Becoming Neighbors: A Community Conversation on Resettlement and Belonging HMI x Riverside Reads

On April 8, HMI partnered with the Riverside Public Library to co-host an evening centered around one of the most important conversations our community can have — what does it really mean to resettle, and what does it take to feel like you belong somewhere new?

The event was part of the Riverside Public Library's Riverside Reads program, and this year, HMI had the honor of leading the panel and shaping the evening. We are grateful to Cellar Door Bookstore for partnering with us and generously providing the space. There is something fitting about gathering in a bookstore to share stories that deserve to be heard.

The panel was moderated by our founder, Dr. Selin Nielsen, and featured two of our community liaisons, Friba Dawar and Anastasiia Krylova. Both women spoke openly about their own journeys — what it was like to leave behind everything familiar, to arrive somewhere new, to navigate systems and languages and cultures, and to slowly, steadily build a life. Their stories were personal, honest, and at times, difficult to hear. That is exactly what made them so important.

These are not abstract stories. Friba and Anastasiia are part of our team, part of our community, and the experiences they shared that evening reflect what so many refugees and immigrants go through every day — often quietly, and without enough acknowledgment.

The evening did not stop at storytelling. Matthew Silguero, our UNSP case manager and RCP career navigator, led the audience through an interactive activity that brought the room into a different perspective. The activity highlighted the difficult and often impossible choices that refugees and immigrants face when they are forced to flee — whether due to war, persecution, or crisis. It was eye-opening for many in attendance, and it gave the conversation a weight that stayed with people long after the event ended.

Evenings like this matter because they close the distance between people. They remind us that resettlement is not just a policy issue — it is a deeply human experience. And when we take the time to listen, we take a step toward actually becoming neighbors.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and to all of our partners who made this night possible.