By Sunayana Dumala, founder of The Forever Welcome Foundation
Last Friday, I was invited by a Social Justice club at a local church to share my story. My journey as an immigrant, as the widow of a hate crime victim, and as someone who has worked to rebuild life with resilience and purpose.
As I spoke, I found myself going back to my younger self at 22, arriving in the United States for the first time, full of dreams, unsure of the road ahead, and without immediate family nearby. In those early years, the kindness of others shaped my sense of home.
I remember a work colleague inviting me and my roommate to her family’s 4th of July celebration, welcoming us with food and laughter so that we wouldn’t feel the absence of our families. It meant a lot to be invited and included on America’s national holiday, sharing my Indian dishes alongside theirs, and realizing that culture could be celebrated together.
During my time in St. Cloud, MN I was invited by an Orthodox Church Father and his wife to prepare an Indian meal for their congregation, a beautiful moment of cultural exchange where I could share my heritage while learning theirs. Around the same time, my landlady, Marge Pryately, introduced me to the very American tradition of garage sales. Each weekend, she would map out the sales, and we would play a game of “drive by or stop by” to see which ones were worth visiting. These small rituals of daily life made me feel included in my new community in ways that went far beyond words.
Back then, I didn’t know the language of belonging or welcoming, but I felt it deeply. These gestures reminded me that I could be myself, share my food and culture, and be accepted as part of something bigger.
Years later, when tragedy struck in February 2017 and I lost my husband, Srinu, to a hate crime in Olathe, KS, I found myself asking the painful question: “Do we belong here?” The grief was overwhelming, yet the answer came through the outpouring of love from neighbors and strangers. My community rallied around me, neighbors shoveling snow, mowing lawns, taking out trash bins, and showing up with quiet acts of care that carried me through my darkest days. In their kindness, I saw the truest form of belonging.
Looking back, I realize that belonging is not something big or abstract. It comes from the small, everyday acts of kindness that people choose to share. Since moving to Orlando in Fall 2022, I’ve continued to see and feel those gestures of care, and I am grateful to now call Central Florida home.
As we mark Welcoming America’s National Welcoming Week, I invite you to reflect on your own journey. Who made you feel welcome? What small act helped you feel at home? And how can we extend that forward, especially to new immigrants finding their place today?
On September 13, I will be co-hosting a Fostering Welcoming Communities workshop in Orlando’s Mills 50 district. Together, we will share stories, connect across differences, and explore how each of us can help build inclusive communities where everyone belongs. I hope you will join us, because belonging is something we create together.
Pictured: Sunayana Dumala (right), Marge Pryately (left) and neighbors in St. Cloud, MN.
