Many immigrants who come to the United States often struggle to access services because they cannot understand or read English.
San Antonio is home to a majority Latino population -- many of them immigrants -- yet, the city is also a literacy desert.
Elena Foulis, an assistant professor at A&M San Antonio, leads the class Language and Literacy in Latinx Communities.
Students in the class aim to better understand the socio-economic backgrounds of the city’s Latino populations and their experiences with language.
Foulis said language and literacy are keys to success, especially for immigrants who speak languages other than English.
“Language practices can impact our educational experiences, which can also have an impact on our upward mobility, our economic futures,” she said. “Whether we are focusing on becoming fully bilingual for ourselves … or to be able to communicate with their kids’ teachers.”
The class has partnered with the nonprofit Restore Education, which offers free pathways like English classes, GEDs, and career training to advance opportunities.
Leslie Martinez, an undergraduate student majoring in Spanish, takes Foulis’ course.
As an immigrant herself, Martinez said the class gives students an opportunity to understand power dynamics within language.
“Just because our English is not as strong or ‘the standard’ … that doesn’t mean we can’t succeed in this country,” she said. “(It’s) understanding that everyone's experience is different and we can all succeed, but sometimes there’s a language barrier.”
