Welcoming Refugees

Over the last two years I've been excited to learn of the work of Welcoming America,

"a national, grassroots-driven collaborative that works to promote mutual respect and cooperation between foreign-born and U.S.-born Americans. The ultimate goal of Welcoming America is to create a welcoming atmosphere – community by community – in which immigrants are more likely to integrate into the social fabric of their adopted hometowns.

One of WA's projects is Welcoming Refugees:

"Through a cooperative agreement with the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Welcoming America helps organizations and communities across the United States to prepare their communities for successful resettlement over the long term by fostering greater understanding and support for refugees." 

Sign up to be part of the Welcoming Refugees network. Their Community Blog is full of resources.

On the Community Blog, I've just begun a series of posts, "Connecting Through Stories," which will focus on creating welcoming communities and conversations by using children's books featuring stories of the experiences of new Americans.

This first post is about the Cambodian American experience, in celebration of Cambodian New Year and acknowledging the 40th anniversary of the Khmer Rouge invasion of Phnom Penh and the start of the 4-year genocide.

Upcoming posts will include books related to World Refugee Day, Ramadan, and finally in September, National Welcoming Week.