Blog

Posted on

You’re invited! Creating Communities of Belonging and Welcoming Interactive

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.

It’s not too late to register for the Welcoming Interactive 2021!

Join us and other Nebraskans for the conference & virtual coffee breaks!

Welcoming Interactive

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”

Posted on

We cannot heal until Black community members are safe

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”

Posted on

Join us for the Welcoming Interactive 2021!

Welcoming Interactive

Inclusion. Belonging. Equity.

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!”

Posted on

Supporting our Asian-Americans Friends and Neighbors

Our communities are strongest when everyone feels valued, safe, and respected. The Asian-American and Pacific Islander population in Nebraska is growing, and contributes greatly to our local communities as faith and business leaders, artists, students, teachers, and in many other roles. Unfortunately, our Asian-American friends and neighbors are also experiencing increased discrimination based on misplaced anxiety and fear related to the pandemic.

Asian AmericansThe recent uptick of discrimination and intolerance against Asian-Americans – nationally as well as within Nebraska – has certainly been fueled by racist rhetoric and messaging, including from top government leaders who wrongly referred to the COVID-19 pandemic using false names that stoked unfounded fears and perpetuated stigma about Asian Americans. These actions have been extremely harmful to our community at large.

Continue reading “Supporting our Asian-Americans Friends and Neighbors”

Posted on

Let’s listen to Black community members today and every day

"Native Omaha Days is a bi-annual event in North Omaha held since 1976 celebrating the community's history and culture." ALYSSA SCHUKAR/THE WORLD-HERALD
“Native Omaha Days is a bi-annual event in North Omaha held since 1976 celebrating the community’s history and culture.” ALYSSA SCHUKAR/THE WORLD-HERALD

Every February, we focus on learning ‘Black history’, in other words, the American history that must be central to any true study of our country. Black history is ingenuity, innovation, and the ongoing pursuit of truth and justice moving this nation closer to its ideals of liberty and democracy. But history does not live in some distant, disconnected, and stagnant past, and it’s definitely not a lesson we should study in February alone. 

Continue reading “Let’s listen to Black community members today and every day”

Posted on

Renewing the Task Force for New Americans is a step in the right direction

Welcoming Team

Building welcoming communities happens primarily on the local level, but it takes a commitment from leadership at all levels to truly create an inclusive nation that sees immigrants and refugees as a valuable part of its social and cultural fabric. That’s why we are pleased that the Biden Administration renewed the Task Force for New Americans, an important step toward ensuring the federal government is investing in welcoming communities for all Americans.  Continue reading “Renewing the Task Force for New Americans is a step in the right direction”

Posted on

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Reflection, and Education

Dr Martin Luther King JrMartin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday, and here at Nebraska Is Home, we like to think of this as a day on rather than a day off of work. It’s a day of service, reflection, and education, as we commit ourselves to fostering a welcoming Nebraska, where everyone feels they belong – no matter their background or country of origin. We feel that building a more just and equitable society is the best way to honor the legacy of Dr. King Jr., a Black man who inspired people to fight against injustice of all kinds. Continue reading “Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Reflection, and Education”