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Dee and Omary’s son, Osman<\/p>\nIn March 2023, after months of preparation and paperwork, Anita Omary arrived in the United States from her native Afghanistan to build a better life. Once she arrived in Connecticut, however, the experience was anything but easy. <\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I first arrived, everything felt so strange\u2014the weather, the environment, the people,\u201d Omary recalled. Omary had not only left behind her extended family and friends in Afghanistan, she left her career managing child protective cases and supporting refugee communities behind as well. Even more challenging, Anita was five months pregnant at the time, and because her husband was unable to obtain a travel visa, she found herself having to navigate a new language, a different culture, and an unfamiliar country entirely on her own. <\/p>\n
\u201cI went through a period of deep disappointment and depression, where I wasn\u2019t able to do much for myself,\u201d Omary said. <\/p>\n
Then something incredible happened: Omary met a woman who would become her close friend, offering support that would change her experience as a refugee\u2014and ultimately the trajectory of her entire life. <\/p>\n
Understanding the journey<\/p>\n
Like Anita Omary, tens of thousands of people come to the United States each year seeking safety from war, political violence, religious persecution, and other threats. Yet escaping danger, unfortunately, is only the first challenge. Once here, immigrant and refugee families must deal with the loss of displacement, while at the same time facing language barriers, adapting to a new culture, and sometimes even facing social stigma and anti-immigrant biases. <\/p>\n
Welcoming immigrant and refugee neighbors strengthens the nation and benefits everyone\u2014and according to Anita Omary, small, simple acts of human kindness can make the greatest difference in helping them feel safe, valued, and truly at home.<\/p>\n
A warm welcomeDee and Omary’s son, Osman<\/p>\n
Anita Omary was receiving prenatal checkups at a woman\u2019s health center in West Haven when she met Dee, a nurse. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe immediately recognized that I was new, and that I was struggling,\u201d Omary said. \u201cFrom that moment on, she became my support system.\u201d <\/p>\n
Dee started checking in on Omary throughout her pregnancy, both inside the clinic and out. <\/p>\n
\u201cShe would call me and ask am I okay, am I eating, am I healthy,\u201d Omary said. \u201cShe helped me with things I didn\u2019t even realize I needed, like getting an air conditioner for my small, hot room.\u201d <\/p>\n
Soon, Dee was helping Omary apply for jobs and taking her on driving lessons every weekend. With her help, Omary landed a job, passed her road test on the first attempt, and even enrolled at the University of New Haven to pursue her master\u2019s degree. Dee and Omary became like family. After Omary\u2019s son, Osman, was born, Dee spent five days in the hospital at her side, bringing her halal food and brushing her hair in the same way Omary\u2019s mother used to. When Omary\u2019s postpartum pain became too great for her to lift Osman\u2019s car seat, Dee accompanied her to his doctor\u2019s appointments and carried the baby for her. <\/p>\n
\u201cHer support truly changed my life,\u201d Omary said. \u201cHer motivation, compassion, and support gave me hope. It gave me a sense of stability and confidence. I didn\u2019t feel alone, because of her.\u201d <\/p>\n
More than that, the experience gave Omary a new resolve to help other people. <\/p>\n
\u201cThat experience has deeply shaped the way I give back,\u201d she said. \u201cI want to be that source of encouragement and support for others that my friend was for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Extending the welcome![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/origin_f5f623.png\")
Omary and Dee at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Vision Awards ceremony at the University of New Haven. <\/p>\n
Omary is now flourishing. She currently works as a career development specialist as she continues her Master\u2019s degree. She also, as a member of the Refugee Storytellers Collective<\/a>, helps advocate for refugee and immigrant families by connecting them with resources\u2014and teaches local communities how to best welcome newcomers. <\/p>\n \u201cWelcoming new families today has many challenges,\u201d Omary said. \u201cOne major barrier is access to English classes. Many newcomers, especially those who have just arrived, often put their names on long wait lists and for months there are no available spots.\u201d For women with children, the lack of available childcare makes attending English classes, or working outside the home, especially difficult. <\/p>\n Omary stresses that sometimes small, everyday acts of kindness can make the biggest difference to immigrant and refugee families. <\/p>\n \u201cWelcome is not about big gestures, but about small, consistent acts of care that remind you that you belong,\u201d Omary said. Receiving a compliment on her dress or her son from a stranger in the grocery store was incredibly uplifting during her early days as a newcomer, and Omary remembers how even the smallest gestures of kindness gave her hope that she could thrive and build a new life here. <\/p>\n \u201cI built my new life, but I didn\u2019t do it alone,\u201d Omary said. \u201cCommunity and kindness were my greatest strengths.\u201d<\/p>\n Are you in? Click here<\/a> to join the Refugee Advocacy Lab<\/a> and sign the #WeWillWelcome pledge and complete one small act of welcome in your community. Together, with small, meaningful steps, we can build communities where everyone feels safe.<\/p>\n