Information from the City of Burien

For the fourth year in a row, the City of Burien will celebrate National Welcoming Week (September 13-22, 2024). Welcoming Week is an initiative of the nonpartisan nonprofit Welcoming America, featuring organizations and communities bringing together neighbors of all backgrounds, including immigrants, to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity. 

The Burien City Council will issue a proclamation declaring September 13-22, 2024 as Welcoming Week in Burien at their meeting on September 9, 2024, which starts at 5:30 p.m. in Burien City Council Chambers (400 SW 152nd St., Burien).

This year’s national Welcoming Week theme is “We’re All In.” We invite everyone to join in and celebrate our immigrant and refugee neighbors by attending the Welcoming Burien event hosted by the City of Burien, in partnership with Discover Burien, in Town Square Park on Saturday, September 14, 2024, from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. This event is free to the general public and will feature cultural performances and activities, games, arts and crafts, a resource fair, food, and more.

“We consistently hear from new and long-standing community members that Burien’s diversity is one of the qualities that people love most about living here, and the other community asset people cherish is our events,” said Lorraine Chachere, City of Burien Economic Development Specialist and lead organizer of Welcoming Burien. “The Welcoming Burien event allows our residents, businesses, and community organizations to come together so that we can cultivate stronger, more connected, and joyful communities.”

In 2021, Burien became a member of Welcoming America and one of the first cities in the region to have a dedicated event for Welcoming Week.

“With our early membership in the Welcoming America network which reflects Burien’s values and commitment to immigrant inclusion and celebrating the contributions of immigrants to our city—even before Burien officially became a city!—Burien continues to strive to include and welcome immigrants in all areas of civic, social, and economic life in our community,” said Chachere.

The event also gives attendees the opportunity to meet Burien’s Community Connectors who represent those from Spanish, Vietnamese, and Amharic language communities and learn about City services directly from City staff.

“Our Welcoming Burien event truly showcases who we are as a City,” said Burien City Manager Adolfo Bailon. “We encourage everyone to come join us and celebrate what makes Burien so special: its people, its vibrancy, its diversity, and its inclusivity.”