“She was like my special mother…I am soooo very, very happy!“

-A Graduating Student about her Volunteer ESOL Teacher, Susan

“I have an exceptional class this year. They gave me much more than I gave them. Thank you for this opportunity to meet such beautiful people.“

-Janet, ESOL Teacher

As we celebrate National Immigrant Heritage Month, we honor the diverse backgrounds of our community members and the journeys that unite us.

Since a lack of shared language can hinder our ability to come together, A Faith That Does Justice (AFTDJ) is proud to offer English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) to our immigrant neighbors. The program serves adult immigrants and other marginalized individuals in Boston.

During June, 60 students will be awarded Graduation Certificates in this, our 22nd and 23rd cycle of in-person and virtual classes. These adult students come from many backgrounds and have been in our country for periods ranging from just a few months to several years.  Students come to our program because of our outreach, word of mouth, or referrals from the Boston Mayor’s Office for Immigrant Advancement (MOIA) and the St. Stephen’s Youth Programs (SSYP), an expansive faith-based program in Boston’s urban core. Most teachers are AFTDJ Volunteers who, with unmatched dedication and love, commit many months of their time to teach these building block skills.

This year, several ESOL students had back-to-back dual graduations – Tuesday from our ESOL classes and Wednesday at St. Stephen’s Church where they graduated from the SSYP Parent Mentor Program.  That program teaches parents how to better help their children in school and in life.  Modeled on a similar program pioneered in Chicago, it works closely with six Boston public schools.

“It was incredibly encouraging and uplifting to see the ESOL students graduate Tuesday afternoon and then the following evening to be with them again at their Parent Mentor Graduation Celebration,” said Tom Dwyer, AFTDJ’s President and Executive Director. “The room was alive with excitement, great food, enthusiasm, and happy people, but most of all with promise.”

The day before, as three in-person ESOL classes graduated, Tom told the students that AFTDJ is very glad they are in this country, bringing richness and vitality to our communities and furthering this nation’s and their dreams of opportunity for all.

Thanks to SSYP, MOIA, and Jewish Vocational Service, which provides the teacher training,  an ESOL teacher, curriculum, testing, and administrative support. Special thanks to our volunteer teachers.

Unquestionably, this is the best way to celebrate National Immigrant Heritage Month!