• Kindred Home
• Kindred Philosophy
• Kindred Experiences
• Kindred Blog
• Contact Kindred

" Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime. "

      - Mark Twain

The Vision: The Kindred Project is working toward a world where...

• Direct intercultural experiences and global awareness are the basis for informed decisions as voters, consumers, and donors
• Travel is considered a necessary component of cultural understanding, and travel opportunities accurately reflect the world's cultural and economic diversity
• Cultural differences in our communities are viewed as an asset, a resource for collaboration and celebration, not a cause for division

The Mission:

The Kindred Project harnesses the power of travel as a vehicle for change and applies it to integration efforts that strengthen the bonds between marginalized ethnic enclaves and longer-established residents in our multicultural communities.
 

The Vehicle:

The Kindred Experience is a 3-week immersion abroad in which participants live and volunteer internationally with the purpose of strengthening bonds to immigrant/ethnic communities closer to home in the U.S.

Each Experience is led by a Kindred Ambassador, an immigrant or first-generation American who maintains a network in the destination country, his/her country of origin. All of the travelers also come from the same community as the Ambassador.

Closely settled groups increase the sustainability of personal connections formed during the trip and form the foundation for post-trip community integration collaboratives.

Who is involved and how they benefit : 

Kindred Experience Travelers build global consciousness by spending time off the beaten path in a developing country. They are empowered through community service and personally connected through the homestay experience. Integration collaboratives comprised of trip participants give travelers a channel to translate their time abroad into tangible impact at home.

Kindred Ambassadors are the key connectors. They gain valuable leadership experience while teaching others about cultural customs and concerns they understand uniquely.

Kindred Project staff co-lead each trip with the Kindred Ambassador. They share in the experience and ensure travelers and Ambassadors are supported.

Host Communities abroad anchor the exchange experience for Kindred travelers. They benefit from new ideas and new relationships, and from working with travelers on community projects.

U.S. Ethnic Enclave Communities struggling to integrate socially and economically receive a boost from integration collaboratives that work to directly address specific immigrant issues.