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THE PESA POST
The latest news, views and announcements from
Parents, Educators/Teachers & Students in Action

July 28, 2022
TRANSFORMATIVE JUSTICE SPOKEN HERE

A bilingual intern steps up to prove that a foreign language (or two!) shouldn’t be a barrier to supporting a diverted youth
If the name Simona Vishnevsky seems familiar, it’s because she’s been featured in this newsletter before. We wrote about the then-undergrad Loyola Marymount University student for her efforts as president of the PESA LMU club, which provides college students with volunteer and internship opportunities as well as serves as a base for PESA in West Los Angeles. What we didn’t say—and what Vishnevsky herself couldn’t have known then—was just how unique her service to PESA would end up being.

Not long ago, a diversion case involving a youth charged with petty theft had come to the attention of PESA. It was, at first glance, a fairly straightforward case except for one complicating factor: The youth had recently immigrated from Uzbekistan; she and her family spoke almost no English. 

Providing translation support is something PESA does regularly, and being located in Southern California, it often involves Spanish. But Uzbek? That was a whole other challenge. 

Enter Vishnevsky, whose family had immigrated from the former Soviet Union in 1989. She was raised bilingual, speaking both English and Russian. So, we were getting closer to a solution, but it still wasn’t quite apples to apples.

“The youth’s mother understood Russian,” says Vishnevsky, “so I would speak with the social worker in English, then translate that to the mother in Russian, who would then translate it to her daughter in Uzbek.” It was a bit circuitous, but it worked. It also gave Vishnevsky the opportunity to become involved on more of a social-worker level, which proved to be fantastic exposure and experience for the recent grad, who will soon start law school at Loyola Marymount, with plans to practice immigration law.

“I was very passionate that as part of the terms of diversion, the minor be given access to English language classes,” says Vishnevsky. “As a member of an immigrant family myself, I know how the lack of language skills can mean that school is difficult, laws are hard to understand, and daily life is challenging. So for six months, she’ll have English classes and then during biweekly meetings with her social worker, she’ll be able to practice what she learns.”

As is often the case with such experiences, it wasn’t just the diverted youth (who Vishnevsky says expressed enormous gratitude for the opportunity to improve her English), that was positively affected. “It was a great experience for me,” says Vishnevsky. “I didn’t realize it would be so impactful. It felt great to be able to help this family, and it’s been a nice way to wrap up my experience with PESA.” 

For now, anyway. Vishnevsky says she’ll be back after she gets her sea legs in law school. We’ll be happy to have her, and until then, spasibo! ■

If you’d like to support PESA’s many social and educational initiatives, please contact us.