LRIS has a focus on the acceptance and safe integration of immigrants, asylum seekers, and refugees into communities; they make sure to point out the humanity and need for compassion these people hold and deserve to have recognized. I believe that to that end a community meet and greet day would be useful. A simple event at which there would be light refreshments, possibly from varied cultures (budget and feasibility dependent), with information boards on both US culture and the cultures of those LIRS serves (the predominant ones at least). These would each have a snack or drink near them, and people could go to them to sample the food, learn/be inspired by the info boards, and speak to each other to better understand their differences and similarities. The event would host advocates and LIRS members, those they serve, and community members who want to learn about these people. It would be a chance to dispel some of the negativity or dehumanizing rhetoric or assumptions people may have about immigrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. This would also give an opportunity to forge friendships and community ties to make the transition easier for those entering the US. It could also be made into a yearly event fairly easily.
2 thoughts on “Grant Proposal, Community Meet and Greet”
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I think this is a winning idea because it addresses the dehumanizing aspect of immigration and how mistreated immigrants are often treated.
What appeals to me most about working on this project is that it is welcoming to the entire community but is simultaneously educational and advocates for the work that the organization does.
The role I would like to play in this group is in creating the template for cultural presentations, something similar to a cultural coalescence and formatting how the different cultures can be represented in a symposium-type event.
What makes this a winning idea and makes it appealing to me is the community meet and greet setup. From my experience, when being interactive with people around you creates stronger impacts and feelings that last for a long time. For this team, I would work best in the Lead Writer/Research role.