Welcoming Week is September 10th-19th and we’re ready to help you plan how you want to celebrate your community as a welcoming place!
Each year, Welcoming Week is a chance for neighbors from all backgrounds to come together, get to know one another, and celebrate what unites us as a community.
Continue reading “Welcoming Week is just around the corner! Let us help you plan!”
This is a guest blog post by Zeke Rouse, Appleseed’s Immigrants and Communities Welcoming Intern.
Across America, thousands of communities celebrate today in big and small ways, with local and larger events, holiday fare, parades, music, and readings of the Declaration of Independence. Some of us may not get past the hot dogs and watermelon, but it is time to reflect, even for just a few minutes, about what it means to live in a country built on the principles of democracy, where the voice of the people matters. “We the people” were, for many years, defined as white, land-owning men, but this has changed over time, as laws have codified standards to make our society fairer and more just. That doesn’t make us perfect. In fact, the founding fathers aimed to create not a perfect union, but a more perfect union. It was the dream of that more perfect union that inspired leaders like Susan B. Anthony and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to fight for rights to be extended to all Americans, beyond those whom our founding fathers narrowly included.
Welcome, I’m glad you’re here. The thing about brewing a good cup of tea is you can’t rush the process. You have to put the tea leaves in and pour the water slowly so as to not make a mess. Then you have to wait a couple of minutes to allow that tea to steep, because boiling would burn the tea leaves and extract too many tannins, which are what give teas their bitterness. If you want a quality cup of tea, there is no way around the waiting and allowing the process. In that way, it is a lot like building welcoming and inclusive communities, which requires a lot of patience and waiting for results to unfold once you have added the leaves and poured the water.
Continue reading “Tea Time with Khenda: Creating Communities of Belonging”
The impact of recognizing Juneteenth as the federal holiday with the passing of the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act cannot be understated. Yet many people don’t know the meaning and significance of Juneteenth.
While it took two and a half years for word of the Emancipation Proclamation to reach Texas, it has taken 156 years for Juneteenth to be recognized as historically significant.
We celebrate Juneteenth and all it means with the knowledge and reality that we have much more work to do. We must seek to know the history and the barriers and structures of racism that carry forward in order to learn from our mistakes as a country and as individuals to do better in the future. This is a day to reflect and to deeply consider the wound of racism.
Continue reading “Celebrate and recognize the history of Juneteenth”
This is a guest blog post by Zeke Rouse, Appleseed’s Immigrants and Communities Welcoming Intern.
June is an opportunity to share stories and recognize the impact that different immigrant Nebraskans have in shaping our communities. Storytelling gives us an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of experiences, perspectives, and people that call Nebraska home.
Since June of 2014, Immigrant Heritage Month has given people across the United States an opportunity to annually explore their own heritage and celebrate the shared diversity that forms the unique story of America.
Continue reading “Celebrating Immigrants! June Is Immigrant Heritage Month”
Please note: We are currently in the 4th session of the Creating Communities of Belonging series. Join us by registering at the link below!
This virtual series will provide collaborative sessions, presentations, and networking with Nebraskans who are committed to creating communities where everyone, including immigrant neighbors, feels valued.
In lieu of an in-person statewide welcoming convening this year, join us for this monthly series of virtual sessions. The series will continue through the summer on the second Friday of each month. All sessions will be virtual and are free.
We are excited to introduce the speakers for the event series!
Continue reading “Summer 2021 series: Creating Communities of Belonging”
I hope you can join us virtually for the Welcoming Interactive conference May 5th & 6th, and also for our Nebraska Is Home: Creating Communities of Belonging series beginning in June! See more information below.
Join us and other Nebraskans for the conference & virtual coffee breaks!
The Welcoming Interactive is virtual this year and open to all those who are seeking inspiration and practical strategies for creating a more welcoming, inclusive society. Join the growing movement of practitioners in local communities across the country, share best practices and connect with a network of peers. Continue reading “You’re invited! Creating Communities of Belonging and Welcoming Interactive”
As the trial of Derek Chauvin has captured the attention of many people across the country and around the world, we are feeling a deep sense of grief. One single trial or one verdict cannot erase the rightful grief, fear, and anger experienced by Black men, women, and children across the country, as our communities are ripped apart. The fact that police killings disproportionately impact Black community members is a clear indication of a deep-rooted systemic problem.
Continue reading “We cannot heal until Black community members are safe”
Welcoming Interactive 2021 is going virtual! That means we’re inviting you to join us to take a deep dive into immigrant inclusion best practices, hear from peers across the country, and be inspired by keynote speakers john a. powell (lowercase intentional) and Dr. Gail Christopher on belonging and equity.
The Welcoming Interactive is open to all those who are seeking inspiration and practical strategies for creating a more welcoming, inclusive society. Whether you’re an expert or new to the issue, if you are seeking inspiration and practical strategies for creating a more welcoming and inclusive society, the Welcoming Interactive invites you to join the growing movement of practitioners in local communities across the country, and to share best practices and connect with a network of peers.
Continue reading “Join us for the Welcoming Interactive 2021!”
Welcome! In case you’re new here, Tea Time is a quarterly newsletter where we share stories, resources, and events for Welcoming and Inclusive communities across Nebraska. So pour yourself a cup of your favorite tea or coffee, and let’s exchange good news! ☕️
Continue reading “Tea Time: Updates & Opportunities for Inclusive Communities”
