ǿ޴ý

ǿ޴ýOffice of Global Health

Our City of Nations (OCON)

Wednesday, August 28, 2024 | Varied Journeys, Shared Dreams and Traditions: Standing Together as Neighbors

About Our City of Nations (OCON)

Our City of NationsIn December 2015, a call went out to all those who cared about the well-being of our newest neighbors, “Come, let us work together for the betterment of our neighborhoods, cities, and region”. Thus, began our collective journey together through the Our City of Nations (OCON) experience.

“City of Nations” is a term given to Milwaukee in the late 1880s when the city was known for its myriad (mostly European) of immigrant populations. We also acknowledge that in Milwaukee we live and work on traditional Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk and Menominee homeland along the southwest shores of Michigami, North America’s largest system of freshwater lakes, where the Milwaukee, Menominee and Kinnickinnic rivers meet and the people of Wisconsin’s sovereign Anishinaabe, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Oneida and Mohican nations remain present. With Milwaukee’s indigenous roots, its historical immigrant settlements, and its continual refugee resettlement, it has always been a “City of Nations.”

2024 Conference

Join us for the OCON 6.0 Conference!

Date: Wednesday, August 28, 2024
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Location:
Thrive on King
2153 N. Doctor M.L.K. Jr Dr.
Milwaukee, WI 53212

This year's theme is "Varied Journeys, Shared Dreams and Traditions: Standing Together as Neighbors," reflecting our vision to strengthen community ties and ensure equitable access to resources for all. Our objectives include understanding newcomer experiences, fostering a welcoming environment, and sharing best practices for community engagement.

View the conference agenda (PDF)

Registration is open until August 14, 2024.

Previous Conferences

Since 2015, this multidisciplinary conference has occurred every 18 months and been organized by a dedicated group of academic, community-based, and governmental stakeholders who are collaborating to make Milwaukee and our State of Wisconsin a more welcoming community for all. Following the inaugural conference, a was collaboratively written and published.

To understand the refugee resettlement process in Milwaukee, please view this summary (PDF).

Sixth conference | Hybrid, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, November 17-18, 2022
2022 Conference Summary (PDF) | 2022 Program (PDF)

Fifth conference | Virtual, November 12, 2021
2021 Conference Summary (PDF) | 2021 Program (PDF)

Fourth conference | Virtual, November 12-13, 2020
2020 Conference Summary (PDF) | 2020 Program (PDF)

Third conference | Concordia University, December 13-14, 2018
2018 Conference Summary (PDF) | 2018 Program (PDF)

Second conference | UW-Milwaukee, June 13-14, 2017
2017 Conference Summary (PDF) | 2017 Program (PDF)

Inaugural conference | ǿ޴ý,  December 3-4, 2015
2015 Conference Summary (PDF) | 2015 Program (PDF)