By Mary Carr Lee, Mayors Innovation Project
Welcoming Week is more than a celebration—it’s a movement. It’s a call to action to build a nation of neighbors where all residents can embrace diversity, foster belonging, and shape a future where everyone feels at home.
“Welcoming Week started in 2012 as a conversation between a number of statewide immigrant rights organizations and advocacy groups who wanted to uplift the importance of welcoming in communities and it’s grown to include more than 1450 events across 47 states and six countries this year.” says Daniel Valdez, Chief External Affairs Officer for Welcoming America. “While each community celebrates in its own way, all share a common belief: that our differences are strengths, and that by sharing stories and discovering common ground, we shape what comes next.”
This year’s Welcoming Week theme, “Stories We Share,” asks a powerful question: What if differences were seen not as a divider but as a multiplier to shape new possibilities?
Celebrating Welcoming Week — Bend, Oregon’s Way
Bend, Oregon is proudly joining communities across the nation in celebrating Welcoming Week 2025, a global initiative to foster deeper understanding and connection among neighbors of all backgrounds. Bend will come together through a vibrant mix of local events—from bilingual, family-friendly yoga sessions to community bike rides, concerts, and school activities—to build bridges across cultures and affirm the importance of inclusive communities in achieving shared prosperity.
Bend’s Ongoing Commitment to Inclusion
Thanks to the tireless advocacy of the Latino Community Association, Bend has been part of Welcoming Week since 2017, when the City Council unanimously voted to recognize Bend as a Welcoming City during Immigrant Heritage Month. That commitment continues today.
At its September 3rd meeting, the Bend City Council officially proclaimed September 12-21, 2025, as Welcoming Week, honoring the city’s immigrant communities and acknowledging the challenges many residents face amid shifting federal immigration policies and increased enforcement. These changes have created a climate of anxiety, pushing some into isolation and making solidarity more vital than ever.
Voices of Leadership
“We are in a time where it’s easy to feel disconnected from our neighbors and our community,” says Mayor Melanie Kebler. “Events like Welcoming Week give us a chance to come together, hear each other’s stories, and share our own.” Mayor Kebler added, “social media can sometimes dehumanize and divide us. It’s important for communities to push back against harmful narratives and remind each other of our shared humanity.”
In a heartfelt moment, Bend’s City Councilor Sonia Capiche, herself an immigrant, shared the personal significance of the Welcoming Week Proclamation, underscoring the collective journey toward a more inclusive Bend. As the council wrapped up, the message was clear: Welcoming Week is not just a celebration; it is a call to action for all to embrace diversity and foster a sense of belonging in the heart of Central Oregon.
Beyond Welcoming Week, Bend goes further to foster an inclusive city through various partnerships, including the “Investing in Belonging” event, part of the Embrace Bend initiative. And as a sanctuary state since 1987, Oregon stands for the safety, dignity, and human rights of all Oregonians. Oregon was the first state in the nation to pass a statewide law stopping state and local police and government from helping federal authorities with immigration enforcement.
If your community wants to be part of Welcoming America’s movement, you can find resources on their website, including what it means to become certified welcoming.