Today, the United Macedonian Diaspora proudly announced its support of the first-ever Immigrant Heritage Month, an initiative organized by the non-profit Welcome.us to partner with corporations, media outlets, organizations, celebrities, athletes, faith, civic, and political leaders to gather and share inspirational stories of American immigrants.
“Macedonians have been coming to the U.S. for over a century and have contributed to the success of a multitude of industries nationwide. There are an estimated 500,000 Americans of Macedonian heritage,” said UMD President Metodija A. Koloski.
Supporters are encouraged to connect with Immigrant Heritage Month through social media or events in their city and share their own unique immigration story. Immigrant Heritage Month will focus on four key themes:
• Telling the story of American immigrant ancestry
• Highlighting immigrant contributions to the economy and culture
• Celebrating modern immigrant families
• Honoring immigrants who serve our Nation in the armed forces and through civil service
“As Macedonian-Americans, we have always shared these stories with great pride. Now, we need to show both our appreciation for immigrates who built this country and for future immigrants who come to live their American Dream. We need comprehensive immigration reform to honor our ancestors who struggled to prosper and to stay competitive in a global market,” said UMD U.S. Operations Director Trajko Papuckoski.
Tolu Olubunmi, executive director of Welcome.us, provided national context for the events in Washington, D.C.:
“In the United States, with a good idea and enough hard work, anything is possible,” said Tolu Olubunmi, executive director of Welcome.us. “The entrepreneurial drive and spirit of our country is built on our diversity of origins. It is what drew the first people to the U.S. and what continues to drive American business. American success is a result of our many distinct experiences, not in spite of it.
“Our goal is to encourage as many Americans as possible to tell the story of how they first felt welcomed to the American experience. Our history and stories will help determine our future – at Welcome.us, we want everyone here to be a part of that history.”
“Visit ‘Welcome.us’ for more information on how to share your story and learn more about our nation-wide effort.”
ABOUT WELCOME.us
Welcome.us, a new non-profit organization, is dedicated to celebrating a United States that is fueled by Immigrants from around the world. Led by Tolu Olubunmi, an immigrant and DREAMer, the organization is focused on launching the Welcome.us campaign and establishing Immigrant Heritage Month to honor the ways in which America and the immigrants who have built our country are linked in a shared, productive history.
Welcome.us is supported by FWD.us, which was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, Marissa Mayer, Reid Hoffman, Bill Gates, Padmasree Warrior, and other tech leaders. Our Honorary Board for Immigrant Heritage Month includes: Congressman Valadao, Congressman Crowley, Congressman Honda, Congressman Polis, Jared Leto, Russell Simmons, Jamie Lee Curtis, Michael Bolton and Kenny G. Learn more about the campaign and Immigrant Heritage Month by visiting Welcome.us.