Tulsa Conference Focuses On Making Immigrants Feel Welcome

In an effort to make Tulsa a more welcoming place for immigrants, city leaders are hosting the New Tulsans Conference this weekend.

The city took this opportunity to announce the New Tulsans Welcoming Plan. 

For the past year, they have been working alongside community leaders to figure out some specific goals they can accomplish in Tulsa for immigrants in the next two years.

The New Tulsans Conference is a two-day event dedicated to Tulsans from every walk of life.
 
"I think that the City of Tulsa has been going through a process of reflecting, what does it really mean to be a Tulsan," said Christina da Silva. "We have amazing people who are choosing to live here ... and want to work with all of us to make this a better city."

The New Tulsans Conference is the first of its kind for the city.

The idea is to start conversations and give the community resources to make Tulsa as welcoming to immigrants as possible.

"It is going to be a great opportunity for people to connect, meet people who work with immigrants who are immigrants themselves," da Silva. 

The city also rolled out the New Tulsans Welcoming Plan which is focused on helping connect immigrants to the Tulsa community. 

The mission hits close to home for Ipe Paramel.

Paramel came here from Botswana to go to school when he was 18.
Now he has his masters in healthcare administration and is doing a job he loves.

He hopes to inspire others to do the same. 

"I want to contribute to the city and I want others to make sure that they are welcome here as well," Paramel said. 

"We can help immigrants be more successful here in Tulsa and that would help all Tulsans be more prosperous," said da Silva. 
There is one more day of classes Friday but registration is closed. 

There is more information about the New Tulsans Welcoming Plan here.