A short while ago, I was invited by a civic fellowship club at a local church to share my story 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 thinking back to my 22-year-old self, newly arrived in the United States — full of dreams, unsure of the road ahead, and without immediate family nearby. The kindness of others in those early years shaped my sense of home.

I remember a work colleague inviting me and my roommate to her family’s Fourth of July celebration, welcoming us with food and laughter so we wouldn’t feel the absence of our families. It meant a lot to be included on America’s national holiday, where my Indian dishes sat alongside theirs and cultures came together around one table.

During my time in St. Cloud, Minn., I was invited by an Orthodox Church priest and his wife to prepare an Indian meal for their congregation, a moment of true cultural exchange. 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 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 still 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, Kansas, 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. They shoveled my driveway, mowed the lawn, took out the trash bins, and showed 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 found in grand gestures but in the small, everyday acts of kindness people choose to share. Since moving to Orlando in the fall of 2022, I have continued to see and feel those same gestures of care, and I am grateful to now call Central Florida home. As we mark Welcoming America’s National Welcoming Week from September 12–21, I invite you to reflect on your own journey. Who made you feel welcome? Was it through a meal shared, an introduction to a new tradition, or simply being included? Whether immigrant or not, we all have moments when someone’s kindness helped us feel at home. Because belonging is not only what we find within, but also what we build together through our shared experiences and cultures.

Sunayana Dumala is the founder of Forever Welcome, which works to advance the American Dream by fostering inclusive and welcoming communities through awareness, advocacy, and action. She lives in Orlando.

https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2025/09/14/commentary-the-kindness-of-others-helps-us-feel-welcomed/