The YMCA of the Roses will host Welcoming Week activities through York and Lancaster counties in September as part of the work done by its New American Welcome Center, which provides support for newcomers and immigrants in the community. Welcoming Week seeks to elevate the movement of communities that fully embrace new Americans and their contributions to the social fabric of the country. The initiative provides opportunities for neighbors - both immigrants and U.S.-born residents - to get to know one another and celebrate what unites them as a community.

In York, Welcoming Week will open during 2nd Latino Friday, Sept. 9, with a proclamation and celebration, including tours of an immigrant art gallery at Creative York, along with music and food. The opening event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts, 50 N. George St., York.

Pennsylvania Immigrant Resource Center (PIRC) and the Family Issues Round Table will offer an Immigration 101 educational session on Tuesday, Sept. 13. The time is to be determined, and the event will be offered in a hybrid format.

Martin Library, 159 E. Market St., York, will hold the Martin Library Youth Cultural Jam on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. This event will be a celebration of diverse cultures through music, food and the arts, including dance.

A Welcoming Week closing celebration and an art exhibit are planned for Thursday, Sept. 15, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Creative York, 10 N. Beaver St., York. The exhibit is "Sazon y Sabor" by local immigrant artist Rosa Cantrell.

Also during Welcoming Week, DreamWrights, 100 Carlisle Ave., York, will open "Alien 8" on Friday, Sept. 16, with doors opening at 6 p.m. "Alien 8" features a character who identifies only as 8, communicates through a unique gestural language and begins to acquire English by reading classics like "The Catcher in the Rye," "Lord of the Flies," and "The Grapes of Wrath."

A pedi cab tour to Nelly's Food Distribution and other stops will be available on Sept. 16. More details are forthcoming.

In Lancaster, Welcoming Week will open on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at 6:30 p.m. with a Lancaster City Council meeting and a proclamation at 120 N. Duke St., Lancaster.

On Sept. 9, a Welcoming Week Celebration will start at 11 a.m. with a ceremony, speakers, storytelling and the welcoming sign unveiling. Live music will be performed at Penn Square, located at the corner of Queen and King streets, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The Welcome Mural Community Paint Days will be Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 10 and 11, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Calvin G. High pavilion, 1828 William Penn Way. The unveiling of the Welcome Mural has been tentatively set for Sunday, Sept. 18, with the time to be determined.

For more information, visit http://www.rosesymca.org/welcome_week/