ORLANDO, Fla. — This month, we are shining a light on members of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

And in that spirit, this week’s Everyday Hero is turning tragedy into triumph by way of her nonprofit that helps immigrants get adjusted to living in the United States.

Sunayana Dumala heads up the nonprofit Forever Welcome, and with the help of Mehek Mirchandani with Mustard Seed Central Florida, they are both on a mission to help make legal immigrants feel at home.

“We help immigrant families in trying to re-settle here, and so we help them through our family support program," Dumala said. "We want to support them in any possible way to make it easier for them as they are adjusting to their new life here in America."

Sunayana worked with Mehek to get furniture for people who may be getting acclimated to living in the United States. She knows all too well the feeling of living in a new country. Sunayana and her husband, Srinivas Kuchibhotla, both came to the U.S. from India.

After getting their college degrees, they got married and bought their first home. They were living in Kansas in 2017 when their American dream was shattered.

“February 22nd, 2017, I lost my husband to a hate crime shooting in Kansas by a man who yelled, 'Get out of my country,' and so that incident had a huge impact on my life,” Dumala said.

That tragedy led her to create Forever Welcome which with allies like Mehek, who is also from India. They work together to keep a legacy alive, ensuring many immigrants feel forever welcome in the United States.

“I feel like he must be proud of me that I am able to carry forward those principles of his and allowing people to still see him through me,” Dumala said.