• News
  • Business
  • Donate
  • Features
    • Opinions
    • Arts & Style
    • Video
    • Photos
    • Interviews
    • Audio
  • About Us
  • New Americans Business Magazine
  • Contact
  • News
  • Business
  • Donate
  • Features
    • Opinions
    • Arts & Style
    • Video
    • Photos
    • Interviews
    • Audio
  • About Us
  • New Americans Business Magazine
  • Contact
Popular
Recent
Comments
Tags
  • U. S. 2020 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program opens Wednesday, Oct, 3

    October 1, 2018

    Feyi Tolani: An Advocate-In-Nursing

    November 1, 2018

    America’s Immigration Debate: The “Danger of Telling a Single Story.”

    February 13, 2017
  • CCC Columbus Parish holds revival July 31

    July 7, 2022

    The power move that shook up the whole college foo ...

    July 7, 2022

    America welcomes 6,600 new citizens on Independenc ...

    July 1, 2022
  • Good job, sir!

    January 12, 2021

    I'm call Haji I live the dadaab comp I am a refuge ...

    October 12, 2020

    Narayan vai, you spoke the truth about the importa ...

    September 6, 2020
  • Zimbabwe Youths Youth Foundation Younger Ohioans Yoga International Day Yoga Day X Gender Passport Worthington Christian School World Cup 2022 World Cup Workplace Women's Commission Women's Big 10 Women Basketball Women and Families Wisconsin Badgers Who wins Ohio 2018 elections? When DACA Calls Westerville schools Weekend Weddings/Funerals Wedding banquet Wear Masks Warm Coats WANTO grant
  • CCC Columbus Parish holds revival July 31

  • The power move that shook up the whole college foo ...

  • America welcomes 6,600 new citizens on Independenc ...

  • Somali Community in Columbus illuminates City Hall ...

  • Columbus International Summit sensitizes residents ...

  • New Online Ohio BMV Services allow new drivers to ...

  • Governor DeWine supports review of actions taken i ...

  • Judges Zayas and Jamison with Justice Brunner at T ...

  • Reynoldsburg hosts third Annual Juneteenth Celebra ...

  • Ohio Attorney General warns Ohioans on Shady storm ...

  • Reynoldsburg hosts third Annual Juneteenth Celebra ...

  • Judges Zayas and Jamison with Justice Brunner at T ...

  • Governor DeWine supports review of actions taken i ...

  • New Online Ohio BMV Services allow new drivers to ...

  • Columbus International Summit sensitizes residents ...

  • Somali Community in Columbus illuminates City Hall ...

  • America welcomes 6,600 new citizens on Independenc ...

  • The power move that shook up the whole college foo ...

  • CCC Columbus Parish holds revival July 31

  • Ohio Attorney General warns Ohioans on Shady storm ...

Previous Next

A ROOM OF WARMTH ON A COLD NIGHT

Posted by: New Americans Magazine , April 2, 2018

By Pedro Mejia

((AmeriCorps VISTA, City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods)

It is not often that on a Saturday night you would find fifty people from different backgrounds and cultures sharing a meal and telling stories together. McKinzi Warren would like to change that.

McKinzi is CEO of Global Conversations, a consulting company with a new project by the name of “Refuge”.  Refuge hosts community conversations in the Columbus area. Recently, on March 10th, friends, strangers, and members of the community gathered at the North YMCA to participate in a community conversation and meal with New Americans.

The event, co-sponsored by the City of Columbus Department of Neighborhoods, was part of a larger effort by Refuge to bring Columbus’ diverse community together during a time of national uneasiness surrounding immigration.

“I created Refuge in 2016 to hold community conversations, after seeing that something was missing in Columbus.  Despite being home to thousands of people from all over the world, I could not find an event where members of multiple immigrant communities could come to get to know other Columbus residents casually as friends and neighbors. I knew that if I could give everyone an opportunity to meet one another, the people of Columbus would show up with compassion and curiosity.” – McKinzi Warren

In the fifth event of its kind, participants were invited to sit with new acquaintances and ask one another a series of qu

estions that explore the commonality of human experiences across different communities and cultures. In doing so, conversations and questions that can sometimes be uncomfortable had a space in which to manifest.

In the background, as meals from Wycliff’s Café and Local Matters were shared, a tree of words began to grow; using sticky notes, participants wrote down words that they associated with community and placed it upon a drawing of a barren tree. As time passed, and roots of new friendships grew, the tree blossomed into a collective embodiment of the meaning of community. Safety, food, and love were all among the words to be found.

The words that were written upon the tree contained themes and messages that are echoed by the YMCA, which donated space for the event. Malik Moore, Executive Director of Social Responsibility for the YMCA of Central Ohio, says that playing a role in such community events has allowed the YMCA to now step up and declare April 3rd to be “Love a Human Day”. On this day, doors will be open to guests to show commitment to safe spaces and community, the same kind of safe space that was showcased on March 10th.

During the second half of the event, individuals were given the opportunity to stand before their peers and speak to the crowd. This time there was no prompt. Stories of immigration, hardships, love and pain were told, and in some way, a safe space was created. The sense of urgency, passion, and subtle uneasiness in the voices of the speakers suggested that these were not stories often told; these were stories that came from a special place. “The stories that people have had the courage to share, and the kind way in which everyone listens, gives me hope for our future as a community, and as a world.” says McKinzi Warren.

With 8:30 PM creeping closer, it appeared no easy task to halt conversations and end the event in a timely fashion. Members of the community lingered to connect, reflect, and embrace the stories they had just heard. After the exchange of cards and information, smiles and hugs, the conversation finally ended.

As guests exited the room of warmth they had all just shared, the brisk air of a Northland night suddenly seemed inspiring. “My life is richer and my drive to serve as an advocate, neighbor, and friend to people who have had completely different life experiences from my own is higher than it has ever been.”, says Malik Moore. In the hours previous, the strength of community in Columbus had become apparent. Columbus is a diverse, friendly, and thriving city, and the source of our successes can be found in neighborhoods because in community, in neighborhoods, one can always find refuge.

 

Post Views: 1,547

Tags: ROOM OF WARMTH

Share!
Tweet

New Americans Magazine

About the author

Related Posts

Columbus International Summit sensitizes residents on opportunities

By Okon Ekpenyong The city of Columbus hosted its first-ever Columbus International Summit to i ...

Securing A Friendly and Protective Environment for Peoples of African descent on Protection of Childhood

By Taiwo Akinlami The #Noprotectionnochildhood Townhall Meeting, is an initiative of The Power ...

Public Lecture examines primary roles of parents providing leadership to children and young people

By Taiwo Akinlami A virtual birthday lecture, the Taiwo Akinlami Public Lecture recently examin ...

The Pop Culture Weights and Parenting

By Taiwo Akinlami The North American Power Tour, an initiative of the Power Parenting® Company ...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Advertisement

0
Popular
Recent
Comments
  • U. S. 2020 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program opens Wednesday, Oct, 3

    October 1, 2018

    Feyi Tolani: An Advocate-In-Nursing

    November 1, 2018

    America’s Immigration Debate: The “Danger of Telling a Single Story.”

    February 13, 2017
  • CCC Columbus Parish holds revival July 31

    July 7, 2022

    The power move that shook up the whole college foo ...

    July 7, 2022

    America welcomes 6,600 new citizens on Independenc ...

    July 1, 2022
  • Good job, sir!

    January 12, 2021

    I'm call Haji I live the dadaab comp I am a refuge ...

    October 12, 2020

    Narayan vai, you spoke the truth about the importa ...

    September 6, 2020

Archives

  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016

Contact Form


1+1=


American international journalist and author of "The Immigrant on Columbus Way: A True Life Guide To Settling Down As A New Immigrant To America "

Current/Past Issues

  • DailyNews
  • Hotels
  • Hotwire
  • Merchantic
  • Reference
  • Thesaurus
  • Urbanspoon

All used images are licensed by The New Americans Magazine.

Copyright © 2018 The New Americans Magazine | Layout and design by LiQiD inc