August Volunteer Hours: 325 | |  |
|
|
September 15 - October 15 we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, and this year's theme is Todos Somos, Somos Uno: We Are All, We Are One, which "highlights the wide range of cultures, ethnicities, and perspectives in the Hispanic community and the power of the community’s diversity." Not only does the term *Hispanic encompass twenty countries, but the food, dialects, and culture of each region can differ immensely. At Literacy Source alone, our Hispanic-identifying student population represent twelve of those countries.
The power of diversity is a driving force in the community we have built at Literacy Source. Each time I read about the contributions our students are making to their community, I am touched by the kindness and generosity they exude. Our 2/3 level ESOL class, for example, is full of students who are making a difference in their community, whether by cleaning up their courtyards or local playgrounds, donating clothes or food, cooking meals for elderly and/or incapacitated neighbors, or teaching classes at their church, our students, from all walks of life, are taking the skills they learn in our classrooms and using them to build a better world for themselves, their families, and their community.
Our value of lifelong learning is such a core component of Literacy Source, and I've heard from so many of you that you learn as much - if not more! - from our students than you feel like you teach them. It is that culture of curiosity, humility, and kindness that continues to enrich the lives of everyone who is a part of this treasured community.
| |
|
With gratitude,
Liz Wurster
Communications Coordinator
| |
*There are a number of alternative, and for many individuals, preferred, terms to refer to this community, such as Latino/a, Latinx, or Latine, or Spanish-speaking. | |
|
"As an immigrant, I appreciate, far more than the average American,
the liberties we have in this country. Silence is a big enemy of
morality.I don’t want our blunders in history to get repeated."
~Gloria Estefan
American history is complex. On the one hand, we have a rich tradition of innovation, accomplishment, bravery, and progress. On the other, our history abounds with stories of discrimination, colonialism, slavery, racism, and oppression. It is important to acknowledge and learn about all aspects of American history in order to foster deep, informed conversations and see the world from other peoples' perspectives.
At Literacy source, as part of our DEI work over the past few years, we have created a social justice calendar of monthly themes, which we also highlight in our newsletters. From LGBTQ+ pride to Women's History to Black-owned Businesses, the aim of these themes is to shed light on the struggles and accomplishments of folks that may have experienced discrimination and whose stories might be outside the primary narrative we've been exposed to in our country. Last year we focused on members of the Hispanic community, such as Sonya Sotomayer and Lin-Manuel Miranda, who have made their mark on American history. But it is also important to understand the roots of adversity that the Hispanic community faced in America.
With the Hispanic population constituting nearly 20% of the US population in the most recent census, it is important to explore some of the events that make up their history in the United States. From what many consider to be the start of anti-Hispanic discrimination after the Mexican American War in 1848, when 55% of Mexican land was granted to the United States, to the 1955 Eisenhower Campaign, "Operation Wetback", the largest deportation in American History, there are innumerable events, both small and large scale, that have created an environment of hatred, fear, and oppression for the Hispanic community in the United States.
We encourage you to continue to explore the rich history of immigrant communities whose resilient spirit have contributed so much to American culture.
| |
|
Literacy Source Summer Party Celebration!
Thank you to everyone for coming and making our first post-pandemic, in-person, party such a success. The weather was kind to us, so we were able to enjoy the courtyard and eat delicious food with fellow students, volunteers, staff, family and friends. Special thanks to all who brought food to share. We enjoyed amazing cultural dishes, baked good, salads and more from: Iran, Thailand, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mexico, Turkey, and more. A special thanks to Gloria from ESOL 2/3 class for a beautiful dance from her home country of Peru!
Thanks to Lake City businesses : Kaleyta at Senait Restaurant and Store for the delicious Ethiopian food, and Alberto at Jose's Taqueria for the succulent tacos!
| |
|
One thing I notice often when in classes or talking to tutors, is that we struggle with how we give feedback. Students want feedback on their writing and speaking to improve. As teachers or tutors, we want to both be supportive and create a positive learning environment, and give students feedback so they can use it to improve their skills. How do we balance these concerns? Here are a couple of tips to think about.
Choose and limit your feedback! If you give generic, positive feedback all the time, it’s meaningless. In Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, Zaretta Hammond says that too much positive feedback actually decreases the students’ engagement with rigor. Students pretty quickly figure out that if a tutor or teacher is always giving generic, positive feedback, it isn’t meaningful...
By Cat Howell, Co-Ed, Educational Director
Read the entire teaching tip here.
| |
|
1) Zoom Skills Workshop
Monday, September 25, 2023, at 10am or 6:00 pm (online)
Required for all new classroom assistants and online tutors. We will review Zoom skills students need in their classes; it is a time for you to learn/review and practice these skills so you can assist students with troubleshooting. Please review the short training videos before the workshop, then you will have time to practice in the training. Topics include: screensharing, joining/leaving breakout rooms, using annotate tools, renaming and background effects (useful for privacy).
Please join the Zoom Skills Google Classroom to sign up to attend, view videos and Zoom link for the trainings.
2) New Tutor Training
Thursday October 12th from 5:30 - 8pm (online)
Required training for all new tutors. Please join the New Tutor Training Google Classroom and complete the 30 min pre-requisite activity prior to attending the workshop and find the Zoom link for the training.
If you need help joining and navigating the Google Classroom please see this document: Joining and Navigating the Google Classroom.
Questions? Please email Caroline.
| |
National Citizenship Conference | |
|
Please see below for details on the upcoming New Immigrant and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Integration & Citizenship Education (NIICE) Conference:
(USCIS) invites you to register for the NIICE Conference to be held on October 17 and 18, 2023 with pre-conference activities on October 16.
The conference will be held both in-person and virtually. You can find out more here, and here is the agenda for the conference.
| |
|
Literacy Source partnered with four individuals that became new citizens in the past month: one from Eritrea, one from Morocco, one from Kenya, and one from the Philippines. Congratulations!
| |
|
Sea Mar Fiestas Patrias
September 16: 1-9pm, & 17: 11-6pm, (Seattle Center, FREE)
Fiestas Patrias commemorates the independence of Latin American countries, many of which celebrate their national Independence Day in September. This festival is a celebration of Latinos: our culture, our art, our music, our food, our dances and many other traditions that have accumulated over the centuries. The 2023 “Celebrating the Colors of Our Culture” theme symbolizes the proud heritage of who we are and where we come from by celebrating the diversity in color, culture, customs and languages. We highlight the need for unity among our diversity; we are part of one global village, body and country with many colorful, diverse cultures and perspectives. Sea Mar aims to connect with organizations, groups and individuals to learn and share more about the Latino culture.
Reclaiming Our Power: Using Joy and Imagination to Disrupt Oppressive Systems
Tuesday, September 26, 2023 17:30pm (Town Hall Seattle, $5-$25)
The concept of finding joy has gone mainstream. Its benefits are well known: joy can improve overall well-being, strengthen relationships, and even extend lives. Yet for many, especially folks in marginalized communities, joy is elusive.
Seattle-based Integrative Medicine Physician and activist Tanmeet Sethi wants to prove that joy really can be for everyone. In her book, Joy Is My Justice, she claims that the nervous system can shift its biochemistry into joy at the cellular level. She believes that people can find joy as they reclaim their personal power, strength, and purpose — despite living in an unjust world, past personal traumas, and a whitewashed wellness world.
Seattle Latino Film Festival
October 6-14, 2023 (Various Locations, FREE)
Seattle Latino Film Festival was founded in 2009 by Jorge Enrique Gonzalez Pacheco, a Cuban international award-winning poet, film industry professional, and cultural entrepreneur. Jorge had a vision to create a film festival in Seattle for Latino artists and filmmakers. The Seattle Latino Film Festival is the only one of its kind in the entire Northwest of the United States. Although the organization operates under budget, the staff are passionate about the films that the festival presents, and are grateful to the film industry for supporting this organization. The Festival runs during the month of October to coincide with the National Hispanic Heritage Month. SLFF includes international filmmakers, producers, and actors with the specific purpose of engaging the Seattle community with cross-cultural perspectives, and to create a forum to explore those perspectives, many of which are integral to the experience of "Latinidad."
| |
|
Our next New Volunteer Orientation (via Zoom) will be on Octrober 4 at either 1pm or 7pm.
Potential volunteers are invited to register online here.
| |
|
New Covid/office safety policy starting September 11, 2023: We are moving to masks optional. The North Meeting Room will be reserved and locked for staff to use to keep it available for anyone who needs a safe indoor space. The door lock code will be 1580#.
Office Hours:
-
Week of September 18th: Office Open by Appointment Only. No Classes and Tutoring.
-
Week of September 25th: Office Open: M-Th 8:30am – 3pm. No Classes, Open for Tutoring.
-
Week of October 2nd: Fall Term Starts! Office Open for all Classes and Tutoring. M – Th 8:30am – 3pm.
| |
Miss any of our past volunteer newsletters? You can access archived newsletters at the bottom of the Volunteer Resources of our webpage. | |
Literacy Source acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral land of the Coast Salish people, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip, Duwamish and Muckleshoot nations. Indigenous people are still here and continue to honor and bring light to their lived histories. We affirm Native American sovereignty and acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions of Indigenous people of Puget Sound. We acknowledge the ongoing disparities, racism, and political erasure they face today and pledge to donate, promote resources, and educate about the struggles of the Coast Salish tribes. We raise our hands to honor Chief Seattle’s Duwamish tribe of Indigenous peoples past, present, and future. | | | | |
