Belonging is a powerful force linked to health, happiness, and productivity. Yet in today’s divided society, belonging remains fraught and fragile, with most Americans reporting feelings of non-belonging at work and in their communities.
In 2022, the American Immigration Council’s Center for Inclusion and Belonging created the Belonging Innovation Lab Fellowship to support and strengthen groups working to bring people together and build belonging in communities across the United States. The Fellowship was designed to recognize and reinforce the vital work being done by small, local nonprofit organizations—from colleges and literacy centers to mutual aid societies and community agricultural initiatives.
Transforming Together celebrates the Belonging Innovation Lab Fellows’ extraordinary work building community and belonging, and elevates their takeaways to help others learn. Our hope is that their stories and successes will inspire other local leaders and organizations to collaborate, exchange ideas, and mobilize their resources strategically to build belonging in their communities.
