Welcoming America

We’re hiring for a new Digital Engagement & Special Projects Manager! If you have a passion for inclusion, equity, and belonging—and have expertise in digital marketing, social media strategy, and project management—we’d love to have you join our team. Apply today 🌟

This #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth, we honor the Native Americans who’ve stewarded this land for generations and celebrate their contributions to our shared past and future. Welcoming is rooted in values Indigenous communities have modeled for centuries — collaboration, inclusion, and respect. Leaders like Ramona Moore Big Eagle, a Tuscarora Nation educator and storyteller in Charlotte, NC, bring these values to life. Through storytelling, agriculture, and shared recipes, Ramona’s Fund to Foster Belonging project showed how immigrant inclusion and Indigenous rights are intertwined. “As a person of the First Nations, I’ve experienced othering all my life. When you bring people together over food and stories, it’s an automatic winner; you make people feel welcome and find out they’re just like you.” Learn more about her work: https://lnkd.in/gkXkxAzK

Giving Tuesday is coming up on December 3rd. We will be participating in this global day of generosity and invite you to join us! Here are 3️⃣ ways you can support our work. Subscribe to our newsletter and share it with a colleague: https://lnkd.in/ept_-7Vg Shop our online store: https://lnkd.in/eTu2ruWw Make an early Giving Tuesday gift in honor of someone who exemplifies belonging: https://wamerica.us/Donate Your continued support, in whatever form it takes, means the world to us.

Are you a refugee changemaker with an innovative idea to help your community? Apply for the Sparking Change grant today! Created by USA for UNHCR, Refugee Congress and Welcoming America, the Sparking Change grant offers up to $10,000 in funding for projects led by refugees and other forcibly displaced people in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington and Wisconsin. If you have an idea for a project that will build bridges between resettled refugees and their communities or create positive change in your community, submit your application today at https://lnkd.in/eYjXPKUy

Founded in 2009, Welcoming America supported a grassroots movement of welcoming values and inclusive practices amid rising anti-immigrant sentiment. Since then, the concept of welcoming has gained momentum as communities unite to write a new narrative. In 2024, we’re reminded again that building bridges is more important than ever. As we reflect on the recent election, it’s clear that our work to build belonging and foster welcoming remains as critical as ever. Right now, we have the tools, research, and proven strategies to build resilient communities and resist divisive narratives. Welcoming is not just a saying — it’s a solution for equality and prosperity. Explore our report to learn where the movement has been and where we can go — when we lead with welcoming. www.stateofwelcoming.org

Let’s nourish more than just our bodies. Let’s nourish our communities. Food has the power to connect us. The Taste of Belonging Cookbook offers diverse recipes paired with activities that foster understanding and build stronger communities. This #Thanksgiving, let’s go beyond sharing a meal — let’s create lasting connections. 🍽️ Explore the Taste of Belonging Cookbook: https://lnkd.in/euAi_Pz How does food help build community in your life? Share your stories below!

Through the Sparking Change grant, refugee community leaders in Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Washington, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply for $10,000 of project support to build bridges in their communities. Learn more and apply by Friday, November 22 👉 https://lnkd.in/eYjXPKUy

"When you get an opportunity to help newcomers feel welcomed and valued, please do. Invite them to your family dinner, take them out to your family trips and be curious. They all have a story." ~ Suree Sompamitwong, Worthington "Our community is composed of not just immigrants or people of color, but also of those with different ancestral backgrounds. Having a community which welcomes and accepts its inhabitants is a step towards healthy living." ~ Chukuma Ijioma, Litchfield "I wanted to be part of planning Welcoming Week in my community because I believe in the power of inclusion and the importance of creating spaces where everyone feels they belong." ~ Abdifatah Mohamed, Willmar "Welcoming Week can have a positive impact on our community. Learning to know your neighbor and how to connect with each other and finding our similarities can be very meaningful." ~ Kerry Ward, Glencoe Four community leaders share their passion for building welcoming and belonging in southwest Minnesota: https://lnkd.in/gGwMXRKd Welcoming America

Yesterday, the American public cast their votes and re-elected former President Trump. Regardless of our reactions—celebration or mourning—one truth remains: our strength in the days ahead will come from leading toward, and not away from, our shared humanity. This election carries immense consequences. It is hard to overstate the impact on people around the globe and those affected by promises to restrict immigration, separate families, and weaken basic civil rights and core democratic norms. We want you to know: it’s okay to feel the weight of this moment and take time before responding, so that our actions can stay grounded in our shared humanity. While we remain clear-eyed about the challenges ahead, we also draw strength from the vision and perseverance of Welcoming leaders around the globe. Together, we are united and resolved in seeing our differences as a source of strength; in seeing our humanity as the foundation for our status and belonging; and in building toward a future where our safety, dignity, and prosperity are rooted in welcoming communities for all. Movements and networks like ours are built for moments like these—moments that call for courageous, compassionate, and aligned action from local leaders in cities and towns. These leaders will be the first line of action and last line of defense for protecting the safety and dignity of all residents.  The north star of America’s moral compass is not hard to find in these leaders—and in the abundant, courageous spirit of millions of immigrant Americans. Our work ahead will be to champion, support, and multiply their efforts. We can’t do it without you. In times like these, our work can take many forms, as our steady and unwavering community gathers itself around a belief in a better future. Hope is powerful. Together, I know we will meet this moment, taking one step at a time, side by side, with our members, supporters, and the global movement of Welcomers to build a nation of neighbors. It’s a future where our humanity is at the center and our belonging is at the forefront. Please reach out if you need support, want to connect, or share how we can best assist you and your community. We are here for you—and we are here for each other.

Yesterday, the American public cast their votes and re-elected former President Trump. Regardless of our reactions — celebration or mourning — one truth remains: our strength in the days ahead will come from leading toward, and not away from, our shared humanity. This election carries immense consequences. It is hard to overstate the impact on people around the globe and those affected by promises to restrict immigration, separate families, and weaken basic civil rights and core democratic norms. Movements and networks like ours are built for moments like these — moments that call for courageous, compassionate, and aligned action from local leaders in cities and towns. These leaders will be the first line of action and last line of defense for protecting the safety and dignity of all residents. Together, we will meet this moment, taking one step at a time, side by side, with our members, supporters, and the global movement of welcomers to build a nation of neighbors. It’s a future where our humanity is at the center and our belonging is at the forefront. 📣 In the wake of the election, your support is crucial. Donate now to build welcoming communities where everyone belongs: https://lnkd.in/eiHa5RSi 💡 Read the full letter from our executive director, Rachel Perić: https://lnkd.in/e5nAEtqy