Welcoming America

Next week, communities worldwide will kick off their #WelcomingWeek2024 activities and events in pursuit of creating more welcoming, inclusive places. In anticipation of the exciting week to come, we're taking a look back at Welcoming Week 2023: the most impactful, farthest-reaching event week in the initiative's 11-year history. See the impact of Welcoming Week in our 2023 Welcoming Week Impact Report: https://lnkd.in/eFXCZck6

Last week, my daughter was so excited to tell me that she saw a Welcoming America poster at her The Y (YMCA) summer camp for #WelcomingWeek. Along with the hundreds of communities and partners around the globe who will celebrate September 13-22, the Y was among our first national partners to take on Welcoming Week as an opportunity to showcase the power of #belonging and the importance of community spaces in strengthening mutual respect and cooperation between #neighbors. At a time when too many people with #migrant backgrounds are being vilified, Welcoming Week shows us that positive role models like the Y and many others are stepping up to #celebrate rather than denigrate our neighbors, and promote a culture where all of us can welcome and be welcomed. Find out more about how you can get involved in Welcoming Week at https://lnkd.in/eAD3TZhr Learn more about the Y's commitment to #welcoming at https://lnkd.in/e4RcJGaJ. A special shoutout to Y-USA friends for their work over many years to deepen the Y's investment in this work, and especially Mike Van Haelewyn George Zavala Trang Truong-Hill Chad Nico Hiu

Social connection is critical for a functional democracy. Deep canvassing – a two-way conversational technique based on story sharing, empathy, and connection – can move people away from bias towards a better understanding of complex social issues and support for social progress. Join us next Wednesday, September 4 to explore nine insights from Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition's recent toolkit, Transformative Conversations, and hear directly from experienced canvassers. Even if you're not canvassing door to door, you can learn to be a deep canvasser in your own life and everyday interactions! Register ➡️ https://lnkd.in/dfvDuY3D

Join Welcoming America and our partners at National Partnership for New Americans and Cities & Counties for Citizenship for a webinar tomorrow, Tuesday, Aug. 27, 3pm ET, exploring how localities and community based organizations are creating infrastructure and investing in welcoming initiatives related to naturalization, voter accessibility, and more. Register now at https://lnkd.in/ev_G4hXp

Through stories about inspiring members and partners and impactful programs, Welcoming America’s 2023 Annual Report explores three pillars that guide our mission and work: 🛠️ Building local welcoming infrastructure 📈 Growing the field of welcoming 🤝Engaging new champions Read more about our work and our impact: https://lnkd.in/gtYBhFad

Welcoming America is currently accepting applications to the Certified Welcoming Foundation Cohort. The Certified Welcoming Foundation Cohort is a 10-month national technical assistance program for local governments seeking a 1- or 2-star certification. The cohort provides peer learning opportunities and support from Certified Welcoming staff. Over the course of the program, participants will complete their self-assessment, prepare for an audit, receive their report, and celebrate their success. 🗓️ The application deadline is August 15, 2024. Learn more and apply today at https://lnkd.in/gsw4rPyh

Today we are highlighting the work of Fund to Foster Belonging Grant recipient Let's Talk Philly! Conversation Circles! In 2023, the organization hosted two events to connect communities while celebrating culinary traditions and spotlighting diverse arts and cultures from around the world. Over 100 attendees participated in the group’s first event, “Global Food Festival: Stories from Home,” hosted during Welcoming Week in September 2023. Their second event, “Multicultural Holiday Celebration: Festival of Arts and Culture” attracted another 100 people for a day of cultural performances, engaging workshops, delicious food, and joyous music and dance. The events were designed to build bridges among the diverse communities living in Philadelphia, immigrant and non-immigrant. Let’s Talk Philly! believes achieving welcome and a sense of belonging requires social and civic integration from every side.

Register today for this Wednesday's webinar! Learn more about how your local government can become Certified Welcoming. Learn more about the process and register for the webinar at https://lnkd.in/gsw4rPyh

Welcoming America is currently accepting applications to the Certified Welcoming Foundation Cohort. The Certified Welcoming Foundation Cohort is a 10-month national technical assistance program for local governments seeking a 1- or 2-star certification. The cohort provides peer learning opportunities and support from Certified Welcoming staff. Over the course of the program, participants will complete their self-assessment, prepare for an audit, receive their report, and celebrate their success. 🗓️ The application deadline is August 15, 2024. 🖥️ An information webinar will be hosted on July 24, 3pm ET. 🔗 Learn more, register for the webinar, and apply for the cohort at https://lnkd.in/gsw4rPyh

As we advance further into the 2024 presidential election cycle, worsening rhetoric and violence continue to threaten American democracy and our political institutions. In a democracy, change can and should be achieved peacefully. Political violence undermines this foundational value and poses a threat to the stability and health of our nation. We condemn the use of violence against former President Trump and anyone who is the target of political violence. We firmly believe in the resilience and strength of the American people. In contrast to this act of violence, our nation's history is rich with examples of communities coming together to uphold the values of democracy, justice, and peace. Our thoughts are with the victims of the shooting, their families, and all those impacted.