Group helps Latino immigrants learn English, gain resources
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Every Tuesday, as part of our Greater Memphis on a Mission series, we highlight organizations making Memphis better. This week, we caught up with a group that believes in creating a community for all.
Maricel Casanova is a refugee from Columbia who came to Memphis six years ago. Through Su Casa Family Ministries, she was able to work on her English.
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She was then hired by Su Casa to be a resource for others. “Look, I’m an immigrant. I know this process. I live this process. I’m doing. You can do it,” said Casanova.
Su Casa Family Ministries is an organization that helps Latino immigrants learn, grow and pursue their goals.
Dr. Cherise Clark is their deputy director.”Our job is to make them feel at home, to provide a safe place for them, and to welcome them to our city.”
They do so by offering a bilingual preschool that serves one to four-year-olds.
Casanova’s daughters learned English in the pre-school. “Them immersing themselves in both languages is really key in preparing them to strengthen their home language, but also to prepare them to be in an English environment in school when they hit kindergarten.”
They hold adult English classes that are offered in the morning as well as at night.
“We’re serving immigrants who want to learn English. They come for a lot of different reasons. Some, just to better their language skills. Some, because they want to try something new. A lot of them are for work. They want to get better so they can get better jobs,” said Dr. Clark.
They also created a program to help Latinos with food, clothing, utility bills or even translating during a doctor’s visit.
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Dr. Clark said, “It’s hard enough to navigate those systems as an English speaker who lives in this country and city– this is what we do. And yet figuring that out takes some time. There are a lot of little pieces, answers and questions.”
That is why Brown Missionary Baptist Church donated $1,00 to Su Casa Family Ministries, because a different language should never be a barrier when it comes to helping and uplifting your neighbors.
For more information about the organization, click here,
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