Salem Taking Part In Welcoming Week

From The City of Salem: Mayor Kim Driscoll was joined by State Rep. Paul Tucker, State Senator Joan Lovely, and City Councillors Steve Dibble, Domingo Dominguez, Beth Gerard, Christine Madore, Robert McCarthy, Lisa Peterson, and Josh Turiel in today issuing a Welcoming City proclamation in conjunction with the celebration of “Welcoming Week,” a nation-wide event taking place September 14-23. During this annual series of events, communities bring together immigrants, refugees, and native-born residents to raise awareness of the benefits of welcoming everyone.

Welcoming Week “is a time to demonstrate how, in places large and small, rural and urban, people of all backgrounds are coming together to create stronger communities,” says the organization Welcoming America. “It’s a critical time for all of us to show the world that our communities want to be welcoming to everyone.” Last year, more than 700 events took place across the nation during the week.

“Salem is now, and always has been, a city of immigrants,” said Mayor Driscoll. “We know that a community that welcomes immigrants is one that is safer and more economically vibrant. Salem, our Commonwealth, and our country all see our fate tied to and inseparable with the fate of people from every corner of our world: the old woman fleeing violence, the young man targeted by a political regime, the new parents, daring to hope for a better future for their child. They were coming to Salem a generation ago. They were coming here in the days of Salem’s merchant fleets and unfurled sails. And they were coming here yesterday. But they were not only coming to Salem. America was built, long before, by these same people – by refugees, by immigrants, by Americans. I am the daughter of an immigrant. We are all, in so many ways, the children of immigrants. We should welcome today’s immigrants, because they are America’s tomorrow.”

A number of events and activities are taking place in Salem during and around Welcoming Week.

The House of the Seven Gables holds a free workshop, “Welcoming is Healing: Re-thinking Immigration” on September 26 at 6:00 p.m. at the Gables, 115 Derby Street. In this interactive workshop, participants will explore the idea of “welcome” in our lives, and how it benefits us to keep our minds and hearts open to new people and experiences. We will look at the diverse meanings of “welcome” and how we can welcome into our lives the people, situations and things that heal and calm us, as time for rest and reflection becomes increasingly elusive in a fast-paced society. Participants will be given tools based in theater, creative movement, writing and voice, to welcome more peace, and new people and experiences into their lives. Participants are encouraged to wear loose, comfortable clothing, soft soled shoes and be prepared to move and have fun! Register by calling 978-306-7001 or emailing erincon@7gables.org.

In addition, the House of the Seven Gables is offering Adult ESL and Citizenship classes at Salem Academy Charter School (45 Congress Street) on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:30pm starting September 11. Walk-in registration is welcome and childcare is provided.

“The House of the Seven Gables Settlement Association was founded in 1910 with the specific purpose of helping immigrants successfully settle in our community,” said Kara McLaughlin, Executive Director of the House of the Seven gables. “While the countries from which most immigrants are coming to our city has changed since then, The Gables’ commitment to helping immigrants become engaged and active participants in the community is a strong as ever. We are both excited and proud to help Salem become a Welcoming City.”

On September 22, from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., residents are invited to the free “Fiesta en la Calle,” a vibrant block party taking place on Peabody Street. Be the first to see both international and New England based artists debut murals they will be creating throughout the Point’s Punto Urban Art Museum. The celebration includes live art, live music, performers, food trucks, DJ’s, a beer garden, and more.

During the week of September 17 to September 22, North Shore CDC will host over 35 artists to participate in the Point neighborhood’s open-air Punto Urban Art Museum. Artists hailing from cities across the globe and New England will be in Salem during the week to create and display a series of expressive and thought-provoking art for the local and global community. The Punto Urban Art Museum encourages meaningful conversations concerning social justice, equality, and sense of place to unfold in an organic nature. There will be a series of lectures, films, and workshops throughout the week in the lead-up to the Fiesta on September 22.

"Salem has a long and dynamic history of immigration that has contributed so much to the cultural identity of Salem,” said North CDC Executive Director Mickey Northcutt.

In addition to the proclamation, Mayor Driscoll today also announced the City had joined Welcoming America as a member municipality and has begun the process to achieve the organization’s “Welcoming City” certification.

“This designation is important, not only because it symbolizes our values as city that is inclusive of all people, but also because the work necessary to achieve the certification presents an opportunity for the City and all of our community partners to come together and thoughtfully assess our practices, policies, and programs,” said Mayor Driscoll. “This review, in order to achieve the Welcoming City standard, will help us identify where we can do even more to welcome immigrants and their families, because a diverse city is a strong city.”

“We believe we are strengthened by our diversity,” said Fara Wolfson and Jeff Cohen, Co-Chairs of the Salem No Place for Hate Committee. “We should always strive to protect the civil rights for all in our community and we are excited to work in solidarity with other leaders in Salem in order to fulfill this promise.”

In August, a large coalition of stakeholder organizations and agencies first met to being reviewing the criteria and process for Salem to become a Welcoming City. Currently only two Massachusetts municipalities have achieved the Welcoming City designation. More details about the certification can be found here: https://www.welcomingamerica.org/programs/certification.

September is also Hispanic Heritage Month, which will be marked by a multi-nation flag raising event on September 14 at 11:00 a.m. in Riley Plaza. “The theme that the Latino Leadership Coalition has chosen for Hispanic Heritage Month this year will center on the idea of the abiding presence of Latinos and their families in the U.S., with a special focus on community members who own businesses, own their own homes, and whose children are now second- and third- generation immigrants, and also proud residents of Salem,” said Ana Nuncio, of Salem’s Latino Leadership Coalition. “This idea of ‘abiding presence’ roughly translates to estamos, that we're here to stay, and that we will continue transforming (and being transformed by) the larger community of Salem. We are excited about the Welcoming City initiative for Salem! The Welcoming City proclamation will speak volumes about the way we were in Salem at the beginning of the 21st century: it will say that we as a community chose to stand together in decisively welcoming the stranger among us.”

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