US Chamber of Connection

Meet Akhtar Badshah, a founding member of the Seattle Welcome Committee. Akhtar led the development of the philanthropic culture at Microsoft, where their Seattle-based employees have donated over $1.3 billion dollars. He continues to spread the ideals of a purpose mindset in the region as an advisor and on faculty at the University of Washington. Today, he is one of the most connected people in Seattle. How did he do it and what is his advice for newcomers? 1. How did you build connections outside of work when you first moved here? I was a trailing spouse and had very limited connections here except for some connections at UW in the Dept of Arch and Planning. Most of the connections were made at the development we moved into. My wife insisted that we move into a new development in Sammamish so that everyone would be new there and we would have a place for kids to meet people rather than going to an established community. Which worked out quite well.   2. How can others best support immigrants to this country moving for jobs or school? Historically, especially for the Indian community here local religious or cultural affinity groups have been the best places for people to form connections. If you are not within that way of life then making connections becomes very difficult unless you sign up for professional networking events and make connections that way.   3. What is a secret for newcomers about making connections in Seattle? I don’t think there is any secret. For most newcomers, they get their first connections through work. Through kids’ school which provides a way for families to connect becoming part of the PTA, kids' sports and then cultural or religious organizations become the next way to connect. Moving into a neighborhood where you have people your same age also makes a difference. 🐻 🤗

This Thanksgiving week, we invite you to join us in a **gratitude challenge**! Tag someone in the comments who has made an impact on your life this year and share why you’re grateful for them. Your expression of gratitude could be the start of a ripple effect that inspires others to reflect, connect, and give thanks. Gratitude is a powerful practice, but it is also a cornerstone of building and sustaining meaningful relationships. Research shows that gratitude has profound effects on our social connections: • Gratitude strengthens bonds. A study published in Emotion found that expressing gratitude fosters trust and increases feelings of closeness between people. • Gratitude fosters cooperation. In workplaces and communities, expressing gratitude can increase prosocial behavior, meaning people are more willing to help and collaborate. • Gratitude is contagious. Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have shown that when we practice gratitude, it inspires others to do the same, creating a ripple effect of kindness and connection. • Gratitude builds resilience. Gratitude helps us focus on the good, even in difficult times—a quality that strengthens relationships and communities. At the Chamber of Connection, we believe gratitude is essential for creating the bonds that sustain healthy, thriving communities. We can’t wait to read your stories. From all of us at the Chamber of Connection, Happy Thanksgiving!

Meet Cole Hoover, a founding member of the Seattle Welcome Committee. Since moving to Seattle for college 20 years ago, he has been working to build community and make newcomers feel welcome. Here is his advice for newcomers: **How have you built connection in Seattle?** I have been really lucky to have joined and invested my time in several large and connected communities like the former Impact HUB Seattle. **How do you help newcomers feel welcome** I try to make it known to my network that I am always down to meet with newcomers if there is some way I can help them get connected to communities they may overlap within the city. **What secret can you share about what it takes to thrive here?** I think it is all about finding communities of people who are passionate about something you also love. Whether it is sports, live music, volunteering or something totally different this is a city where people really get into their hobbies and I find that especially in the grey months it is a great way to have consistent engagements with people in shared spaces. 🐻 🤗

Help build awareness about the greatest challenge of our time - the decline in connection and trust. Be the first to rock a shirt created by celebrity designer, Krista Reeder, and support the US Chamber of Connection. https://lnkd.in/gnYArT-b #socialimpact #fashion #style #charity

Meet Julie Pham, PhD, a founding member of the Seattle Welcome Committee, and a community super connector. Julie came to Seattle as a two-month baby with her parents as boat people from Vietnam and grew up in our beautiful city. If there is something amazing happening in Seattle, odds are she had her fingers in it. Julie is the founder of 7 Forms of Respect, the CEO of CuriosityBased, a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, and an award-winning community leader - yet another example of the impact of the 65% of people living in Seattle who were born outside WA state! Here are Julie's insights for newcomers (BTW, her third tip is GOLD): **How have you built connection in Seattle?** I have met so many of my friends through volunteering. Community service is big here.    **How do you help newcomers feel welcome?** I invite them over for a meal, a walk, or a co-walking phone call **What secret can you share about what it takes to thrive here?** Follow up. When someone mentions getting together, ask them when and where they would like to meet. When you meet someone you want to get to know better, follow up with a pointed invitation. It takes work and some risk to build relationships. Don't wait around to be invited or for others to follow up. 🐻 🤗

Having a neighbor to rely on in emergencies is crucial for personal well-being and fosters safer, more connected communities. Neighbors play a critical role in healthy communities and are critical to individual and neighborhood resilience. Neighbors support each other by house-sitting, pet-sitting, or simply being a trusted contact in emergencies. This is critical for everyone but particularly in lower income communities where paying for help may not be possible. According to PEW Research, a third of Amercians don’t know any of their neighbors and 45% report not having any interaction with their neighbors. Without regular interactions with neighbors it is hard to feel safe where you live and to feel like you belong. **Six Points of Connection** This is the first of the Six Points of Connection that we work with newcomers to develop in their first year. The U.S. Chamber of Connection created the 6 Points of Connection as a clear and actionable checklist for individuals and leaders to define and strengthen social bonds. Grounded in extensive research across fields like psychology, healthcare, sociology, and urban planning, these six points address the core elements of social connection: safety, emotional bonding, bridging social divides, and civic engagement. 🐻🤗

Meet Kate Nagle-Caraluzzo, a founding member of the Seattle Welcome Committee and Executive Director of Town Hall Seattle, our partner for Seattle Welcome Days. Kate is engaging the 100,000 people who attend Town Hall each year to embrace newcomers and invite them to our Seattle Welcome Days starting Feb 8th. Here are Kate's insights for newcomers based on her experience over the last decade in the "Nation's Summer Playground". **How have you built connection in Seattle?** By trying new things— getting outside my comfort zone. It turns out, being uncomfortable gets easier when you keep showing up to try new things. And of course, by attending Town Hall events. **How do you help newcomers feel welcome?** I make plans and show up for them! More than that, I introduce people to what I love about Seattle: my favorite happy hour spot, coffee shop, and the best places to watch the sunrise and sunset. It can take years to find these gems if people don’t share their favorites. **What secret can you share about what it takes to thrive here?** Invest in a rain jacket you love and waterproof shoes! So much of falling in love with Seattle comes from getting out of the house—explore every venue, every art walk, every summer fair, and every street in the city. Just keep exploring! 🐻 🤗

Thank you Sam Ushio for hosting us at the Ikigai Summit to share our work with your beautiful community, including: Mari Horita Shannon Huffman Polson Katie Oertli Mooney Rob Johnson Katherine Cheng Travis M. Mears Megan Takagi, CFP® Revital Ever Heather Bogaty Yossi Banai Dafna Chen, LMHC, SUDP, CGP, CST, NCC Claire (Chiara) Cuccio, PhD Marnie Ewing, PCC, MBA Cherie Morris Together, we can reconnect Seattle and the country. 🐻 🤗 (Photo courtesy of Courtney Deimel)

What happens when community builders come together as a community? Last night, Seattle Welcome Committee member Charlotte Massey and our founder & CEO, Aaron Hurst, hosted a dinner for a group of Seattle community builders who knew each other online but with a few exceptions had never met IRL and had come together as a group. Community builders have a lot of people around them, but the reality is that they are often so busy being hosts that they don't actually get the same benefits as the people in their communities. And, just like entrepreneurs and CEOs who have peer groups like YPO and Entrepreneurs' Organization community builders need a support group. We are honored to support the development of this peer support network in Seattle with Olivia Coning, Nivi Achanta, Sara Anfuso, Vicky Xu, Mattie Quigley, Evan Maynard, Parker, and Nate Garberich. Our goals: - Celebrate and be inspired by each other - Create collaborations between our communities - Share our challenges doing challenging work - Do mastermind sessions for individual community builders - Promote connection in this amazing city We plan to meet monthly with rotating hosts. Our second meeting will be hosted by Evan Maynard's Gearhouse on Capital Hill. If you are the founder of a community in Seattle, we would love for you to join. DM us and we can connect. Let's go!

**We are now recruiting volunteers!** Want to help build a movement to make #Seattle the most welcoming city in the country and support the 60,000 people who move here each year? We are looking for 30+ #facilitators, life #coaches, and community builders for two volunteer leadership roles. 1) Welcome Facilitators As a Welcome Facilitator, you’ll take the lead of a table of newcomers at our monthly Seattle Welcome Days at Town Hall, guiding them through an inspiring experience where they’ll envision their best life in Seattle and make their first meaningful connections. 2) Neighborhood Leads As a Neighborhood Lead, you’ll partner with a local café, bar, or venue to host a monthly gathering for newcomers in your neighborhood—creating a welcoming space for them to connect, make friends, and build lasting community ties. Ready to make a real difference and meet amazing new friends? Learn more about these roles and apply to join our team on our site: https://lnkd.in/gyUNXDHV We are a volunteer organization designed by Aaron Hurst, a pioneer in the field of purpose at work and founder of the Taproot Foundation where he redefined volunteering for hundreds of thousands of people around the world. Our volunteer leadership roles and support systems are being built to enable you to make a massive impact and to have a blast. We will be interviewing candidates and then hosting a training in January in time for our Feb 8th launch at Town Hall Seattle. Please share with your networks! Erin Adams, Emiko Atherton, Akhtar Badshah, Jen Haller, Charlotte Massey, Sue Bennett, Taylor Black, Michael Brown, Katherine Cheng, Ali Daniels, Stephanie Doyle Scroggs, Dana Guy, Taylor Hoang, Cole Hoover, Francis Janes, Beth Knox, Karim Lessard, Jerron Lowe, Alexander Matyushenko, Lisa Nitze, Bindiya Patel, Amish P., Julie Pham, PhD, Jacob Simons, Alayne Sulkin, Krista Reeder, Lakshmi Narayanee, Aaron Chasan, Adina Mangubat, Sam Read, Kate Nagle-Caraluzzo, Marcy Porus-Gottlieb, Sam Ushio, Katie Oertli Mooney, Anna Choi, Travis M. Mears, Courtney Deimel, Nicole Fiset Resch #volunteer #jobs