Our next All-Coalition Meeting will be on May 5, 3:30 - 5:00 PM at El Colima  116 West Pearl  Please join us and bring a friend!  This is a NO AGENDA meeting.  Just a chance for those who are curious about OGN to get to know us better.  Encourage your friends, students, parents and board members to join us Click on this link to RSVP 

Monthly Update

Many thanks to those attending our April 7rd coalition meeting.  It was great to see everyone.  Attendance was small...but we had a great discussion about where we are at and a fun and candid ice breaker on our feelings about ice-breakers..  Thanks to Jennifer McCormack for taking notes.  April 7th Meeting Notes 

As you know, we are taking a membership survey every other month.  Here are the results of April's Survey .  Not so many members completed the survey, but the input and results show growth in understanding.  If you aren't coming to the meetings, we would appreciate if you would complete the survey online...

Several of us enjoyed a wonderful evening of being welcomed at the greater Nashua Islamic Greater Nashua Islamic Society.  There was an amazing buffet of food, interesting displays and a thoughtful presentation of beliefs and philosophy including an affinity for the Red Sox.  Here is the Link to the article in the Telegraph. Special thanks to Adam Akaina for making us OGN-ers feel welcome.  Arriving at the Mosque underscored for me the value of having a friend in an unfamiliar place. GNIS will plan to do it again and I would highly encourage you to go if you have the opportunity.

Would like to wish a hearty congratulations to our coalition friend Becky Field. "Different Roots, Common Dreams" has received two national book awards. First is a 2016 Benjamin Franklin book award from the Independent Book Publishers Association - a silver award in the Multicultural category.  Congrats Becky! 

We have completed our Year Two Plan!  We still have some Year One Goals which we will continue to work...but all goal groups are moving into year two.  Congrats on a very successful first year!  This is a great time to jump into a goal group to keep up our positive momentum into year 2.  We could use some folks with Media interests and skills...photographers, writers, translators...

See our member directory below.  Input on our survey shows that OGN members want to know more about each other. How about a selfie project?  Each member could write or video a short profile of their family immigration story (remember...everyone including the North American Pennacook families that first came to the confluence of the Nashua and Merrimack Rivers came from someplace else...If you are willing to share your family immigratation story...please send to me via email with a note giving me permission to share.  If there are any coalition members that would be willing to do some interviews...let me know...we could set that up too...

OGN Member Directory

Key Gateways & Navigators...Big news here.  Ellen Barre has stepped up into role of Co-Chair.  Thanks Ellen!  The navigators are navigating!  Adelina has starting keeping office hours at the Adult Learning Center in a beautiful space set up for her near Sharon Dalton.  From there, she can connect ALC students with navigators and OGN.  I have heard some great connections have already taken place. Thanks everyone!  The group held their first welcoming event on April 16th. There were great informative presentations by Nashua Emergency Services...participation from newcomers was low...but all the navigators were there.  Navigators are re-thinking the marketing approach.  They will substitute the May welcoming event for the Around the World Dinner at Nashua Community College.  If you haven't participated in any OGN meetings or events... COME TO THE AROUND THE WORLD DINNER. This goal group will meet monthly on the 4th Thursday of the Month at 6:30 at the Nashua Public Library. All are welcome!

  

Business & Civic Engagement...The goal group continues to review marketing plan for LGN.  The LGN group is hosting  FOOD PLAY HEALTHY FUN FARE .  This will be a terrific family event on May 21 at Bishop Guertin.  The Multicultural Awareness Workshop is going to be rescheduled due to low registration.  Companies that are interested in attracting multicultural clients would benefit from this workshop.  Please make connections for Elizabeth Berry.  The Business and Civic Goal Group meets twice a month on Alternating Fridays at the Chamber at 10:00 AM.  If you would like to join them, contact Tracy or Galina

  

Youth Leadership ...Peggy and Janeth are working with Scott Jaquith and ELL summer school teachers to plan how we can help build OGN values into the curriculum.  Some exciting ideas are surfacing around the theme of Summer Olympics (In Brazil this summer) Scott Jaquith will be lead organizer for ELL summer school this year and it has been great to re-connect with him for OGN.  The Nashua North Shed-building team has made some excellent progress.  They have recruited some Peer Allies, passed the "building and grounds" hurdle and are a meeting short of ready to build.  

Claudia Castano is stepping up in a leadership way to coordinate the welcoming events for new coming families  at middle and high school level.  Also, the School District has created 8 summer jobs for teen mentors that are recent graduates of ELL to work as teen mentors for ELL summer school students.  These teen leaders will participate in a training program similar to the navigators training.  Summer School Students will help to welcome and host 30 middle schoolers from Tawain which is an exciting opportunity and will involve some fun with the olymic theme, a field trip to the fishercats.  If you have some fun suggestions for us...please reach out.  Janeth and Boys and Girls Club will take the lead on how to bring cultural competency to youth after school program activities. And, we are looking to partner with Linda Gaithright on a race and justice teen dialogue similar to the one that was held with families and the Nashua police in the fall. 

WelcomingNH is organizing a poster contest.  LHIFA has started it's playing season so if you want to see Jared...look to the field!  LHIFA players are looking for volunteer opportunities.  The U19 and U14 teams showed up in force to help with the city clean up...thanks for the great effort on that everyone!  Congrats to LHIFA on the very successful Dinner Dance Event they held at Rivier last month.  A great night that raised over $1,000 to support the team.  Look for LHIFA at the Summer Fun Event on June 4th where Bruno and Jared will introduce...bouncy soccer at Greeley Park.  We are looking for more members and advocates for this goal group. Parents of Nashua middle schoolers are strongly desired.  If you have some friends you could recommend to us, please do so.  To join this goal group reach out to Janeth or Peggy

 

  

Here are a few great ways you can be involved right now:

We look forward to seeing you at our OGN meeting on May 5th at 3:30 at El Colima look for OGN in the back room.  Fair warning it might be crowded and ElColima will continue the party between 5 and 7...

! 

       

Jared and Liz