An Inclusive Initiative: Welcoming Communities
When it comes to being a welcoming city, what does that mean? Working toward inclusive initiatives can create communities that are safe places for refugees or home bases for new businesses started by immigrants. In Kansas City, Missouri, the chamber wanted to put into words exactly what it meant to be hospitable to all. The chamber’s Welcoming KC initiative, which was featured during the March DEI Division Roundtable call, created a roadmap and a coalition around the idea of inclusion for all, especially immigrants and refugees.
What does it mean to be welcoming?
Welcoming America, a nonprofit focused on inclusive communities becoming prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs, notes that being welcoming is more than being friendly or tolerant. Its website notes, “We believe that truly welcoming places have intentional, inclusive policies, practices, and norms that enable all residents to live, thrive, and contribute fully — including immigrants.” The KC Chamber used the organization’s Welcoming Standard framework in its plan, including areas like civic engagement, economic development, equitable access and connected communities, among others.
Why should a city be welcoming?
Greg Valdovino, the vice president of diversity, equity and inclusion for the KC Chamber, used data from New American Economy on the regional impact of immigrants. The metro area is home to over 150,000 immigrants with $3.5 billion in spending power. Over 11,000 immigrants are considered entrepreneurial and are 42% more likely to be an entrepreneur than U.S.-born residents. “When we start to look at and talk about why Welcoming KC, this is some of the information we deliver,” Valdovino said. Welcoming America’s website says, “When communities recognize the value being truly welcoming and intentionally work toward the inclusion of newcomers, they can create a culture and policy environment where all residents feel empowered to work with each other in strengthening the social, civic, and economic fabric.”
How do you even start?
Kansas City started the process in 2018. Through coalition-building, committees and working groups were formed and the strategic plan was launched at the end of 2020. “What we found as we did all of this work is that all of these strategies are already being implemented in our community,” said Valdovino. “A lot of these organizations work in a silo, so one organization doesn’t know what the other organization does so well.” The chamber formed a coalition with organizations already doing the work to increase the impact. It started with about 40 members that formed the steering committee and has since grown to about 65 members, many of them nonprofits.
What are the benefits of being welcoming?
“There is a workforce shortage in Greater Kansas City,” wrote Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the KC Chamber, in the Welcoming KC Plan. “We know by using all the assets across our entire community, we can welcome immigrants, refugees, and other newcomers to grow the region’s globally competitive workforce.” But the benefits aren’t just focused on economic development. There’s a human element, too. “To come here, to know that they are welcome, no matter what their background is, it helps for people from around the world who might come to Kansas City,” Valdovino said. The chamber also has created programs around welcoming, like refugee and immigrant job fairs. The program now has 11 sponsors and is getting more attention from the business community.
What’s next?
While the KC Chamber is already in Welcoming America’s Welcoming Network, the next goal is to become a Certified Welcoming city. “It gives you the benefit of getting national recognition. It helps attract new businesses. It helps attract new talent,” said Valdovino. “Being welcoming always helps and never hurts.”
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