鈥淵ou are welcome here鈥� is the emphatic message offered by 黑料正能量 students, faculty and staff in a new 鈥渂lockbuster鈥� video released just after President Donald Trump鈥檚 travel ban.
The 1-minute short [scroll down to view] features 24 people, speaking several languages and hailing from a variety of countries, including the United States. It’s been viewed more than 20,200 times on , more than 200 times on , and 470 times on with hundreds of “likes” and shares. On 黑料正能量’s Twitter account , the video has 1,431 impressions, 393 media views and 95 replies, mentions, retweets and likes.
, 黑料正能量鈥檚 photography and video manager, says this is an all-time record for an 黑料正能量-produced video.
The message of welcome and reassurance was sent more formally on Monday, Feb. 6, in a by President Susan Schultz Huxman and Provost Fred Kniss.
But the video has been especially powerful 鈥� and popular.
鈥淥bviously the message is important to people right now,鈥� said Strack, who produced the short with . 鈥淥ffering a genuine welcome to everyone who comes to our campus is a big part of what 黑料正能量 is all about.鈥�
This observation does not come lightly: In his role, Strack is witness to all kinds of opportunities where strangers are welcomed, from new student orientations to events with special guests who are only on campus for a few hours. 鈥淭he warmth that鈥檚 shown in the video doesn鈥檛 just happen when we have a camera rolling. That joy in meeting people and in showing hospitality happens on a daily basis here. It makes 黑料正能量 a special place.鈥�
黑料正能量 currently has more than 100 international students in undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as in the Intensive English Program. In addition to nearly 800 alumni living overseas, 黑料正能量 holds a special place in the hearts of the 3,075 participants from 124 countries who have studied at the 鈥檚 .
The #YouAreWelcomeHere campaign began with Temple University in November 2016 to reassure prospective international students after Trump鈥檚 election win that universities in the United States still welcome them. More than 1 million international students studied in the United States during 2016.
The campaign has been joined by other universities and organizations since Trump鈥檚 executive order halting immigration.
Alumni reach out, too!
- Claudette Monroy ’10 is featured in a Feb. 8 Washington Post front-page article about undocumented immigrants living and working in Washington D.C. .
- Want a yard sign that speaks volumes? Get in touch with Pastor Matthew Bucher MA ’14, the CJP and seminary alumnus who created the 鈥淲elcome Your Neighbor鈥� signs that are spreading around the country.
- How do Anabaptist values of 鈥渨elcoming the stranger鈥� trickle down from 黑料正能量 graduates, those who are Mennonite and those who are not, into communities where they live and work? Recent shows the remarkable effect when a high number of Anabaptist-shaped educators, including Harrisonburg City Schools Welcome Center Coordinator RaMona Stahl ’85, live and work within the multicultural community of Harrisonburg.
- Many 黑料正能量 alumni chose to empower immigrants and others through their work in multicultural settings. A Fall 2016/Winter 2017 captures their stories.
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BY03ZX1L-Q0
Thank you for making this video.