Local community leaders and volunteers reflect on Welcoming Week
Chukuma Ijioma works for Meeker County Health and Human Services as a Public Health Educator, which involves assessing, analyzing and creating health programs in Meeker County to prevent diseases and improving the health of those who live and work in Meeker County. Chukuma wanted to start Meeker County’s Welcoming Week and be a part of the planning because he saw a need for it in the community.
I am an African and a person of color. As a personal experience, when I first moved into Meeker County, I was warmly received by my landlord, my work supervisor and others in my workplace and even others I randomly met in the community. The feeling of acceptance resonated with me, and with the scope of my work of improving social wellbeing and mental wellbeing, I was encouraged to help others improve theirs. Our community is composed of not just immigrants or people of color, but also of those with different ancestral backgrounds. Having a community which welcomes and accepts its inhabitants is a step towards healthy living.
There were several favorite moments for me during the Welcoming Week events: listening to stories being read to kids on how to accept one another; drum circle activities where people learned to utilize different instruments to harmonize sounds; and a free painting session where people wrote, drew and colored their impressions of the beauty of living in Meeker County. What stood out as the favorite was an activity during the festival, The Big Splash Water Dunking, where everyone had fun throwing a ball and attempting to soak someone else in water.
Welcoming Week event along with its messaging speaks to the inhabitants of Meeker County that we can all be accepting of one another. It also speaks to those who feel different from the predominant population in our community, that they are also part of the community. It also speaks to those outside of the community, that they can be welcomed to our community regardless of their differences.
About Welcoming Week
Through Welcoming Week, organizations and communities bring together neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity. We provide funding and support for Welcoming Week celebrations in communities across our region as part of our membership in Welcoming America.