Rachel Peric is a mother and advocate for a world of less othering and more belonging. She is Executive Director of Welcoming America, an NGO that builds communities where everyone – including immigrants and refugees - can thrive, belong and participate. She worked closely with Welcoming America's founder to build the organization from a nascent startup to a powerful force for change, showing a better way forward on immigration. Today, Welcoming America works with US communities home to 1 in 7 Americans, and with partners across the globe, which are serving as local role models for how to move past division toward more cohesive and prosperous places for all. The organization has received numerous awards and accolades, and its work and Rachel's writing has appeared in outlets including CNN, The Atlantic, New York Times, Forbes and numerous local outlets across the country.
Ms. Peric's past work includes leading a coalition advocating for adult English literacy and building community investment and impact with a regional United Way. Rachel is also a board member of Art & Remembrance, which uses art to recognize individual courage and resilience by sharing the work of the strongest woman in Rachel’s life – her grandmother, a Holocaust survivor, former refugee, and artist.
[SHARE]
Expert DirectLink
-
Migration is not the Problem; Our Response to it is
Canadian Diversity [2018] -
10 Simple Ways to Experience a New Culture Right Where You Live
Real Simple Magazine [November 26, 2018] -
Atlanta Named First ‘Welcoming Region’ In U.S.
WABE Atlanta [August 27, 2018] -
Are you a US Citizen?
The Washington Post [July 31, 2018] -
We strive to be a Welcoming city, and its paying off
Louisville Courier Journal [June 18, 2018] -
Ohio Rewarded for Embracing Immigrants
Columbus Dispatch [February 15, 2018] -
How refugees help their new communities
CNN [June 20, 2016] -
Immigrants Establishing Roots in New Gateway Cities
Governing Magazine [March 2016] -
Building More Resilient Communities: Responding to Irregular Migration Flows
Atlantic Council