City Council Meeting Date: August 26, 2026
To: Northfield Human Rights Commission
From: Claudia Garcia, Spanish Interpreter, Human Rights Commission Staff Liaison
Title
Consider Motion recommending Council adoption of Resolution Declaring September 10-19, 2026 as "Welcoming Week" in the City of Northfield.
Body
Action Requested:
Staff recommends a motion to recommend the City Council approve Resolution Adopt Declaring September as 10th to 19th 2026 as "Welcoming Week" in the City of Northfield.
Summary Report:
The Immigration subcommittee have reviewed the resolution Declaring September 10-19, 2026, as Welcoming Week in the City of Northfield.
The attached resolution expresses the City of Northfield's support for Welcoming Week and affirms the City's commitment to fostering a community where all residents feel welcome, included, and able to participate fully in civic life.
Welcoming Week is an annual national initiative that celebrates the contributions of immigrants, refugees, and longtime residents while encouraging communities to strengthen connections across cultures and backgrounds. Communities across the United States participate by hosting public events, educational programs, volunteer opportunities, and civic celebrations that promote belonging and inclusion.
In Northfield, planning for Welcoming Week is being coordinated collaboratively by the Human Rights Commission and the Northfield Public Library, working with community organizations, educational institutions, and volunteers to develop programming that reflects the community's values and broad participation.
Activities and commemorations taking place during Welcoming Week include the Northfield Public Library's Hispanic Heritage Celebration on 9/19, and the Ames Park Welcome Banner by Rocky Casillas, on display from 9/13-9/30. The banner artwork, funded by a grant to the artist from Forecast, reads "All are Welcome Here" in multiple languages, with figures representing Kenyan,...
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