Welcome, I’m glad you’re here. The thing about brewing a good cup of tea is you can’t rush the process. You have to put the tea leaves in and pour the water slowly so as to not make a mess. Then you have to wait a couple of minutes to allow that tea to steep, because boiling would burn the tea leaves and extract too many tannins, which are what give teas their bitterness. If you want a quality cup of tea, there is no way around the waiting and allowing the process. In that way, it is a lot like building welcoming and inclusive communities, which requires a lot of patience and waiting for results to unfold once you have ‘added the leaves and poured the water.’
Immigrant Heritage Month
June was Immigrant Heritage Month, a time to celebrate and highlight the rich history, culture, and achievements of immigrants who came to the U.S. looking for opportunities to fulfill their dreams. Even beyond June, you can still share your story of how you celebrate immigrants. Find out how on our blog!
Belonging Begins With Us
We’ve been busy this quarter. Here are the highlights:
The Belonging Begins With Us movement is an opportunity to increase our individual and collective capacities for empathy and compassion. Find out how you can join the movement with local actions on our Nebraska is Home page.
In May, Welcoming America’s Welcoming Interactive 2021 went virtual, expanding participation to hundreds from across the nation, including many people right here working to create more inclusive communities. We enjoyed hosting “coffee breaks” for Nebraskan conference-goers to connect and network in between sessions. Luckily, you can watch all the plenary presentations and collaborative sessions, access session resources, and see highlights from the Interactive 2021.
Creating Communities of Belonging
Registration is open for our summer series, Creating Communities of Belonging! These events are free, online, and open to all. In June, we were joined by Rachel Peric of Welcoming America and Wendy Feliz of the American Immigration Council, and around 40 Nebraskan leaders from all across the state. The conversation was wonderful, and we’re looking forward to the next time we can learn together with you!
Register & mark your calendars!
July 9 10:00-11:30 AM (CT)
Gerald Lenoir, Identity and Politics Strategy Analyst at The Othering & Belonging Institute
August 13 10:00-11:30 AM (CT)
Julie Uribe, Director and Facilitator of We Are Nebraska Internship and Theatrical Experience
September 10 10:00-11:30 AM (CT)
Hear from Nebraskans leading and creating inclusion in their communities.
What not to miss
If you’re like me, you’re always looking for a good podcast to put on during long car rides or walks. CASA Talk, produced by Southeast Nebraska CASA, engages in discussion over today’s leading issues affecting child advocacy, strengthening communities, and building a stronger future.
There are still 3 exciting sessions in our Building Communities of Belonging summer event series, as outlined above. You really won’t want to miss this, so here is another chance to Register & mark your calendar.
Tools for Welcomers
- Cracking The Codes is a film designed to help groups talk about race and equity. Because these conversations are vital to creating inclusion and belonging, we can help bring this tool to your workplace, neighborhood, school or faith group. Email me to start planning a community dialogue.
- Information about bullying and hate incidents in multiple languages – One of the most important things about building a welcoming community is making sure everyone is safe and protected from harm. Click the link above to view and download resources on bullying and hate incidents, available in Vietnamese, Spanish, Somali, Karen, English, Chinese, and Arabic.
- Welcoming Week 2021 is around the corner (September 10-19). As you start planning your events, check out the Welcoming Week resources for inspiration and tools!
Got a great resource, an upcoming event, or a story that you want to share? Email me! I want to hear from you!
Thank you for spending part of your day with me. See you next time!
Khenda Mustafa
She/Her/Hers
Welcoming Coordinator
Nebraska Appleseed