The work of the Asian Community & Cultural Center in Lincoln, Nebraska, is a testament to the power of connection in building authentic trust that has tangible impacts in people’s lives. Lincoln’s diversity is well celebrated and reflected in the organization’s programming; the organization manages to serve over 1,800 Lincolnites representing 42 ethnicities and has staff members able to connect in more than 20 languages. With over 30 years of service in the community, the Asian Center supports and empowers refugees and immigrants in navigating their new home and offers a sense of belonging through their wide array of programs, from English classes to youth camps to health education.
Lisa Guill, communications director with the Asian Center, shares that the organization has been intentional in how they can leverage their expertise to show up in civic engagement work in a unique way. In helping refugee and immigrant communities acclimate to Lincoln, civic engagement efforts are a natural part of their programming. “We realized, we’ve actually been doing different aspects of community engagement for a long time now!”
The Asian Center offers support in building pathways to citizenship through free citizenship classes and legal assistance with applications in partnership with El Centro de las Américas, Lutheran Family Services, and Center for Legal Immigration Assistance. This is an exciting time for participants, Lisa says, with newly naturalized citizens being very patriotic and proud to embrace this new aspect of their identity. Continued connection with participants through other programming underscores the importance of their engagement. Lisa acknowledges that this is a challenge – there are always day-to-day difficulties to address like the price of gas or cost of groceries that take precedence over civic engagement for many. Coupled with fear of attacks against immigrants and refugees happening nationwide and right in Nebraska, the team has thoughtfully designed their work in this current climate and worked alongside community leaders to pinpoint concerns and meet people where they are.
Lisa is clear on what is most important in guiding their programming during a time of so much uncertainty. “Folks are looking for a sense of safety. We only have so much power to offer any of that. What we can do is assure people that Lincoln hasn't changed. We want people to feel safe in our community and understand that their engagement makes that so much more possible.”
The Asian Community & Cultural Center’s civic engagement work this election year has shifted to tackle challenges like lack of transportation or the inability to get time off work, and aims to demystify the voting process. Things like field trips to the election commission or integrating voter education into fun community events helps take intimidation out of the process. One particularly empowering recent event was the Ready, Set, Vote! initiative that brought together multiple organizations from the Lincoln GOTV coalition to put language justice at the forefront of voter engagement. Ahead of the 2026 Primary Election, the Asian Center coordinated interpreters and community partners to provide a culturally informed overview of the voting process and helped eligible voters get prepared to make their voices heard.
Another key aspect of the Asian Center’s work is faithfully telling the stories of Lincoln community members to inspire understanding and empathy. The book “The Lives of Immigrants and Refugees: Tales of Migration, Hope, Grief, and Finding Home in Nebraska” is a collection of essays by immigrants and refugees who call Lincoln, Nebraska, home, offering powerful stories of resilience and belonging. The book releases this October and is available to preorder. In partnership with KZUM Radio 89.3FM, the Asian Center also hosts the Cultural Tapestry podcast, inviting Lincolnites to explore the rich diversity of the community. These stories help to connect people across cultures, strengthening our local communities and ensuring that Lincoln can be a safe home for all.