Welcoming Week: September 15 – 24
Can’t make the events? Not in Missoula? You can still be a Welcomer!
Post Your “I’m a Welcomer” Photos to Social Media!
Download our “I’m a Welcomer” signs and print your favorite(s).
Take a photo of yourself or your team with one of the signs and post to social media with a caption describing how your community welcomes. We also encourage you to highlight the personal stories of immigrants and refugees and their contributions to your community.
Use the following hashtags: #WelcomeWeekMT #WelcomeWeek #IWelcome
If you need caption ideas, here are some suggestions:
Let’s show the world that our communities want to be welcoming to everyone. #WelcomingWeek #WelcomingWeekMT #IWelcome welcomingweek.org
#IWelcome immigrants & refugees because […] #WelcomingWeek #WelcomingWeekMT
Immigrants & refugees make communities stronger economically & culturally. Celebrate #WelcomingWeek Sept 15-24. #WelcomingWeekMT #IWelcome
Every day more communities recognize that welcoming immigrants is the right & smart thing to do. #WelcomingWeek #WelcomingWeekMT #IWelcome
How will you celebrate #WelcomingWeek? Join the growing movement and attend an event near you! Welcomingweek.org #WelcomingWeekMT #IWelcome
Participate in our Statewide Call Day!
On Wednesday, September 20th, Soft Landing Missoula, the International Rescue Committee, Montana Women Vote, the Montana Human Rights Network, and many other partner agencies around the state are joining together to call our government representatives to express our support for refugee rights and resettlement. From home, read this post to learn more about issues, which calls need to be made during Welcoming Week, and read suggested language for your call. This is part of a statewide effort that will be bringing many groups from across that state together to make these calls during the week. Contact Montana Human Rights Network to find out more information about what will be going on in your area. Pick up your phone and call your government representatives! We are grateful for your support!
Share Your Own Family’s Story in our StoryCorps Community
StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world. Go to Soft Landing’s Story Corps Community and choose “Join Community” to become part of the official SLM StoryCorps Community, record and share your story, and listen to interviews from other supporters like yourself! These stories will be archived in the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
After you have created your profile, you can record your interview by choosing “Add a new interview.” The easiest way to add an interview is to grab a friend or loved one, use your favorite questions from StoryCorps’ Family Heritage questions:
What is your ethnic background?
Where is your mom’s family from? Where is your dad’s family from?
Have you ever been there? What was that experience like?
What traditions have been passed down in your family?
Who were your favorite relatives?
Do you remember any of the stories they used to tell you?
What are the classic family stories? Jokes? Songs?
Record your conversation on your phone or on your computer, then upload it on the StoryCorps website. Add the information about you and your interview partner, and make sure you type “Soft Landing Missoula” in the community portion (#8).
If you have questions about the process, try StoryCorps’ FAQs or contact Carlyn@softlandingmissoula.org. We can’t wait to hear your stories!
Check out our full schedule of Welcoming Week events in Missoula.