Find out more about
friends of welcoming
Find Affiliates Near You
The Story of Welcoming


Blog

The Welcoming Movement is Spreading

Welcoming America has already developed national reach, and will continue to grow until it has truly rekindled the American dream, coast to coast.

Currently, nineteen campaigns – most of them statewide – are active across the country. This is up from just 7 campaigns in 2009. The demand for this dynamic new approach to addressing rapid immigration growth has proven quite high in communities across the country, and we anticipate significant growth in the number of affiliates over the next few years.

Read the rest of this entry »

Categories:

Billboards Show Support for Immigrants in North Carolina

Welcoming America affiliate, Uniting NC, yesterday unveiled a statewide billboard campaign that sends the message, “immigrants make us stronger.” At a press conference convened by Uniting NC, leaders from the faith community shared their support and encouraged others to embrace the contributions made by immigrants to strengthening the community.

The billboards, which were supported by Welcoming America and funded largely through a grassroots campaign led by Uniting NC, will be shown first in Raleigh, followed by other locations throughout the state.  For press coverage of the event and to follow the billboards, visit Uniting NC’s Facebook page.

Uniting NC is one of 19 Welcoming America affiliates around the country that is using positive messaging campaigns to highlight the shared values and contributions of immigrants in local communities.   Using Welcoming America’s 3-pronged approach, affiliates also engage with local leaders and bring long-time and new residents together to learn about each other’s values and cultures.  More examples of messaging campaigns are available on the Welcoming America website, along with a toolkit for affiliates or other groups interested in strategic communications.

 

Categories: Announcements

National Conferences Inspire Hope


“What will I take back to my community? A sense of hope and possibility.”

– participant, Receiving Communities track,
National Immigrant Integration Conference

It’s hard to convey the electrifying energy and optimism we felt in Seattle earlier this month at Welcoming America’s Affiliate Conference and the National Immigrant Integration Conference, organized by OneAmerica and the National Partnership for New Americans.

But we hope you’ll still get a sense for why hope and possibility were the words we heard over and over again from our 19 state affiliates and individuals from around the country.
Read the rest of this entry »

Categories: Announcements

Is Your Community “Immigrant Friendly?”

The City of Dayton recently announced the “Welcome Dayton” plan, whose aim is to make Dayton an “immigrant friendly city.”

You can read about the plan in the article, “Welcome Dayton Immigrant Plan Approved.” and view the Welcome Dayton plan, available here.

Welcoming America wants to help you make your own community “immigrant friendly.” Here’s how:

Start by registering at www.friendsofwelcoming.org.  Once you register, you can begin doing online and offline “actions,” which help you earn points that can win you cool prizes.

Next, you can learn about welcoming strategies that can be applied in your community.  Here’s just a few ways  to begin:

  • Read about the plan and share your comments – is your city or community “immigrant friendly?” What elements of this effort could be implemented in your community (or even your place of worship, school, or other venue)?
  • Want to start small?  Check out the actions in the school, workplace, and place of worship categories for discreet activities that help you welcome immigrants in these settings.
  • Interested in a larger scale initiative?  Visit our Affiliate Track actions to learn more about our affiliate model and to get started planning and organizing your effort.  You can even create a team to engage others (and earn more points)!
  • Work toward passing a Welcoming Resolution in your own community. Did you know that over the last few years Welcoming resolutions have been passed in seven communities in the states of Alabama, Idaho and Massachusetts? The combined population of these Welcoming communities is 1,069,832!

 

Categories: Featured on FOW

What are Friends of Welcoming saying?

We continue to be inspired by the submissions we’ve received on the Friends of Welcoming interactive community.  Here are just a few excerpted comments from  Friends responding to online Actions.  We’ll keep updating, so check back soon.

Not a registered user yet?  Click here to get started! 

……….

Why Do You Think Your Community Needs to be More Welcoming?

“Michigan has changed a lot over the last few decades. Even I have changed a lot as I meet many of our new residents…Honestly, I was not so open to immigrants in the past, probably from media portrayals but most likely because we just didn’t interact.

If there were nothing such as Welcoming America or other initiatives to engage people, I think everything would continue in the same way, and we would have tons of divided little societies within America, but thankfully, there is a way to redirect people’s attitudes toward rethinking immigration and immigrants.”

- Pat, Michigan

Learn more about this action and share your own response

———————————–

Watch, Learn and Reflect – Shelbyville UNITY Night Video

“I was impressed with the sincerity with which people communicated with one another.  I need to engage my neighbors. As we communicate, we will build relationships.”

- Cara

Learn more about this action and share your own response

———————————–

Taking Action: A Response to Unwelcoming Remarks

This Friend shares his experience speaking with a family member who raised concerns about immigrants:
“’Regardless of political thoughts regarding immigration,’ I said, ‘these people are already here, and as good neighbors, we ought to help them out and befriend them.’ For a moment, she thought about the issue, and she was persuaded that my cause was not so bad after all… we should show hospitality to those who have arrived in our hometown.

There are many people in my family that hold similar beliefs when it comes to immigration, and perhaps even more can be persuaded.

I really believe that the next step in this dialogue is to bring people of different cultures back to my hometown and introduce more people to the diversity of the world. People will get to know their neighbors as more than a statistic of globalization, but as real people, with real hopes and dreams.

- Ken, Michigan

Learn more about this action and share your own response

———————————–

Watch, Learn and Reflect – Shelbyville UNITY Night Video

“Everybody is my neighbor and we need to help each other and accept everybody. That is my philosophy too and I am glad to hear another woman in Shelbyville express it too.”

- Julie, Ohio

Learn more about this action and share your own response

———————————–

A Welcoming Poem Submission

See the friend in every face
See the neighbor in every name
See the American in every immigrant
See

-John, Tennessee

Learn more about this action and share your own poem

———————————–

Taking Action: A Response to Unwelcoming Remarks

“I have responded with comments on the Springfield Newsleader blog… anti-immigrant, racist attacks are not acceptable.”

- Angela, Missouri

Learn more about this action and share your own response

———————————–

A Response to Why Do We Care? PSA

By highlighting the ways that immigrants enhance U.S. citizen’s lives, this video [Why Do We Care? PSA by affiliate Uniting NC] attempts to get communities to understand the breadth and depth of the positive impact that immigrants have on a community. Because this video shows a variety of different ways that immigrants and Americans have had positive interactions, this video is effective in reaching a large audience.

The combination of having people of all different ages and nationalities showing quotes that illustrate the numerous ways that immigrants have shaped people’s lives is effective.

- Natalie, Washington DC

Learn more about this action and share your own response

Categories: Featured on FOW, FOW

Friends On the Map – Watch the Movement Build!

See where our Friends movement is building on the map below.  Registered Friends of Welcoming are pinpointed by zip code.  Sign up today and complete your profile to add your location to the map!

Categories: Featured on FOW, FOW

The Receiving Communities Movement Has Launched!

On September 20th, the Center for American Progress released a report entitled ”All Immigration is Local: Receiving Communities and their Role in Successful Immigrant Integration.” Click here for a copy of this groundbreaking report, which was written by Cornell political scientist Michael Jones Correa and annnounced at a public event, entitled Stronger Together, on September 20th at CAP.

To learn more about the event – which featured Welcoming America ED David Lubell – and view it in its entirety, click here. In addition, click here to learn more about the receiving communities initiative, an effort to build a movement of individuals and organizations focused on building understanding and easing tensions between long-time residents and new arrivals in communities that have seen recent immigrant population growth. Welcoming America is helping to lead this initiative, and is featured prominently in the report.

Are you interested in:
  • Building meaningful connections between newcomers and immigrant receiving communities?
  • Fostering and supporting local leadership in receiving communities?
  • Learning about low-cost media strategies to change the conversation about immigrants in your town?

Join us at the National Immigrant Integration Conference in Seattle this fall!

Welcoming America is co-hosting the “Engaging Receiving Communities: Speaking with America” track. It will focus on the need for a paradigm shift in building real understanding, partnership and support between immigrants and long-time residents of communities.

The National Immigrant Integration Conference is being hosted by One America in collaboration with the National Partnership for New Americans.

Categories: Uncategorized

Building A Nation of Neighbors How-To Videos

Building a Nation of Neighbors equips individuals and organizations with story-based tools to better understand and use the Welcoming model. The module, which was developed by Active Voice in association with BeCause Foundation, was adapted from the documentary Welcome to Shelbyville, produced and directed by Kim A. Snyder.

This model for community building was designed by WelcomingTennessee (a program of TIRRC) and is being replicated nationwide by Welcoming America, with generous support from Unbound Philanthropy.

Order a DVD and user’s guide: To order your own copy, please complete this form.

Download a User’s Guide: click here for a printable user’s guide that will help you use the video modules most effectively.

Share your thoughts: Win points and prizes for viewing the segments and sharing your thoughts on Friends of Welcoming (look for Shelbyville Multimedia actions).

WATCH THE VIDEOS

Chapter 1, How Welcoming Works (4 min) - An introduction to the Welcoming model and how it relates to the community of Shelbyville.
Chapter 2, Local Leaders: The Foundation of Welcoming Work (2 min) - An overview of how the Welcoming model approaches local leadership development.
Chapter 3, Starting the Welcoming Conversation (4 min) – Context on Welcoming America’s work bringing immigrants and long-time residents into direct, facilitated contact.
Chapter 4, Welcoming Messages: Changing the Perception of Immigrants (5 min) - Background on the Welcoming approach of reversing negative images of immigrants by using strategic communications.
Chapter 5, From Neighbors to Friends: Overcoming Common Misunderstandings (5 min) - An overview of how to bring together community members to address misunderstandings and stereotypes.

More
More Details: “Building a Nation of Neighbors”:
As the Welcoming model continues to garner successes around the country, many are clamoring for tools to make their schools, local institutions, churches, communities and states more welcoming. “Building a Nation of Neighbors” is a short DVD that hones in on select scenes from Welcome to Shelbyville that exemplifies the Welcoming America model, while providing additional context on how it can work for a range of communities and audiences. From a seasoned “welcoming ambassador” to a concerned resident who wants to get the conversation started at her church, this module provides tips and guidance on how to build more welcoming communities.
“Building a Nation of Neighbors” is part of Shelbyville Multimedia, a project of Active Voice – in association with BeCause Foundation – designed to promote community building and harmony between native-born Americans, immigrants and refugees nationwide. It was developed in partnership with Welcoming America, with generous support from Unbound Philanthropy.
For more Shelbyville Multimedia resources, including webisodes and modules, visit www.shelbyvillemultimedia.org
About “Welcome to Shelbyville”
Change has come to rural Tennessee. Set against the backdrop of a shaky economy, Welcome to Shelbyville takes an intimate look at a southern town as its residents – whites and African Americans, Latinos and Somalis – grapple with their beliefs, their histories and their evolving ways of life. Welcome to Shelbyville is directed and produced by Kim A. Snyder and executive produced by BeCause Foundation, in association with Active Voice. Visit www.welcometoshelbyvillefilm.com
Watch the entire module below :

Categories: Announcements

Congratulations to our July 2011 Friends of Welcoming Prize Winners!

Congratulations to our July 2011 Friends of Welcoming Prize Winners!
 
Individual Winners:
 
First Prize to Angela Ferguson with 19000 points! Angela has won $100 to be given to the non-profit of her choice.  Congratulations, Angela!
 
Second Prize to Dena Dyer with 7550 points! Dena has won a fabulous Prize Pack with a hardcover copy of “Outcasts United”, a Welcoming America keychain, a handmade card crafted by the artists of Empowered Women International in an organic Welcoming America tote bag!  Congratulations, Dena!
 
Random Third Prize to Hilary Greene with 750 points!  Hilary has won $100 to be given to the non-profit of her choice.  Congratulations, Hilary!
 
Team Winners:
 
First Prize to Kayla’s Team with 2250 points! Kayla’s Team has won $100 to be given to the non-profit of her choice.  Congratulations, Kayla’s Team!
 
Second Prize to Welcoming Westside Cincinnati with 1650 points! Welcoming Westside Cincinnati has won a fabulous Prize Pack with a hardcover copy of “Outcasts United”, a Welcoming America keychain, a handmade card crafted by the artists of Empowered Women International in an organic Welcoming America tote bag!  Congratulations, Welcoming Westside Cincinnati!
 
Random Third Prize to Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church with 500 points!  Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church has won $100 to be given to the non-profit of her choice.  Congratulations, Our Lady of Assumption Catholic Church!
 
Congratulations again to all our winners!  The points will now reset, although we will keep a record of points for the Grand Prize awarded at the end of 12 months.  Keep playing, everyone, our second round of winners will be announced September 1!
 
Visit Friends of Welcoming today at www.friendsofwelcoming.com to get started now!

Categories: Uncategorized

Hear Recording: Increasing the Civic Participation of Immigrants through Welcoming Initiatives

Welcoming America  participated in the Campaign for a Stronger Democracy’s monthly conference call on July 7, 2011:

Download or listen to the full conference call here.

Here’s the description of the event from the Campaign for Stronger Democracy:

Over sixty democracy reformers and interested callers participated in July’s Democracy Exchange, which featured speakers from Welcoming America and the Institute for Local Government in California. David Lubell and Jessy Molina spoke about the work that Welcoming America has done to work with communities and help create a smoother integration process both for new Americans and for existing residents. Terry Amsler and Mahvash Hassan spoke about the work of the Institute for Local Government in California, which connects local communities with decision makers to create a collaborative approach to immigrant integration. ILG has helped identify two cities where local government is an integral partner in developing multisectoral “Welcoming style” initiatives in their communities. For a description of these efforts see this post from the ILG website: California Communities Plan Initiatives to Strengthen Relationships Between Immigrants and Longer-Term Residents

The conversation was moderated by Carolyn Lukensmeyer of America Speaks.

Download or listen to the full conference call here.

Categories: Uncategorized

Older Entries

Newer Entries