The Welcoming Center

WorkingNation has just published a great piece about our Engaging Immigrant Talent toolkit, which was launched yesterday! Hiring from the immigrant talent pool: Awareness, responsibility, and accountability - a newly-launched toolkit offers employers the opportunity to rethink the diversity of their workplaces http://ow.ly/InO850FdtJL... #DEI #HR #WorkforceDevelopment #immigrants

Esperanza Immigration Legal Services is offering free online citizenship classes starting Tuesday, July 6, 2021. Please refer to the attached flyer for more information about how you can enroll. #citizenship #naturalization

Last evening, we held our second Community Conversation. It was attended by 75 individuals from 37 countries! It was an opportunity for participants to discuss not only the challenges this pandemic has brought on but the opportunities to build hope through our strengths as a community. In the words of one of the participants, "I don't really care too much to keep talking about what the problem is. I like to just talk about hope and having patience." ... Most participants agreed to meet again and take some next steps toward supporting each other through the new year. Want to be part of a Community Conversation? We will be posting the next date and how to register here. Please like and follow our page to stay updated! #communityengagement #immigrants #inclusion

Migration Policy Institute is releasing their full list of Top 10 Migration Issues of 2020 over two weeks. Below are the topics that have made the list in positions 6 to 10. 6. Migrants Stranded amid COVID-19 Pandemic Put Pressure on Host and Transit Countries... 7. Extreme Weather and Natural Disasters Spurred Vast Internal Displacement 8. Most Active U.S. Presidency on Immigration Sees its Vision Through to the End 9. Black Lives Matter Grows to Encompass a Movement for Immigrants’ Rights and International Colonial Reckoning 10. Health Checks and Increased Government Surveillance Become Routine During International Travel Check out the MPI website to learn more: https://www.migrationpolicy.org//top-10-migration-issues-2 #WelcomingWorks #immigrants #refugees

As the U.S. election unfolds, COVID-19 spreads, and injustices are exposed in unprecedented ways, you may be experiencing deep levels of stress and anxiety like so many others across the country and around the world. You are not alone. In Philadelphia, people are responding in different ways. We have seen small groups and individuals coming together online and in their neighborhoods to overcome challenges, from accessing food to alleviating social isolation to dealing with th...e loss of income. People are taking action to address their fears and build stronger communities. Since our founding in 2003 by an immigrant, the Welcoming Center has advanced diversity and inclusion as tools to fight for equity and economic justice. This is who we are. We are committed to creating spaces where people feel safe, valued, and included, no matter where you were born or which neighborhood you live in. We don’t do this work alone. We do this work with all of you. As a part of the Welcoming Center community, you can help us expand our impact by reaching out and engaging others. Together, we are building a more inclusive community, expanding opportunity, and sparking change. -- This message was crafted by members of the Welcoming Center’s Participant Advisory Council and staff. #WelcomingWorks #elections2020 #COVID19

Join us on Monday, November 9, for the "Advancing Philanthropy: Elevating Immigrant Communities in the Philadelphia Area" panel discussion on innovative ways to support immigrants. With experts from: The School District of Philadelphia, Douty Foundation, Scattergood Foundation, and AFRICOM. Organized by Civic Capital Consulting.... Register now: https://www.phlanthropyweek.org//360-phlanthropy-advancing #philanthropy #immigrants #socialimpact

With #ElectionDay around the corner, we sat down for a conversation with two of our staff members who are both civically engaged in their own unique ways. Nina Chen (Special Projects Consultant) is the daughter of immigrants and has been shaped by her parents devotion to democracy, and Maureen Smith (Program Manager, Immigrant Leadership Institute) is an immigrant who will be voting in her first Presidential Election. We spoke to them about why it’s so important to #vote an...d to get involved in the democratic process. Read more: https://welcomingcenter.org/employee-spotlight-nina-mauree/

Watch this video explaining the important voting procedures and resources in Mandarin, the most spoken Asia-Pacific language in Pennsylvania. YouTube link of video in Mandarin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXc2yTbz1zQ&feature=youtu.be There are also videos in Korean and Vietnamese. You can watch them on YouTube.... Video in Korean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFteg9pmfiw&feature=youtu.be Video in Vietnamese: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyFlKp9XV58&feature=youtu.be #immigrants #vote #election2020

The number of naturalized citizens who are eligible to vote has nearly doubled in the past 20 years, according to the Pew Research Center and they range from translators to busboys, physical education teachers to doctors. In this article by the Washington Post, immigrants who are voting for the first time share their thoughts. https://www.washingtonpost.com//a27280f4-1a05-11eb-aeec-b9... #election2020 #vote #immigrants #WelcomingWorks

COVID-19 has impacted everyone, including immigrant communities. Our personal lives and work lives have changed drastically, and these changes have been difficult. As communities work towards recovering from the devastating impact of COVID-19, the Welcoming Center is bringing together immigrants from diverse backgrounds for a Community Conversation to: Identify COVID-19 recovery challenges faced by... immigrant communities. Identify solutions to these recovery challenges. Identify ways immigrants can contribute their knowledge, skills, and experience to put these solutions into motion. We want YOU to be a part of the conversation! If you are an immigrant living in Philadelphia and you want to contribute YOUR knowledge, skills, and experience and drive solutions that will make a real impact in immigrant communities, please register for the Welcoming Center's Community Conversation. This online conversation will be happening on Thursday, October 29, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Don't wait. Act today and be a part of the solution. Register: https://bit.ly/3keITsa YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS EVENT. You will receive a Zoom link to the event after you have registered.

Last evening, 22 participants (representing 13 countries) graduated from our Intercultural Wellness Program (IWP)! The online graduation ceremony was attended by 57 individuals, including participants' families from around the world. Two program participants, Waleska and Raul, performed a wonderful 10-minute medley of music from around the world, together with their son, Asaf! IWP graduates will continue to use the knowledge and skills they have gained during the program to... promote wellness in immigrant communities. IWP is a program in partnership with AFAHO and is supported by The Thomas Scattergood Foundation. It is a program for immigrants who want to support their community in terms of wellness, stress management, and utilizing coping mechanisms to address the challenges they face in Philadelphia. Learn more: bit.ly/3iVifTT PS: If you would like to get in touch with Raul to learn more about his music and performances, send us a message and we will connect you to him! #CommunityEngagement #Philadelphia #Immigrants