It was sunny. Girls in beautiful dresses — Ballet Folklorico Colibri — danced on stage. There were booths and food trucks.. It was the Eugene Family YMCA’s third annual Welcoming Festival. 

The festival aimed to unite Eugene — immigrant Eugeneans, refugee Eugeneans and long-time-resident Eugeneans. There was excitement in the air for this Welcoming Festival — the first one held at the Eugene Family YMCA’s immaculate new facility. 

The Welcoming Festival is the finale of the YMCA’s participation in “Welcoming Week” (Sept.13 – 22). Welcoming Week is part of a bigger movement led by Welcoming America, a group dedicated to fostering inclusive communities for everyone, including immigrants. 

For Brian Steffen, CEO of the Eugene Family YMCA, the Welcoming Festival is special because it highlights Eugene’s diversity. “I love the fact that our community is made up of a rich diversity of people. And I’m so grateful that the Y takes a moment to celebrate the different cultures, the music, the food that makes our community what it is, what we all love,” Steffen said.

The food was a gastronomic snapshot of the community; a food truck for El Buen Sabor was serving Oaxacan cuisine, and in true Eugene spirit, had a myriad of vegan options; SweetBay Shave Ice helped cool things down as the temperature steadily rose; YMCA HR, Payroll and Volunteer Coordinator Lauren Oliver recommend Stretched’s pork zha jiang chili oil; and Franz Bread’s grilled cheese truck was giving away free grilled cheese sandwiches. 

The Welcoming Festival had booths from organizations such as the Refugee & Immigrant Services Program and had the option for people to register to vote at the festival. “I’m pretty happy that we’re hosting all kinds of community partners, including a voter registration booth to help folks who are historically underrepresented in our political process and [happy] to be hosting in a nonpartisan way to get them involved in civic life,” said Crispin Shelley, Eugene Family YMCA’s vice president of people and culture.  

With immigration a contentious issue, and immigrants recently accused of eating people’s pets by former President Donald Trump, events like the Welcoming Festival are perhaps more necessary than ever. “This festival is about bringing people together, connecting in true relationship,” Shelley said. “We believe that’s a value that transcends all the other political divisions.”

Sitting at a table watching Eugene Bhangra perform on stage, , surrounded by people from all across the world who have made Eugene their home, Diana Smith said she felt especially connected to the Welcoming Festival. “I came here looking to see how the immigrant community is represented,” Smith said.

In 1995, Smith moved from Bulgaria to Missouri to study after being awarded a scholarship. “Ever since I was a little girl, I was obsessed with English and hippies,” Smith said, She ironically ended up in Eugene, formerly a major hub for the hippie movement. 

“The United States was just like the land of the free, the land of opportunity, and Bulgaria was not a very good place to have that opportunity. I felt like, if you come to the States and you get an education, you can succeed, and that’s what really has been the case for me.” Smith studied computer science and has worked in IT. 

Eighteen years ago, Smith moved to Oregon, and in 2010 she became a citizen. She came to the Welcoming Festival to meet other people who chose to make the U.S. home. “I wanted to meet some more immigrants from the community. I feel like we support each other and we get to know each other’s culture. And of course, America is a melting pot and kind of absorbs all of these cultures,” Smith said.

When asked about the state of immigration in 2024, Smith reflected on her own work in IT, which is centered on teamwork. “Immigration brings diversity, differences of opinion, differences of history, of ways of thinking. And so the more diversity you have, the stronger the team is, because we all think differently, and so when you’re trying to reach a solution, having that diversity brings extra strength to your team.”

Smith said she thinks the U.S. and that despite imperfections, “people are very welcoming. And there are so many cultures, so many people, so many opportunities. It really is the best place in the world,” Smith said.

Looking across the Welcoming Festival, filled with smiles, dancing, community, Smith said she feels welcomed. “The city is welcoming the immigrants, and the immigrants are showing up here to showcase their own culture, their own music, their knowledge, and connect together. And it’s happening. I can see it.”