April 26, 2023, Equity and Engagement’s Community Relations Manager, Janel Gomez, and Community Relations Specialist, April Faulkner, attended a 3-day conference hosted by Welcoming America. This conference was an opportunity for communities dedicated to improving immigrant and refugee policy and integration, to come together to network and collaborate. The conference included tours of the beautiful city of San Jose, a documentary screening, 3 expert panels, and 20 breakout sessions. The conference had a wealth of knowledge and points of view to learn from, with numerous subject matter experts sharing best practices and calls to action for all the participants.
The City of Champaign, in partnership with the New American Welcome Center, was honored along with 2 other cities for participating in Welcoming America’s new pilot program to become a certified welcoming city. Representatives from all 3 cities were gifted with a beautiful “We are Home” art piece.