STAND TOGETHERMessaging to Support Muslims and Refugees in

Challenging Times

September 8, 2016

The Welcoming Refugees Project is supported by the

Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR/ACF/DHHS)

Agenda

• Setting the ContextRachel Peric, Welcoming America

• An Overview of the Stand Together: Messaging to Support Refugees and Muslims in Challenging Times Toolkit

Amanda Cooper, Lightbox Collaborative

Session Objectives

By the end of this webinar, participants will:

• understand the importance of communications in welcoming Muslims and refugees during challenging times

• understand core messaging strategies on this issue

• have ideas of how to apply the strategies in a local context

CONTEXTAll of us might wish at times that we lived in a more tranquil world, but we don't. And if our times are difficult and perplexing, so are they challenging and filled with opportunity. - Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

You don’t have to be popular now

…to be on the right side of history.

Welcoming is the Way

OPPORTUNITIES

“This Is Wholesome”

CHALLENGES

We fight FEAR with FACTS

Don’t Reinforce

Replace

TOOLKITWhat’s in there?

AUDIENCE

• Reach out to the “moveable middle”

• Get to know your audience deeply to be able to message to them directly

MESSAGES: Themes that Work

Now is the time to commit to deeper welcoming

People of all faiths stand together

United in Compassion for All

STORIES

STORIES: Show, Don’t Tell

TOUGH QUESTIONS

• How to prepare

• Scripts to build off of and practice from

• Tools for getting to know your audience and evaluating the conversation

STAND TOGETHER: The Toolkit

• Audiences

• Winning Messages

• The Power of Stories

• Tough Questions

• Choose Words Carefully

• Appendix/Resources

Webinar Part 2:

Community-Based Practices to Strengthen Relations & Counter Backlash

Monday, September 19

1:00 Eastern/ 10:00 Pacific

Welcoming Week – Sept. 16-25

Kentucky Refugee MinistriesSoccer Without Borders

welcomingweek.org

Welcoming Refugees Forum

You will have the opportunity to:

• Engage in special discussions before and after webinars

• Have direct access to Welcoming America staff

• Get early peeks at new resources

• Share successes and challenges in welcoming with each other

http://bit.ly/wrforum

QUESTIONS?

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