take hold of our present, and imagine our future. Immigrant Nebraskans shaped the state we live in today, building our agricultural economy, as entrepreneurs, educators, inventors, laborers and community leaders. Today, immigrant neighbors continue in those same roles adding to the rich tapestry of culture, art, and community across this state, playing a role in together shaping our collective future.

WATCH: Celebrating #ImmigrantHeritageMonth

 

It is hard to find a part of everyday life in the United States that immigrant Americans have not shaped – our impact is felt in the movies we watch, the music we listen to, the food we eat, and so much more.

To Cook or Eat:

Taste of Belonging: This collection pairs recipes from diverse cultures with activities that connect people around a shared table and get them working together on a common goal.

The Return of Taste of 27th Street: This guided walking tour is now sold out, but you can still visit each restaurant: Intuit Raw Foods, Banhwich Cafe, Misky Bakery, and Bloom in Lincoln.

Support your favorite local immigrant-owned restaurant.  Or try a new one!

Events to Attend:

June 17, 18 & 19 Stromsburg Swedish Festival 

June 17, 18 & 19 Holdrege Swedish Days

June 18 Omaha World Refugee Day

June 24, 25 & 26 Clarkson Czech Days

Learn More:

June 28 6th Annual Columbus Diversity and Inclusion Summit  For anyone, especially HR professionals, business leaders, community leaders, and D&I practitioners interested in supporting diversity and inclusion efforts for our growing communities and workplaces!

Now through September 20 Carne y Arena  at Kaneko in Omaha. This is an immersive VR experience recounting the harrowing journey of Central American and Mexican refugees. CARNE y ARENA is presented for the first time in Nebraska.

To Watch or Stream:

Local stories: Centro Hispano in Columbus invites you to celebrate Immigrant Heritage Month with the series Semillas del Destino! Tune in for new stories each Friday on their Facebook page – this Friday, watch Jose’s story!

Minari: Written and directed by Lee Isaac Chung, Minari is, at least in part, based on a true story. Minari, which won a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film, follows the story of an immigrant Korean family who move from California to Arkansas in hope of a better life and land to call their own.

Little America: Inspired by the true stories, “Little America” goes beyond the headlines to look at the funny, romantic, heartfelt, inspiring, surprising stories of immigrant Americans, more relevant now than ever.

To Read:

      • The Next Great Migration (Sonia Shah)
      • The God Who Sees (Karen Gonzalez)
      • The Undocumented Americans (Karla Cornejo Villavicencio)
      • Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen (Jose Antonio Vargas)
      • The Ungrateful Refugee (Dina Nayeri)
      • The Good Immigrant (26 Writers Reflect on America)
      • The Land of Open Graves (Jason De Leon)
      • Once I Was You (Maria Hinojosa)
      • The Warmth of Other Suns (Isabel Wilkerson)
      • The Beekeeper of Aleppo (Christy Lefteri)
      • Americanah (Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie)

Lutheran Immigrant and Refugee Services shares more information on these books and interviews with authors

Posted on

Belonging: Timothy’s Story

Timothy

Timothy shares his story of making bad decisions in order to belong. People who have been incarcerated and people with mental health problems are often considered “other” and different. Timothy chose Mental Health Awareness Month to tell his story, who helped him to know he belongs, and how he now helps others.

“Rick would always let me know […] helping others can also help yourself”

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Mental health and wellness is important to overall health.You are not alone. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), 1 in 5 U.S. adults experienced a mental illness in 2020. Part of building belonging is understanding how important it is to talk about mental health in our families and communities. 

If you need suicide or mental health-related crisis support, or are worried about someone else, please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or text ‘MHA’ to 741741. Starting July 16, 2022, 988 will become the national number to call for mental health crisis and suicide prevention.

Posted on

Hate

The three separate acts of violence over the past weekend are symptomatic of larger and deeper issues of anti-Blackness and anti-Asian sentiments in the United States. Harmful conspiracy theories have steadily gained visibility in mainstream rhetoric, media, and politics feeding hatred and promoting White Nationalism.

While we mourn the loss of life and pain inflicted on Buffalo, Laguna Beach, and Dallas, we are also angry that while motivation in each situation is not entirely clear, it is true that in each case the shooters left their home with the intent to do harm to people with a specific skin color or ethnic background.

Every person deserves to live without fear of harm or death because of the skin they exist in.

We are frustrated because we are here once again. We must make real our opposition to the political terror taking place around the country. It is not enough to grieve or to become angry. We must and can take action.

Humans need a sense of belonging and will seek that out if they don’t find it. Creating strong and inclusive communities, and knowing our neighbors can prepare us to provide support for communities of color and identify those drawn to White supremacy groups.

 WATCH: PBS Newshour “How America Can Respond to White Nationalist Violence”

This manual provides a guide for those who want to “do something” about hate, not only for the immediate aftermath of a hateful act, but for years to come to improve their community.
A Community Guide For Opposing Hate

Concerned about someone you know?
Confronting Conspiracy Theories And Organized Bigotry at Home: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers 

Hate crimes, an attempted crime, or a hate incident – threats, assault, and violence, or graffiti that is targeted because of race, religion, disability, gender, or sexual orientation – should be reported. Take photos if possible, write down details taking note of any words said or symbols. Even if these words or symbols don’t make sense to you, they may be helpful to the police.

Resources to learn more about hate groups:

Additional resources in multiple languages:

Posted on

Tea Time: Upcoming inclusion events you won’t want to miss!

How are we in May already? But here we all are, and as the May flowers blossom in all their colorful glory, there are many emerging opportunities around cultivating communities where everyone feels that they belong.

Belonging Begins With Us

Together, we can create communities where everyone feels they belong. Together with Welcoming America’s Belonging Begins With Us campaign, we are thrilled to share local Nebraska stories, beginning with Tut’s story. Tut found and created a sense of belonging in Lincoln, and is now helping others buy their first homes, putting roots down to become vital members of their community.

Read Tut’s Story

We will be sharing more stories on our Belonging Begins With Us page, so stay tuned!

Rural Assembly Everywhere!

Rural Assembly Everywhere
May 10 and 11 from 1 to  4 pm CT
Free, Virtual Event

Rural Assembly Everywhere will this year feature Nebraska inclusion leaders Nancy Tellez, City of Crete Community Assistance Director; Valeria Rodriguez, paralegal with Immigrant Legal Services and Co-Founder at Empowering Families:Empoderando Familias in Scottsbluff; and Christa Yoakum, Senior Welcoming Coordinator at Nebraska Appleseed. Join the conversation about successes and challenges of rural community inclusion!

Rural Assembly Everywhere is a virtual festival for rural advocates and the rural-curious, listeners and leaders, neighbors and admirers. Participants will enjoy two days of programming featuring artists and poets, civic leaders, and experts.

Rural Assembly is a nonprofit connecting with people and organizations across the country dedicated to building more opportunity, changing perceptions in service to healing a divided nation, and working toward better policy for rural communities.

Register Now

Welcoming Interactive

Welcoming Interactive
May 18 to 20, 2022
In-person event in Charlotte, North Carolina

There is still time to register! We hope you’ll join us at the annual Welcoming Interactive. This gathering of people from nonprofits, local governments, and many other sectors highlights successful practices and inspiring stories about immigrant inclusion, programs, policies, and partnerships on economic development, civic participation, government leadership, and more. Attendees learn about local innovations from peer communities and come away with new ideas and energy to foster welcoming places for all.

Welcoming Interactive is hosted by Welcoming America, a nonprofit leading a movement of inclusive communities to become more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs, including immigrants.

Race and Equity Resources

Co-creating a home where everyone belongs, has a voice, and is valued in their fullness requires us to tackle systemic barriers to inclusion and belonging. Here are some tools for that journey of learning and understanding together.

Posted on

Lincoln and Lancaster County launch a Strategic Plan for Inclusion and Belonging!

How I make someone feel welcomeWe all have the power to make our neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools more welcoming. We’re thrilled that Lincoln and Lancaster County launched their community-wide Welcoming & Belonging Strategic Plan!  The plan is supported with funding awarded by the American Immigration Council.

“The plan includes a data report that highlights the crucial role that New Americans play in the community, and outlines action steps to facilitate equitable access to services for all residents,” said Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird in the launch press conference.

Nebraska is Home participated in the development of this plan, and one of the most impressive aspects of the process was how inclusive it was every step of the way. Stakeholders from many different cultural backgrounds and sectors came to the table to discuss and plan how to co-create a vibrant Community of Belonging, inclusive of and drawing on the strengths of all residents. Community members made recommendations in areas of equitable access, safe and healthy communities, civic engagement and community connections, education, economic opportunities, and affordable and quality housing.

The process started when the city and county received the Gateways for Growth Challenge, a competitive opportunity offered by Welcoming America and New American Economy (now American Immigration Council). Gateways for Growth provided research and technical assistance, and was awarded to the community because of the strong collaboration of area nonprofits and supportive local government. This month, Lancaster County accepted a $15,000 grant from American Immigration Council to support implementation.

This plan seeks not only to improve the quality of life of New Americans, but also to make the whole community stronger and more vibrant for all.

Check out the plan to read the recommendations for programs and policies that foster a community where everyone feels they belong!

The plan also includes spotlight stories! See below to read the stories of some members of the community, Solinee Phan, David Manzares, and Maysoon Shaheen.

Soulinnee Phan

Posted on

Belonging: Tut’s Story

Tut, Lincoln

An item or belonging that is special:

Tut's Mother's PurseWhen I think of my journey, I remember my mother’s purse. She has had it since we left the refugee camp. The purse is hand-woven and sturdy. It was a gift to my family. It reminds us of all the struggles, of what we can do, and it keeps us grounded.

On feeling left out:

It seems very vivid. I came from San Diego to Nashville and was in English as a Second Language classes. I was the only African kid. Nobody wanted to be friends. They called me names. I didn’t feel welcomed. I felt alienated.

But when some family moved near us, a cousin became a buddy who was more outgoing and could make friends. He brought me along with him and bridged that gap.

On creating a community of belonging:

Now, I watch and can tell from people’s body language when someone is withdrawing from the conversation or when someone feels unaccepted or when they are not validated. I invite them in. I ask their opinion and for their input. Through my work, I get to help people buy their first homes and put down roots becoming vital members of their neighborhood.

Posted on

[Early bird discounts available] Racial equity conferences coming up!

We are excited to share three national conferences this year each offering unique collaborative spaces to learn and share with others who, like you, are committed to racial equity, racial justice and working to create communities where everyone feels like they belong. Participants will have access to information, tools, and resources on racial equity, share successful practices and inspiring stories about immigrant inclusion, programs, policies, and partnerships on economic development, civic engagement, government leadership, and more. 

Please do let us know if you have any questions or if you are planning to attend so that we can meet up at the conference!

Welcoming Interactive, May 18-20 in Charlotte, North Carolina (Early Bird Registration discount through March 25, 2022.)
The Welcoming Interactive is an annual conference that highlights successful practices and inspiring stories about immigrant inclusion, programs, policies, and partnerships on economic development, civic engagement, government leadership, and more. Attendees learn about local innovations from peer communities and come away with new ideas and energy to foster welcoming places for all.

Facing Race, November 17-19 in Phoenix, Arizona (Early Bird Registration discount through April 1, 2022.)
Facing Race is for all people who desire to build awareness of racial equity, identify solutions to dismantle systemic racism, and come together with people who share a passion for racial justice. Facing Race welcomes people of all ages, races, ethnicities, occupations, sexual orientations, gender identities, faiths, and political ideologies.Facing Race: A National Conference is presented by Race Forward, a national non-profit working to advance racial justice in our policies, institutions, and culture.

Facing Race is hybrid this year with the full experience of the in-person conference and a hybrid program which includes all plenaries and 20 breakout and interactive sessions. (Let us know if you plan to attend the virtual conference and we will look for an opportunity to connect you with other Nebraskans informally to learn and share more.)

National Immigrant Inclusion Conference, December 11-13, National Harbor, Maryland
A project of the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), the National Immigrant Inclusion Conference (NIIC) is the nation’s largest gathering of the entire sector working on behalf of America’s immigrants and refugees. NIIC celebrates our commitment to an inclusive democracy that welcomes, integrates and uplifts all, recognizing the vital contributions and impact all communities have on our nation. The conference is an inspiring, collegial and intersectional space that showcases the expertise and innovation of a wide range of leaders, organizations, and networks all working on behalf of America’s immigrants and refugees and towards a shared vision of a welcoming democracy.

Watch your inbox for information about Nebraska Is Home’s summer convening series too!