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[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!

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Tea Time: Statewide Book Club + See you next year!

Tea Time with Khenda

The quarterly newsletter where we share Updates & Opportunities for Inclusive Communities

This year has been full of wonderful opportunities and challenges, and I could not be happier to have shared the journey with all of you Welcoming leaders of Nebraska.

You’re invited: Statewide book club!

As you may have heard, we are ending the year with a bang and began a book club, Real Talk on Racism, around, You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism by Nebraska authors, Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar.

You’re invited to join the book club! This is the perfect book to curl up on cold winter nights, or to gift to a friend or family member!

Find out where to get the book locally, register to join a discussion near you, or find out how to host a small book club yourself HERE!

Join us in Meeting the Authors!

Don’t forget to register for our virtual conversation with Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar, moderated by Lincoln City Councilwoman Sändra Washington on January 19, 2022! The discussion starts at 5:30 pm CT and the authors will join at 6 pm CT.

Register Now

Thank you and see you in 2022!

Thank you for all of your incredible work to build a more inclusive and welcoming Nebraska. We know this work is hard and full of challenges, and this year was no exception. But you persevered with grace, creativity, and strength. We appreciate you!

On behalf of Nebraska Is Home, we wish you all a wonderful holiday break and a happy New Year!

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Hopeless: Civil War in Ethiopia & Impact on Neighbors

In meeting new neighbors and working toward creating inclusive communities, we cannot fully understand what another person is dealing with, and we are also often unaware of stories that don’t get big news headlines or scroll across our screens. Political unrest, violence, and war affect our neighbors in ways that most of us have never experienced. Our neighbors are not only navigating the new and complex society we share but they may be experiencing family separation, witnessing current political unrest or violence streamed from their home country, and fearing for family members who are left behind. Or they may have lost contact with those family members due to violence and lack of resources. We invited Nile to share his family’s story and how the civil war in Ethiopia affects his family living in Nebraska. – Christa Yoakum, Senior Welcoming Coordinator.

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This is a guest blog post by Nebraska Appleseed’s Welcoming Intern, Nile Debebe. 

Hopeless

This is the one word I could use to describe how I am feeling about the safety of my family in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.

Continue reading “Hopeless: Civil War in Ethiopia & Impact on Neighbors”

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Honor Native American Heritage Month

November is Native American Heritage Month and it’s a time to celebrate the cultures, accomplishments, and contributions of Native Americans and Alaska Natives.

Telling stories and sharing culture through dance, family traditions, art, and music, we can learn contemporary diversity and the long history of Indigenous peoples across the land we now call the United States. 

On our continuous journey to learn more and to honor and respect people, you are invited to celebrate the history, culture, and traditions of American Indians and Alaska Natives. But perhaps the best way to honor Indigenous people this month and year-round is to rethink history and question our history books, to shine a light on truth, acknowledging our painful history and aspiring for a more just society that seeks to lift, not erase, the lives, traditions, and cultures of the people who were here first. 

Continue reading “Honor Native American Heritage Month”

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Tea Time: Welcoming Week in Nebraska + more

Tea Time with Khenda

The quarterly newsletter where we share Updates & Opportunities for Inclusive Communities

Now that the leaves are changing color and autumn has arrived, I hope you are warming up with a steaming cup of your favorite tea or coffee. I am glad you’re here, so let’s share some feel-good stories.

Recently I sat down with Hope Dunbar on the CASATalk Podcast to talk about Nebraska Is Home and the growing Welcoming movement in our state. Listen to the episode!

Continue reading “Tea Time: Welcoming Week in Nebraska + more”

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Join us weekly for a conversation on racial equity

As we strive to build more welcoming communities where everyone feels they belong, we recognize that segregation and inequity are barriers to belonging. That is why it is important to educate ourselves about the causes (history) and effects (outcomes) of racism in our communities, and learn how to talk about them with those around us — so that we can break down systemic obstacles and create real inclusion.

Continue reading “Join us weekly for a conversation on racial equity”

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REGISTER NOW: Fostering Belonging Individually and Structurally series

Welcoming communities and places are made possible by people like you! Whether you’re a student, librarian, government worker, or business owner, each of us is empowered to foster more welcoming places at work, in our neighborhoods, and places of gathering where everyone feels like they belong. 

We hope you can join us for The Fostering Belonging Individually and Structurally series starting October 14th, by Welcoming America, which features three videos and accompanying webinars on belonging: what it means, what it looks like, and how we can create belonging as individuals with structural impact.

Continue reading “REGISTER NOW: Fostering Belonging Individually and Structurally series”

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Welcoming Week and beyond!

Neighbors all across Nebraska came together this Welcoming Week – virtually as well as physically – to celebrate, learn together, and take strides in creating communities where everybody can belong. 

Nebraskans hosted close to 30 events across more than eight communities, joining the growing movement to create more welcoming communities through intentional actions, practices, and policies. Immigrants, refugees, long-time residents, and community members of all backgrounds found imaginative ways to bring people together across lines of difference to develop greater understanding and mutual support, and to affirm that Belonging Begins With Us!

Continue reading “Welcoming Week and beyond!”

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Delicious ways to celebrate Welcoming Week!

Welcoming Week

Happy Welcoming Week! It is often said that food is a great connector! The presence of food sets the table for conversation and curiosity — two essential ingredients for building community among people who have different backgrounds and identities. Under the right conditions, food can be a positive entry point for activities and initiatives that unite a community and decrease prejudice between different groups.

One great way to celebrate Welcoming Week is by trying a dish or recipe from a culture that’s different from your own.

Continue reading “Delicious ways to celebrate Welcoming Week!”