Stories

This September, Welcoming Week NWA 2025 returns with a focus on community service, civic engagement, and belonging. Anchored in the spirit of community, this month-long celebration will unite students, families, educators, libraries, businesses, and community leaders across Northwest Arkansas through events that uplift leadership, foster cross-cultural connection, and inspire community pride. From high school campuses […]

A few years ago, Springdale librarian Tanya Evans was helping a friend transport a furniture donation to Canopy NWA when the friend confided in her: “I know we have refugees from Afghanistan here, but where are they? I haven’t met any.” The conversation stuck with Evans, who typically sees immigrants and refugees from four or […]

Most of us feel the value of welcoming. Maybe it’s morally or spiritually essential to us to welcome the stranger. Maybe connecting with others across difference fuels us creatively. Or maybe new food, new art, new music, and new stories light us up because they’re fun, part of the gift and adventure of being alive. […]

As part of Welcoming Week NWA, EngageNWA hosted a Marshallese Cultural Training event at The Medium, led by Arkansas Coalition of Marshallese (ACOM). This event highlighted the unique history, values, and contributions of the Marshallese community, which has become an essential part of Northwest Arkansas’s social and cultural fabric. Marshallese Community in NWA The Marshallese community in Northwest Arkansas has a […]

Engage NWA Internship This summer, I was determined to make the most of my time by contributing to something meaningful. I was drawn to EngageNWA because I had heard about their incredible work in the Northwest Arkansas community from someone very close to me. Fortunately, I was able to get put in contact with Margot, […]

Welcoming Week NWA 2024: A Decade of Building Belonging Marking its 10th anniversary, Welcoming Week NWA returns this September with a renewed commitment to fostering belonging across Northwest Arkansas. The events kick off on Sept. 1 and run throughout the month, spotlighting the important role of community connections in shaping a thriving, inclusive region. Organized by EngageNWA […]

Introducing the NWA Belonging Barometer We’re thrilled to launch the Belonging Barometer survey adapted for Northwest Arkansas! This tool is designed to delve into our community’s sense of belonging, shedding light on how we can enhance our collective regional experience. Belonging is a core human need, crucial for both individual and community well-being. However, it’s often challenging […]

Bridging creates a space that is larger than the sum of its parts, honoring and affirming the multiple identities that individuals and groups bring to the table. It also values what can only come about when we extend who we are beyond our own identity group(s) and build something more expansive. This is the possibility […]

In May, the Committee for Belonging & Bridging met at the Springdale Parks and Recreation Center in collaboration with Ozark Adaptive Sports Association (OZASA). We shared highlights and discussed learnings from recent conferences we attended by national thought leaders: Welcoming America’s Welcoming Interactive and UC Berkeley’s Othering & Belonging Institute’s Conference. In addition, our committee joined in a game of […]