Tag: Welcoming

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Immigrant Heritage Month 2018 – Raul Arcos

June is Immigrant Heritage Month. Throughout the month, we’ll be celebrating both our diversity and our shared American heritage by telling the stories of individuals that, together, comprise a uniquely American narrative.

Raul Arcos

Raul Arcos, whose family is originally from Mexico, is now a young leader in the Columbus Chamber of Commerce.

I originally came to the United States because of my mom. She wanted my brother and I to have greater opportunities and better education than we could have in Mexico. So, we moved to Idaho when I was eight years old.

We first moved to Idaho because my extended family lived there. While there were many seasonal job opportunities for work, it was very difficult to find a full-time position. Eventually, one of my cousins moved to Schuyler, Nebraska. They liked it a lot and then convinced the rest of my family to move there. After two years in Idaho, we moved to Schuyler when I was 10.

Two years later, my mom, my brother, and I moved to Madison, Nebraska. Perhaps because of my small school, I felt like a part of the community. There were at least 10 other Latino families living there, and my teachers were very welcoming. They made me feel like I belonged there. I felt like Nebraska was home.

That sentiment has continued. A couple of years ago, I moved to Columbus for work. With better jobs and higher wages, I had better opportunity there.

At this point, I’ve lived in the United States for 25 years. I have grown to be deeply invested in my community here. The work that we do at my job with the local Chamber of Commerce has been amazing. And, the moments of success in this work are what I cherish the most.

I love seeing GED participants get their GED because of the effort, dedication, and sacrifice they make. I also enjoy helping Business Development participants open their business and assisting them with technical issues. I get to see the growth in the process with all of the work that we’re doing in Columbus. I can’t imagine living anywhere else. Nebraska is home!

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3rd annual Lincoln Unites! celebrates Lincoln’s strength through diversity

Lincoln held its third-annual and largest-ever Lincoln Unites! festival this May, where Lincoln families celebrated a welcoming community and enjoyed the rich cultural diversity of Nebraska’s capital city.

A moving citizenship ceremony in the morning celebrated 30 new American citizens, who were originally from Liberia, Mexico, China, and other countries, together with many friends, family, and neighbors in attendance.

In the afternoon, hundreds of Lincoln residents of all ages paraded through activities, food, and performances at the Nebraska History Museum on Centennial Mall. Kids had a chance to try pupusas from El Salvador,falafel from Iraq, and to see dancing from South Sudan.

“One of my favorite parts of living in Lincoln is the opportunity to learn and experience a whole tapestry of cultures through my neighbors,” said Lee Kreimer, Welcoming Associate at Nebraska Appleseed. “On Saturday, I traveled the world just by heading over to Lincoln Unites!”

Afternoon performances included Lion Dancers from Vietnam, musicians and dancers from Fiesta Mexicana of the Heartland, and more music from Edem Soul Music and Elias Eedo. Colorful and thought-provoking student art decorated the walls from the “Many Faces, One Lincoln” art contest hosted by the LUX Center for the Arts.

“It has been exciting to see this festival grow in just three years,” said Christa Yoakum, Nebraska Is Home Coordinator. “It is truly a collaborative effort by local nonprofits, businesses, and the city of Lincoln, and it showcases something really special about our community. It was so much fun to see Lincoln neighbors enjoying one another’s cultural heritages.”

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Nebraskans celebrate Welcoming Week 2015

Welcoming Week 2015 was the biggest ever, marking a significant moment for the Welcoming movement from September 12-20. People across the United States joined in by participating in Welcoming Week, a national movement that aims to celebrate and honor the contributions that immigrants make to our local communities every day.

Nic_Rachel_CassandraThis fourth annual event that included more than 245 events and more than 22,000 people participating in 31 states (including Nebraska) shows a growing desire for our country to become more inclusive and welcoming for all New Americans.

The nation-wide movement, led by Welcoming America, included more than 250 partner organizations including MoveOn – a nonprofit organization focused on education and advocacy as well as providing civic engagement tools to the public, and building the progressive movement by encouraging and supporting the development of more grassroots leaders.

Nebraska continues to be a national leader in welcoming. On September 17, the White House Task Force announced the launch of the Building Welcoming Communities Campaign to support initiatives that build bridges among immigrant and receiving communities. Three Nebraska cities – Crete, Lincoln, and Schuyler – were among the first 40 U.S. communities to sign on to the campaign.

ToriNational Welcoming Week was highlighted by several events locally. Award-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas set the tone as the first guest speaker in the 2015 EN Thompson Forum at the Lied Center on September 15. He shared his story growing up as an undocumented immigrant from the Philippines and of the people who supported his success here in America. As a co-founder of Define American, he continues to promote dialogue about the different backgrounds and experiences that make up the diversity of Americans.

The celebration continued with community members taking a walking tour of businesses owned by New Americans in one Lincoln neighborhood. A variety of businesses featured included a Vietnamese restaurant, an Oriental market, South Sudanese grocery store, and a Mexican bakery. Each business owner had an opportunity to tell their story about why they started their business, how they funded it, and who their customers are. Community members were treated to Vietnamese sandwiches and Mexican pastries and flan. They ate coconut cookies at the Oriental Market and bought coffee and candies at Lincoln Grocery Mart, the South Sudanese store.

The tour also included a stop at the Good Neighbor Community Center – a nonprofit organization that supports refugees and immigrants providing food, clothing, ESL classes and opportunities for social interactions.

Community members from across Nebraska also stood up and proclaimed themselves as welcomers on social media by joining the “I am a Welcomer” campaign.

Nebraska has long recognized the power and strength of diversity and inclusion. National Welcoming Week was another reminder of how our communities, our neighborhoods, and our businesses all thrive when we make efforts to welcome new neighbors and walk forward together.

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World Refugee Day opens eyes to refugee stories

Meeting neighbors, finding shared values, and learning about the richness of the combined cultures of all of the people who are proud to call Nebraska home is exciting and can help us to overcome what often divides us.

Here, Olivia Rask, an Appleseed intern, shares her experience at the recent World Refugee Day Celebration in Omaha. There are many opportunities across the state this summer to meet neighbors, learn new stories and experience the richness of our combined cultures. We’ve provided a list of some activities for you to check out.

320-WRDThere is something incredibly daunting about the term “refugee.” Before attending World Refugee Day, I had had the basic definition down: someone fleeing their country because of danger to their life. For me, and many others I would suppose, the word simply reared images of death and destruction, burning buildings, and disease. However, everything else about refugees, where in specific they are from, where they are placed, and their lifestyles remained something I had no idea that I didn’t know.

I had no awareness at all of the refugees being placed into my very own community. So in many ways, World Refugee Day was a wake-up call. Although hopefully the event was just the start of more experiences with the refugee population of Nebraska.

I learned a remarkable amount of things during the day but what had taken me most by surprise was that less than one percent of the entire refugee population of the world is resettled into another country, meaning the vast majority of individuals live out long years in refugee camps. This statistic definitely shook my previous conceptualization of the lives of refugees in the world.

Though perhaps marginal in their situation, the resettlement of refugees who have been accepted to live in the U.S. and in cities like Lincoln and Omaha is a vital task. And again, something that I had not known was going on around me. After visiting the booths of Catholic Social Services and Lutheran Family Services (two of the local organizations offering resettlement services) at World Refugee Day, I started researching more into their initiatives in assisting both immigrants and refugees on a more personal, community scale. And I am now very interested in volunteering with their programs.

Another exceptionally valuable thing that I had observed from World Refugee Day was that although refugees have gone through devastating circumstances, the people themselves seemed optimistic. They were filled with hopes and prospects for the future. Which I believe shows a lot about the vitality of our state.

Here’s a list of some opportunities across the state this summer to meet neighbors, learn new stories and experience the richness of our combined cultures.

  • Heritage Campfire Program- Homestead National Monument of America – July 25 – Details
  • Wilber Czech Festival- Wilber- July 31-August 2 – Details
  • Heritage Campfire Program- Homestead National Monument of America – August 1 – Details
  • New Americans Arts Festival – Omaha- August 7 – Details
  • 2015 Ponca Tribe of Nebraska Annual Pow Wow- Niobrara – August 7-9 – Details
  • Festival Latino- Columbus, Ohio- August 8 & 9 – Details
  • Heritage Campfire Program- Homestead National Monument of America- August 15 – Details
  • John Beheler- Second Saturday Speaker Series- Omaha- August 15 – Details
  • Genoa U.S. Indian School Celebration- Genoa- August 15 – Details
  • Native American Presence on the Missouri- Kearney- August 18- November 1 – Details
  • Omaha Greek Festival- Omaha- August 21-23 – Details
  • Lincoln Greek Festival- Lincoln- August 28 & 29 – Details
  • Family Fiesta!- Omaha- September 20 – Details
  • 45th Annual McCook Heritage Days!- McCook- September 26-27 – Details
  • Music and Dance Festival-Schuyler- September 27 – Details
  • Japanese Ambience Festival- Omaha- October 3-4 – Details
  • Illuminating Lincoln: Lighthouse Community Event- Lincoln Haymarket- October 8 – Details
  • 9th Annual Hispanic Heritage Month State Commemoration – Nebraska State Capitol- October 9 – Details
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New Americans share their stories at World Refugee Day 2015

I could list many things that I love about Nebraska. The beautiful countryside, the bike paths, and the friendly neighbors are just a few. After attending Omaha Benson High School’s World Refugee Day Celebration last week, it reaffirmed another thing that I love about my state: diversity.

New to Omaha
Appleseed Intern Olivia Rask (left) speaks with two recent refugees to Omaha at World Refugee Day.

Many may not be aware of the diverse refugee population that has been settled in Nebraska since the middle of the 20th century and long before. For decades, refugees have transitioned from their war-torn, conflicted, or otherwise dangerous homes to a life in Lincoln, Omaha, and the tri-cities area of central Nebraska. As a native Nebraskan, I love the opportunity to eat food from countries around the world, meet friendly people who have started a new life here, and learn about life from the perspectives of these new Nebraskans. At the celebration for International Refugee Day, I was able to witness a handful of the wonderful contributions that these people make to our state.

One of my favorite parts of the event was the welcome and naturalization ceremony. Groups of young people from Burma and different countries in Africa presented traditional dances from their countries. Audience members were also instructed on the basic ways in which refugee resettlement works in Nebraska. Of course, the naturalization ceremony of 30 new American citizens from all over the world was also a very powerful experience to share.

Throughout the day, a number of organizations in the Omaha area presented information to passersby in Benson High’s hallways. A group of Sudanese women had handicrafts for sale as a fundraiser for their organization. Various non-profits provided information for refugees regarding health care, housing, and other important services available to them in the community. Nebraska Appleseed’s table had a tree on which patrons would write something that is welcoming to new residents in Omaha. As an intern with Appleseed, I enjoyed meeting native Nebraskans and new Nebraskans alike as they shared their favorite things about Omaha.

I’m so glad I was able to attend this event. In addition to meeting new people who are interested in similar work within the community, I met friendly people who love their new country. It was such a pleasure spending the Saturday at International Refugee Day.

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Holocaust survivor’s story told in Omaha with ‘Fabric of Survival’ quilt project

This is a guest post from Rachel Peric, Deputy Director of Welcoming America and a board member of Art and Remembrance.

In 1977, at the age of 50, my grandmother, Esther Nisenthal Krinitz, decided she wanted her family to see what her childhood home in Poland looked like. A survivor of the Holocaust, my grandmother had lost almost everyone she loved in the world. Out of her family, only she and her sister had survived.

Beginning with an image of her home, and later, a dream from the war, my grandmother began to tell her story through the medium she knew best – sewing.   Stitch by stitch, she brought to life the family that she had lost and the story of her survival. Before she passed away in 2001, my grandmother created a series of 36 embroidered fabric panels that narrate and depict life before the war and her harrowing experiences of living through the Holocaust.

Coming To AmericaThe exhibit of her work, Fabric of Survival, is now on exhibit in Omaha at the Kaneko Gallery, thanks to the support of the Institute for Holocaust Education, in partnership with Art and Remembrance.

After surviving the war, my grandmother made her way to America with her new family.   Not only a Holocaust story, my grandmother’s story is an immigrant story.  And much like my grandmother, today in Omaha, a new generation of immigrant youth who have extraordinary experiences of their own are also finding their voice and stitching their own remarkable artwork through a project called The Quilted Conscience, on display at the Joslyn Art Museum, KANEKO, and the W. Dale Clark Main Omaha Public Library.

For many Jews like myself, the powerful act of remembrance is lived out when we are exposed to stories like my grandmother’s, or other survivors still living here in Omaha.  But we can also find even greater healing and deeper meaning when we encounter the stories of newcomers to Omaha and discover universal connections to our own past.

Gallery GoersThe same strength, resilience, and creativity that my grandmother brought with her to America is evident in the stories of immigrant youth here today in Omaha. For this reason, perhaps the Jewish community can play a unique role today in helping to bring forward these newer stories of courage, and welcome the next generation of youth from around the world to Nebraska.

Fortunately, initiatives like Nebraska is Home, hosted by Nebraska Appleseed, and part of the national Welcoming America network, are here to help.  In Omaha, and across the state, Nebraska is Home is fostering more inclusive communities – places where regardless of where you are born or what you look like, you are valued and welcomed.

Nebraska is Home and The Quilted Conscience will be helping to bring diverse community members to see Fabric of Survival, creating a new generation exposed to this powerful story, and also empowered to share their own. Together, they will create a new rich tapestry that weaves together the old with the new, the past with the present – and, it is my hope,  a uniquely Jewish story of survival and immigration with the story of newcomers to Omaha today.  I hope you will join us.

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Three Omaha openings this week for the Quilted Conscience Project

Quilted ConscienceColorful quilt display unites new immigrants and long-time Nebraska residents

Omaha gallery patrons will have the chance this week to attend several openings of “The Quilted Conscience Project,” a moving and meaningful art project that features beautifully colored displays and fosters cross-cultural bonds across generations.

The Quilted Conscience Project works with immigrant and refugee children, newly arrived in the United States, and traditional-American communities, here for many generations, who don’t yet know their newest neighbors. Together, the groups form bonds and discover similarities through sharing their dreams and memories via quilting. It encourages creativity, respect, and friendship.

Quilts on display in Omaha this week are works produced by students in Lincoln, Omaha, and Grand Island.

You can view the results of The Quilted Conscience this week in Omaha:

Thursday, February 5 – 6:30 p.m.
Joslyn Art Museum
2200 Dodge St.
See the Karen Dreams and Memories quilt from Omaha Public Schools and Newcomer Quilts from Grand Island Public Schools at this public reception.

Friday, February 6 – 6:00 p.m.
KANEKO
1111 Jones St.
See the Sudan Dreams and Memories quilt from Grand Island Public Schools at this public reception.

Dale Clark Main Omaha Public Library
215 S. 15th St.
See the Dreams and Memories quilt created by Lincoln Public Schools from Myanmar.

The quilts will be on display through April 25 at those locations.

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Welcoming Week 2014 celebrates diversity in Nebraska communities

NE_Appleseed_Icons_Community-128September 13-21 will be celebrated as National Welcoming Week, a nationwide event that highlights the contributions of immigrant Americans and the strength of inclusive communities across the country. Throughout the country, and right here in Nebraska, there are many events where you can join the celebration.

We invite you to attend one of these events in your community!

“I Learn America” film screening – Columbus – September 13

“I Learn America” is a powerful film that will take you into the lives of four immigrant teens, and asks the question, “What can a welcoming school community look like?”

Immigrant students’ lives can be confusing, lonely, and discouraging, but with courage, love, and humor, they persevere. In many ways, they are teenagers forging a complex new identity as ordinary people coming of age and becoming Americans in extraordinary circumstances.

Come for a screening of the film and stay afterward for a discussion about how inclusion and diversity can make our communities stronger and more vibrant.

When: Saturday, September 13, Noon
Where: Columbus Public Library, 2504 14th St., Columbus

“I Learn America” film screening – Schuyler – September 14

Come to a film screening of “I Learn America” and post-film discussion on Schuyler!

When: Sunday, September 14, 6:00 p.m.
Where: Colfax Theatre, 314 East 11th St., Schuyler

Talk on Children Fleeing Violence – Hastings – September 18

Nebraska Is Home Coordinator Christa Yoakum will deliver a presentation about children fleeing violence from Central America and seeking safety in the United States and other nearby countries.  The talk will include what local community members can do and how Nebraska communities can create welcoming environments for everyone.

When: September 18, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
Where: Adams County YWCA, 604 N. Joseph St., Hastings

Omaha Diversity Conference – Omaha – September 18

Join SSCA Omaha and other community partners for this informative conference. Hear from Omaha’s diverse refugee community members. See how collaborations have grown in the city to provide inclusion and integration. Learn how you can become involved. Embrace diversity and inclusion in Omaha!

When: Thursday, September 18
Where: Scott Conference Center, 6450 Pine St., Omaha

Click Here to RSVP

The Quilted Conscience project – Omaha – September 20

Immigrant students from Omaha Benson High School will unveil the efforts of their week-long quilting workshop where memories of their home countries are stitched together with their hopes for the future in the colorful quilt. The students worked with Omaha area quilters, who mentored the students to help them tell their stories through fabric art.

When: Saturday, September 20, 10 a.m.-Noon
Where: Joslyn Art Museum, 2200 Dodge St., Omaha

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Welcoming America receives award from United Nations

welcomingamericalogo-300x124We are excited to announce that Welcoming America is one of 11 organizations worldwide to receive the 2014 Intercultural Innovation Award, granted by the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC)!

The Intercultural Innovation Award is given to the most innovative projects around the world that are working to build intercultural cooperation and dialogue, and Welcoming America was selected from a pool of more than 600 applicants from over 100 countries.

The award recognizes the Welcoming Cities and Counties initiative supporting American cities and regions to create an amicable and attractive environment for immigrants. Lincoln was among the first cities in the country committed to being a Welcoming City ensuring everyone is welcome and valued in the community.

Awardees were honored at a ceremony in Bali, Indonesia, where Executive Director David Lubell had the honor of shaking the hand of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who participated in the awards ceremony. As an awardee, Welcoming America will receive a year of support and training from UNAOC – crucial and timely expertise!

Welcoming America ranked fourth out of the 11 recipients overall – the highest ranking of any U.S-based organization in the award’s history – and only the fifth U.S.-based organization to ever receive the award.

To learn more about the award, please click here. Welcoming America is honored and humbled to have received the Intercultural Innovation Award, and we are excited to work to parlay this momentum to take immigrant welcoming and inclusion to new heights!

Welcoming America is a national, grassroots-driven collaborative that seeks to create welcoming atmosphere – through local efforts like Nebraska Is Home and You’re Welcome In Omaha – for immigrant Americans, because our communities are strongest when everyone feels welcome.

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Quilt of Dreams and Memories

NE_Appleseed_Icons_Community-128Lincoln High School students told the stories of their memories and journeys to Lincoln from Myanmar and Thailand, as well as the stories of their dreams for the future through quilting when the new exhibit “Quilt of Dreams and Memories” opened Sunday at the Sheldon Museum of Art.

As the quilt was unveiled, students described their rural homes in Myanmar or the refugee camps where their families lived in Thailand. The Karen American students shared their plans to become teachers, doctors and nurses as well as the hope for peace in their countries in the colorful quilt that brought together traditional Karen weaving and American story quilting.

Lincoln Journal Star: “Final product of Karen group’s quilt project unveiled at Sheldon”

In her own words, Paw Spai Moo, a Lincoln High student, described the small confinement of the refugee camp she lived in for fourteen years contrasted with the freedoms she experiences here: “When I was one year old my parents moved to the refugee camp. I lived for long time, about 14 years. We have a difficult time. We can’t go in the outside. We just have to live in the little same area.” Now, Paw Spai dreams of a future with equal rights and peace for all people.

You can view the Quilt of Dreams and Memories and along with other immigrant student art at the Nebraska Mosaic Art Show at the Lux Center for the Arts, April 1-30, 2014.

This Lincoln project was modeled on the documentary The Quilted Conscience. Filmmaker John Sorensen created the first project honoring the work of Nebraska native Grace Abbott who advocated for children and immigrants throughout her career.