Tuesday, September 24, 2024 - 5:30pm to 7:30pm
As the United States remains the primary destination for immigrants, empower your community to navigate and better understand the intersectionality of immigration issues and broader themes of belonging and inclusion with this workshop.
Join the September Lens Series for a profound journey with Sunayana Dumala, the heart and soul behind Forever Welcome, as she unveils her stirring narrative of resilience, empathy, and the essence of community. Facing adversity head-on through her personal battles with loss, grief, and navigating immigration, she highlights the critical need for unity and compassion. Seize the opportunity to be touched and inspired by her life-changing insights.
About the program
Forever Welcome Foundation has developed a dialogue workshop to provide a platform for cross-cultural understanding.
The workshop encourages open and constructive conversations. Participants gain insights into different perspectives, break down stereotypes, foster connections, increase empathy and emotional connections, and enhance awareness of immigration-related challenges. Participants will gain a better understanding of common misconceptions about immigration and an enhanced understanding of the concept of belonging.
About the presenter
Sunayana Dumala (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Forever Welcome Foundation. She is a Certified Diversity Professional, an advocate for immigrant reform, and a passionate voice against hate crimes. She founded the "Forever Welcome" foundation, bringing a unique immigrant perspective to her advocacy work. Previously, she was a Data Integration Engineer for Intouch Group (currently Eversana Intouch) in Overland Park, KS. Born in India, she moved to the United States to pursue her dreams in 2007.
Tragically, her life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was fatally shot in a hate crime in Kansas in 2017. Since then, Sunayana has become an outspoken advocate for victims of hate crimes, leveraging her personal experience to shed light on the challenges faced by immigrants and minority communities. Through her foundation, she works tirelessly to foster inclusivity and understanding among diverse communities.
She was recently featured in a PBS documentary in Kansas City and and is also featured in a new campaign with Stop AAPI Hate.
Sunayana now lives in Orlando and enjoys cooking, traveling, and immersing herself in music.
How to register
The event will take place at the Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A from 5:30-7:30 p.m. (program starts at 6 p.m.) on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Preregistration is required. You can register at this link. A meal will be served. The workshop is limited to the first 50 registrations due to space constraints.
Iowa City Public Library Iowa City Public Library America/Chicago publicMeeting Room A, Meeting Room B, Meeting Room C
As the United States remains the primary destination for immigrants, empower your community to navigate and better understand the intersectionality of immigration issues and broader themes of belonging and inclusion with this workshop.
Join the September Lens Series for a profound journey with Sunayana Dumala, the heart and soul behind Forever Welcome, as she unveils her stirring narrative of resilience, empathy, and the essence of community. Facing adversity head-on through her personal battles with loss, grief, and navigating immigration, she highlights the critical need for unity and compassion. Seize the opportunity to be touched and inspired by her life-changing insights.
About the program
Forever Welcome Foundation has developed a dialogue workshop to provide a platform for cross-cultural understanding.
The workshop encourages open and constructive conversations. Participants gain insights into different perspectives, break down stereotypes, foster connections, increase empathy and emotional connections, and enhance awareness of immigration-related challenges. Participants will gain a better understanding of common misconceptions about immigration and an enhanced understanding of the concept of belonging.
About the presenter
Sunayana Dumala (she/her) is the founder and CEO of Forever Welcome Foundation. She is a Certified Diversity Professional, an advocate for immigrant reform, and a passionate voice against hate crimes. She founded the "Forever Welcome" foundation, bringing a unique immigrant perspective to her advocacy work. Previously, she was a Data Integration Engineer for Intouch Group (currently Eversana Intouch) in Overland Park, KS. Born in India, she moved to the United States to pursue her dreams in 2007.
Tragically, her life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, was fatally shot in a hate crime in Kansas in 2017. Since then, Sunayana has become an outspoken advocate for victims of hate crimes, leveraging her personal experience to shed light on the challenges faced by immigrants and minority communities. Through her foundation, she works tirelessly to foster inclusivity and understanding among diverse communities.
She was recently featured in a PBS documentary in Kansas City and and is also featured in a new campaign with Stop AAPI Hate.
Sunayana now lives in Orlando and enjoys cooking, traveling, and immersing herself in music.
How to register
The event will take place at the Iowa City Public Library, Meeting Room A from 5:30-7:30 p.m. (program starts at 6 p.m.) on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Preregistration is required. You can register at this link. A meal will be served. The workshop is limited to the first 50 registrations due to space constraints.
If you need disability-related accommodations in order to participate in this event, please contact the Library.
This event is open to the public.
Cosponsor
Cosponsor Organization: Office of Equity and Human Rights
Cosponsor Name: Stefanie Bowers
