SAVE THE DATE- SEPTEMBER 9-18, 2022
Celebrating 10 years of Welcoming Week with a new identity, announcing 2022 theme
This September, Welcoming America and its network of 300+ nonprofit and local government members — as well as a broader coalition of partner organizations — will ring in the 10th anniversary of Welcoming Week.
For the past decade, the annual celebration has taken place in communities through events, ceremonies, and other actions to commemorate the values that make places welcoming for all who live there. What started as just a handful of events in the U.S. has evolved into over 400 gatherings, webinars, and workshops in 2021, and is increasingly going abroad.
2022 theme: Where We Belong
The theme for this year’s Welcoming Week is “Where We Belong”.
By focusing on the places and spaces that foster belonging (ie. cities, workplaces, neighborhoods, etc.), “Where We Belong” aims to go deeper and spark individual reflection on how and why belonging occurs, and ways we can break barriers so that places can foster belonging for all, including immigrants.
Additionally, each day of Welcoming Week will focus on the Welcoming Standard and its seven framework categories (government and community leadership, education, civic engagement, safe communities, connected communities, equitable access, economic development) as well as Citizenship Day (U.S.)
Under this theme and framework, cities, towns, counties, and nations — and the institutions within them — can lean into what makes their communities welcoming places and showcase how it helps foster belonging for all people, especially immigrants. By doing this, we demonstrate the scale and breadth of Welcoming Week spreading across the globe, leaning into the universal values of welcoming places and individuals by helping others belong and feel at home.
MEET THE WELCOME WEEK TEAM
Sara Jamal Eddin, a graduate student in the School of Architecture and Design at Virginia Tech. I was born and raised in Aleppo, Syria. I have been in Blacksburg since 2016 and it became home to me and my small family. Besides being a mom for two awesome boys and a PhD student, I enjoy playing the piano and engaging in activities of my community.
I'm Radia Lu and I'm currently a high school student. Some of my hobbies include practicing archery, listening to music, and eating food. Ever since 6th grade, I have performed at local Chinese festivals, and this year I performed at the YMCA Craft Fair and the Welcoming Festival. To me, Welcoming Week is important because it sends a strong, firm statement that people of all different backgrounds need to be valued and humanized. I'm grateful to have the chance to help plan this event and feel that my opinions have been valued by the rest of the team even as a high schooler. Being on the planning committee gives me an open space to contribute ideas and be part of a conscientious team. I hope that with these initiatives, everyone will be happy to call Blacksburg their home!
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Laureen Blakemore, Director of Community Engagement at the YMCA at Virginia Tech since March 2020. Born in the USA, raised in Liverpool and Banbury, England and a resident of Blacksburg since 1996.
Gunin Kiran I was born and raised in Ankara, Turkey. I received both my Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering from the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. I got married and moved to the United States in 1988.I love reading, painting and traveling with my husband to where our children live as well as to all his national and international conferences. I value diversity and inclusion where I live. I want our international community to always feel welcomed! That is why when invited I was excited to join and support the YMCA at Virginia Tech’s Welcoming Week Team.
Ellen Stewart is excited to represent the Town of Blacksburg on the Welcoming Week planning team again this year. Ellen works for the Department of Housing and Community Connections, and enjoys any opportunity to meet people with diverse backgrounds and life experience. A native of Canada, she is the mother of four and grandmother of eight (soon to be nine!), who loves to spend time at home on her small farm as well as travelling the world.
Juan Liu (Jane)
I am originally from China. As a visiting scholar in Virginia Tech, I have received warm welcome from VT YMCA international women's group when I first came to Blacksburg. I always enjoy meeting friends from different countries. I also have chances to perform Chinese folk dance and introduce the traditional costumes, food and art from my own country. As a YMCA volunteer, I want to encourage more new friends to join us and share your experiences and stories. Life is colorful because of you!
Natali Huggins is from San Cristobal, Venezuela. She has been living in the US for ten years. She is a mom, wife, and graduate student at Virginia Tech. She has been living in many places worldwide, but since 2017 Blacksburg has become her home. She is interested in helping other international families and moms to get comfortable in the NRV area and Blacksburg. Especially those that came to the US to find a safe place to start a new life that cannot continue in their home country for reasons out of their hands. Like many immigrants, she cannot return to her country and hopes to keep their family roots in her culture while learning about the US culture and feel they have a second home and a new opportunity in life.
Gunin Kiran I was born and raised in Ankara, Turkey. I received both my Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Chemical Engineering from the Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey. I got married and moved to the United States in 1988.I love reading, painting and traveling with my husband to where our children live as well as to all his national and international conferences. I value diversity and inclusion where I live. I want our international community to always feel welcomed! That is why when invited I was excited to join and support the YMCA at Virginia Tech’s Welcoming Week Team.
Ellen Stewart is excited to represent the Town of Blacksburg on the Welcoming Week planning team again this year. Ellen works for the Department of Housing and Community Connections, and enjoys any opportunity to meet people with diverse backgrounds and life experience. A native of Canada, she is the mother of four and grandmother of eight (soon to be nine!), who loves to spend time at home on her small farm as well as travelling the world.
Juan Liu (Jane)
I am originally from China. As a visiting scholar in Virginia Tech, I have received warm welcome from VT YMCA international women's group when I first came to Blacksburg. I always enjoy meeting friends from different countries. I also have chances to perform Chinese folk dance and introduce the traditional costumes, food and art from my own country. As a YMCA volunteer, I want to encourage more new friends to join us and share your experiences and stories. Life is colorful because of you!
