Category: Events

Join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities! 

Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
Friday August 18, 2023
10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) on Zoom

In this virtual session of the Fostering Inclusion and Belonging series we’ll share tools, strategies and an exercise to support our journey for racial equity and justice. It is helpful when working together to observe, untangle, and understand different components of racism…so that we can get to the proactive work of creating strategies and solutions together.

We’ll tackle the challenges of recognizing racism in everyday situations and identify systems that perpetuate racism – maybe even unknowingly – with an interactive exercise. 

(If you registered for a previous session this year, there is no need to register again.)

Also remember to mark your calendar for the final session in this series and kick off Welcoming Week with us! 

• September 8, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) – Welcoming Week Kick Off!  Focus on positive practices and tips for storytelling and how to use storytelling locally to promote belonging! We’ll celebrate together how our stories are core to our communities on this first day of Welcoming Week. This year’s Welcoming Week is September 8-17… and beyond!

Join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities!

Let’s Talk Ableism, Disability Justice, and Belonging
July 14th from 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) on Zoom

We hope to see you at the second session of our (virtual) annual statewide welcoming convening series, where we’ll discuss disability justice and belonging! Together, we’ll talk through challenges to disability justice and identify immediate actions we can take in local communities to improve accessibility.

For Session 2, guiding our discussion and learning will be Dr. Lauren Obermark from the University of Missouri-St. Louis who will share approaches on moving from assumptions to access, and Carlos Serván, Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, who has a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority backgrounds. You can read more about each of them below!

(If you registered for the first event, there is no need to register again.)

Please let us know what you need to be able to participate!
We strive to host inclusive, accessible events that enable all individuals, including individuals with disabilities, to engage fully. To request an accommodation or for inquiries about accessibility, please contact Christa (402-438-8853 x114, cyoakum@neappleseed.org) or Khenda (402-438-8853 x122, kmustafa@neappleseed.org). We’ll try our best to accommodate requests.

Dr. Lauren Obermark is an associate professor in the English department at the University  of Missouri-St. Louis, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses that explore disability and access as part of broader work for social justice. She is also a researcher and author who publishes articles and essays that approach disability as a complex identity and culture. In all work, whether it be teaching, research, or community engagement, she advocates for transformative access, especially in education, where disability is often minimized and ableism is built into many structures, policies, and approaches. 

Dr. Obermark always looks for opportunities to connect with others to imagine more radically accessible futures, as disability is too often an avoided topic which results in misunderstanding and furthers inequities.

Carlos R. Serván, born in Lima, Peru was blinded and lost his right hand in an explosion while training with the Peruvian police when he was 20 years old. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1989 to receive training on blindness techniques and soon after found his passion in serving people with disabilities. He had to learn English and then earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and later a dual graduate degree obtaining a M.P.A. and a J.D. His disability, together with his immigrant and minority experiences, have given Mr. Serván a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority backgrounds. He knows what it is to be disadvantaged; to face discrimination, and he knows what it takes to succeed.  

Carlos Serván is also the author of two books. Began to Run Again and Running Dreams: A Story of Strength and Determination.  

Remember to mark your calendars and plan to join us for the rest of the series as well:

• August 18, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) – Session 3: Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
• September 8, 10:00-11:30 am CT (9:00-10:30 am MT) – Session 4: Welcoming Week Kick Off!

Join our (virtual) annual statewide welcoming convening series – which brings together community leaders from all over Nebraska to share our experiences, insights, and strategies for building welcoming and inclusive communities.

During these summer sessions, we will have the opportunity to hear from experienced local leaders, participate in workshops, and network with peers, all with the aim of enhancing our collective knowledge and skills. We hope you will join us on the following Fridays as we work toward building belonging for all.

Save the dates now and register for the series!

(You can register for the series and attend whichever dates work for you!)

We are excited that the topic for our kickoff session will be Welcoming Week Tips & Ideas:

June 16 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 1: Welcoming Week Tips & Ideas
Every year, communities across Nebraska host September Welcoming Week events as one way of building communities of belonging. Join us to experience a variety of Welcoming Week activities – including a cooking demonstration (yum!) and dance lesson 💃🕺– and get tips and ideas from leaders who have hosted successful Welcoming Week events – large and small – in their local communities! Learn how to get started setting up your Welcoming Week event, whether it’s cooking together, music, dance, community conversations, storytelling, or other ways to bring neighbors together!

Remember to mark your calendars and plan to join us for the rest of the series:

July 14 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 2: Ableism and Belonging
Discuss ableism, disability justice, and belonging with Dr. Lauren Obermark from the University of Missouri-St. Louis who will share approaches on moving from assumptions to access, and with Carlos Serván, Executive Director of the Nebraska Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired, who has a deep, personal understanding of the challenges facing children and adults with disabilities, especially those from minority backgrounds.

August 18 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 3: Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
With the interactive exercise “Everyday Racism” we will identify real situations of racism and recognize how internalized, interpersonal, institutional, and structural racism are interwoven. We’ll learn together while also practicing an interactive tool we can use in our communities.

September 8 10:00-11:30am CT (9:00-10:30am MT) – Session 4: Welcoming Week Kick Off!
Focus on positive practices and tips for storytelling and how to use storytelling locally to promote belonging! We’ll celebrate together how our stories are core to our communities on this first day of Welcoming Week. This year’s Welcoming Week is September 8-17… and beyond!

Register now and watch your inbox for more details and speakers for these upcoming sessions!

This summer, you’re invited to join community leaders from across Nebraska who are building inclusive and vibrant communities!

This virtual series will provide collaborative sessions, presentations, and networking with Nebraskans who are committed to creating communities where everyone, including our immigrant neighbors, feels valued.

Each session will take place on a Friday
from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM CT (11:00 AM -12:30 PM MT)
via Zoom

Session Dates:
June 16 – Session 1: Welcoming Week Tips & Ideas
July 14 – Session 2: Ableism and Belonging
August 18 – Session 3: Building Capacity for Racial Equity & Justice
September 8 – Session 4: Welcoming Week Kick Off!

As in years past, expect these sessions to be interactive. We know from your comments that time to meet and engage with others doing similar work is one of the best things about these opportunities.

Watch for an exciting list of presenters and registration information soon! In the meantime, mark your calendars – and share this blog with your friends and networks.

YAY for a successful Welcoming Week 2022!

Welcoming Week 2022 gave us a chance to celebrate #WhereWeBelong by bringing people together across lines of difference to develop greater understanding, mutual support, and communities where we all belong.

This year, creative Welcomers across Nebraska hosted festivals, virtual cooking tutorials, and storytelling events. And several local elected leaders gave official proclamations for Welcoming Week, including in South Sioux City, Columbus, and Lincoln!

Here are a few photos of some of the celebrations across the state. Check out a slideshow photo roundup:

Beyond Welcoming Week

We love Welcoming Week so much we’re extending it, so the fun doesn’t end! Here are some upcoming events and ways that you can continue building communities #WhereWeBelong

• • October 17, 5:30pm: Curso de Ciudadanía/Citizenship course in Spanish with Unity in Action in South Sioux City
  • October 22: North Omaha Trail Community tree planting 
  • October  23, 11am-4pm: Lincoln Day of the Dead celebration at Antelope Park (Auld Pavilion)

Thank you for celebrating with us, and for being an integral part of what makes Nebraska so welcoming.

Please reach out to Christa and me to support additional welcoming and belonging activities throughout the year!

Celebrate Welcoming Week!

Happy Welcoming Week! Nebraskans across the state are celebrating what makes Nebraska communities vibrant and strong.

Here’s how to participate:

Find local events NEAR YOU! From festivals and parades, to learning events, cultural performances, and sharing food and stories of belonging, there’s still time to join a Nebraska Welcoming Week event in a community near you!

You can also join a virtual event or participate in a Welcoming Week event outside Nebraska if you are traveling – Welcoming Week is being celebrated around the world!

Print a Welcomer sign for your office, business or to post on social media or use a virtual Welcomer background in your next video call! You can see examples below of leaders from across the state who joined us virtually to kick off Welcoming Week together as part of our statewide convening to build more inclusive communities!

Don’t forget to engage on social media! Share your photos and experiences with welcoming on social media using the hashtag #WhereWeBelong. Follow Nebraska Is Home and Welcoming America on Facebook or @WelcomingUSA and @NebraskaIsHome on Instagram and Twitter.

Enjoy these photos of Welcoming Week events that have happened so far across the state:

Thank you for celebrating Welcoming Week and Where We Belong with us!