Dr. Jessica Salvador, Belonging by Design: Building a Community Where Everyone Can Thrive
Across the country, communities are navigating increasingly complex realities shaped by shifting immigration policies, rising costs of living, and growing cultural and political divisions. These challenges affect not only immigrant families, but the health and resilience of our communities as a whole. In the West Salish/Puget Sound region, more than 18,000 immigrants call this area home. They contribute as workers, entrepreneurs, neighbors, parents, and community leaders while often navigating significant barriers to opportunity, including language access, legal complexity, healthcare access, and economic insecurity.
 
Join Dr. Jessica E. Salvador, Executive Director of the Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center (KIAC), for a conversation about what it means to build belonging by design. Drawing from her lived experience as the child of immigrants and her work, Dr. Salvador will explore how communities can move beyond simply welcoming newcomers to intentionally creating systems, relationships, and opportunities that allow everyone to thrive. Through stories, insights, and examples from KIAC’s work, this presentation will examine how belonging strengthens communities, why it matters for all residents, and what we can do together to build a more connected and resilient Kitsaps.