January | VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER | 2025

Martin Luther King Day offers an opportunity to revisit his perspective on the challenges life may present, as well as how to face them: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

We did it! With the help of our incredible community - YOU included - we've moved into our new offices! Creating this space with you is yet another reason why it was so important to get your feedback in our volunteer survey: The most common request we had was for larger classrooms and more spaces for tutoring, so we are thrilled that we were able to find a space with classrooms that will fit up to 25 people comfortably, as well as comfortable spaces for tutoring, gathering and building community. You told us you want a safe space: we are on the third floor and have security at the base of the building. You asked for natural light and this new space has so much, which as you know has been proven to be beneficial in both working and learning spaces. It's transit friendly, and it's just across the street from our old office. The bathroom facilities are better, it's ADA accessible, and there will also be a big event space downstairs, which will allow us even more opportunities to connect with our community and the various non-profits that will share the building with us. We wanted to create a space where everyone can thrive, and we are confident that our new space fits the bill.

We are so excited for this next phase in our evolution as an organization and would like to take a moment to say THANK YOU to all of you helped us pack, unpack, clear out, sort, transport, take down, hang up, put up, and all of the other things - big and small - you did to make the transition go smoothly. There are so many smiles in the new space! Come and visit to see for yourselves how bright and welcoming our new space is. 

Our main office

One of the classrooms

In community,

Liz Wurster

Communications Coordinator

Caroline Socha

Volunteer Program Manager

As we celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King and usher in Black History Month, it's an apt time to visit how to talk about difficult topics in an ESOL classroom. Topics such as racism and civil rights aren't always easy even amongst friends, much less in a class where individuals with varying levels of English ability are trying to understand how to navigate complex and culturally sensitive conversations.

While there are similarities in engaging on these topics in all classes (e.g., make it relatable, encourage discussion, use visual and real-life examples), other factors, such as levels or class focus, call for different approaches. We'd like to share some ways our instructors are introducing these topics in their classrooms.

One of our Ready to Work classes is watching a video about Dr. King at the beginning of each class and discussing what he stood/fought for. When they spend a week in February focused on discrimination in the workplace, they can circle back to the conversations they had during this week. In another one of our ESOL classes, they'll be reading and writing about Rosa Parks and the Civil Rights Movement. One of our ESOL/Citizenship classes shares slides with photos that asks "What did MLK do?" to prompt discussion, which, as some of you might know, is one of the questions on the civics test for Citizenship.

Regardless of the specifics of the class, we are confident that as you engage in conversations with our students, you will represent our values of being an inclusive and collaborative learning space for all.

We hope you are enjoying tutoring in our new space! We have plenty of options for tutoring around the office both in rooms and in the main space. Any of the Community Space rooms are for tutoring, please use these first. However, you may also use any room in the office not in use, even if it is a staff office. Feel free to check with the front desk which staff members are not in the office on the day you are there, or if you are unsure where to go.

Wait Time

Wait time, in educational terms, is the time that a teacher waits before calling on a student in a class or for an individual student to respond. On average, teachers pause only one-and-a-half seconds after asking a question. When that time is extended, there are positive changes to students’ and teachers’ behaviors and attitudes. ESOL students and students with learning challenges need even more time. Depending on the question, you may wait 10, 20, 45 seconds or more before expecting a response from students. 

Read the full teaching tip here. 

Allie Azersky, ESOL 1 Instructor

Developing & Practicing Reading Fluency

As part of our ongoing commitment to offer teaching support in your volunteering at Literacy Source, we are pleased to invite you to join for this 2-part skills-based training.

The first part is a free 2 hr. online webinar that you attend independently. We will follow this with an online roundtable discussion with Literacy Source instructors to talk about what you learned in the webinar and what you can apply when working with our students. It's an excellent way to hone your tutoring/teaching skills and meet/learn from our staff and fellow volunteers.

Part A: Webinar

Developing & Practicing Reading Fluency

Tuesday, February 18th, 4:30 – 6:30pm (PST)

The webinar is FREE but advance registration is required. Note, that this training is NOT currently available as a recording.

Please Register for the free webinar here  

Part B: Online Roundtable Discussion

Thursday, February 20th, 5:30 – 6:30pm J

oin the meeting with this Zoom link.

Everyone is welcome to come and participate in the discussion.

Please let Caroline know if you have any questions.

What You Have Heard Is True

Staff: Cory Ihrig-Goldhaber

Heartburn

Staff: Allie Azersky

Mistborn

Staff: Darlene Lytle

Victim

Staff: Shira Rosen

The Silent Patient

Staff: Katherine VanHenley

Americanah

Staff: Niusha Shodja

The Healing Heart of the First People of This Land

Friday March 7, 7:30pm (Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, Benaroya Hall, FREE) 

The Seattle Symphony is excited to partner with the Lushootseed Research Center to present Skagit Elder Vi taqᵂšəblu Hilbert’s commissioned work by Bruce Ruddell 

NThe Healing Heart of the First People of This Land, paired with a screening of the documentary, The Healing Heart of Lushootseed. The doc recounts the extraordinary story of Hilbert’s efforts to commission, then bring this symphonic work to life and "heal the heart of the world" after the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

The Soul of Seattle - A celebration of the Black food & beverage community

Saturday, February 8 · 5:30 - 10pm (Block 41, 115 Bell Street Seattle, WA 98121, $125)

Join us in our fourth annual Soul of Seattle fundraising event (21+) where we celebrate the Black excellence in our food & beverage community that create the fabric of Seattle's culture. We will be raising funds by throwing a party, featuring 20+ local Black-owned and run establishments. Upstairs, you'll find small bites of food and beverages, a cozy lounge, and live music from DJ Lady Coco throughout the night.

Lunar New Year Gala

Saturday, Feb 15, 5:30-9pm (Kane Hall, University of Washington, FREE)

Since 1967, the University of Washington Seattle's Chinese Student Association has hosted our annual flagship event, the Lunar New Year Gala. Inspired by the renowned CCTV Spring Festival Gala in China, our event is more than just a show; it's an immersive experience that transports you to the heart of this joyous cultural celebration. Our guests begin the event with interactive activities, fun games, and authentic food stalls. Later in the evening, our show offers an array of skits and performances, such as lion dancing, martial arts, traditional dance and instruments, and so much more!

During our show, guests also have the chance to win raffle prizes such as a Nintendo Switch, Airpod Pros, or even a Television. The UW Chinese Student Association invites you to our annual Lunar New Year Gala! Experience Chinese culture, celebrate Lunar New Year, and join the community! Our event is open to anyone to attend, and we hope to see you there!

Our next New Volunteer Orientation (via Zoom) will be on February 5 at either 1pm or 7pm. 

Potential volunteers are invited to register online here. 

Miss any of our past volunteer newsletters? You can access archived newsletters at the bottom of the Volunteer Resources of our webpage.