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On Becoming a Statewide Organization of Power: SNL Expands Up North with BELONG
A question for my fellow Downstaters: What comes to mind when you think of “up north”?
Perhaps a family cabin or favorite campsite; swimming, fishing, or boating on a lake; Traverse City cherries or Mackinac fudge; Lumberman’s Monument or the Cross in the Woods. You probably imagine miles and miles of breathtaking shoreline and acres upon acres of deep woods (currently bursting with color – trek north soon, if you can!)
And what about the community? Do you think of the retired snow-birders with second homes on Torch Lake or modest cabins on some quiet country road? Or the young families trying to make it in their hometown amidst a housing crisis? Do you think of rural red with Trump flags waving? The 5th generation family farmer struggling to grow crops and hire help? The small town festivals and rural poverty and scrappy service providers?
But what about the Afghan family settling in Traverse City or the Ukrainian woman starting her business in Alpena? The Central American working in Petoskey nurseries, the Haitian picking crops in Antrim County, the Mexican fixing cargo planes in Oscoda? Do you imagine the young Romanian woman working at a resort in Gaylord or the Jamaican man working at a hotel in Charlevoix? And what about all those who rely on their hard work? And all those who strive to support their health, education, families, and general well-being?
These are all experiences I’ve encountered in my three years of crisscrossing the northern parts of our beautiful lower peninsula. While the immigrant, migrant, and refugee population in northern Michigan is certainly smaller than downstate, they are there nonetheless, and nearly as diverse in countries of origin, languages, education, employment, immigration status, and economic realities. They have chosen northern Michigan for its quiet atmosphere, it’s available work, and the communities supporting them there.
Since 2020, Strangers No Longer has worked to bring together churches, schools, nonprofits, and other institutions welcoming immigrants in various capacities across the northernmost 21 counties of the lower peninsula (Diocese of Gaylord).
In 2023, we had a major Assembly for Human Dignity in Traverse City, which caught the attention of the State of Michigan. This year, we received funding from the State’s Office of Global Michigan to officially launch “Belong: Northern Michigan Immigrant Inclusion Network.”
As an active collaborative network, Belong aims to make Michigan’s Northern Lower Peninsula an inclusive and welcoming region for immigrants and refugees. We do this by educating our local communities, providing support and resources to newcomers and the institutions serving them, and advocating for culturally appropriate solutions to immigrants’ needs.
Read the the achievements of BELONG since its start.
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