Reflections from the 2021 WATESOL Conference: ESOL, Race & Equity

November 12, 2021

On October 16th I attended the Washington Area TESOL (WATESOL) virtual conference. I mapped out my workshop schedule eager to learn more about asset- based instruction and how to support learners who struggle with unseen learning difficulties. I found these workshops to be hugely informative, but it was the keynote address from Suhanthie Motha that has lingered with me every single day since.

Her presentation “Is antiracist English language teaching possible? Striving for racial justice in TESOL” challenged us as English language teaching professionals to look at our work in a larger social and historical context. There is an inherent complexity to teaching English that many of us may not have considered in our day-to-day lives as adult ESOL professionals. Historically to the present, the English language has been used as a tool for colonialism, oppression, racism and enforcing a culture of white supremacy. Conversely, most of us enter the field of ESOL with the intention to teach English as a tool for helping learners improve their lives through gaining the language skills needed to engage and thrive in their lives and community.

Motha’s keynote encouraged us to ask our field and ourselves difficult questions like, “How do I hold knowledge of oppression with the intention of supporting learners?” Difficult questions like this one call us to not only critically examine our field but also dig deep into our own selves to recognize that none of us are neutral in the way we see race. I left Dr. Motha’s keynote with an ache in my heart that reminded me that there is much work to be done to bring more racial equity to our field.

We at MCAEL are committed to evolving in our knowledge, practices and supports around racial equity as a community. Recognizing the work starts inside we’re committed to doing our work in house, as well as, in the broader MCAEL network. Motha’s call has sparked our staff and members of our Executive Board to form a book club. We will be reading her book Race, Empire and English Language Teaching: Creating Responsible and Ethical Anti-Racist Practice and exploring how it applies to the work we are doing here in the Montgomery County adult ESOL community. Creating a racially equitable community starts with digging deep inside of ourselves, but we don’t have to do it alone. When we work towards racial equity in compassionate community the lift becomes more doable for each of us.

Tiffani Ross
Manager of Network Learning and Development

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Picture of WUMCO Help's location in Poolseville, MD.

MCAEL Partner Spotlight: WUMCO Help, Inc

By Kayla Savoy • November 1, 2024

On Friday, October 25th, the MCAEL staff had the privilege of visiting WUMCO Help's facility in Poolesville, MD. What began as a quick journey to distribute our Adult English Language Program Directories turned into an insightful tour of WUMCO’s expansive ESOL classroom, designed for local residents, and their food pantry, where they provide shelf-stable goods and fresh produce to the community. Supported by a dedicated team of volunteers, community members, and local Boy Scout troops, WUMCO is committed to addressing food, language, health, and financial insecurities in Poolesville and the surrounding areas. We are proud to partner with WUMCO Help , which began with MCAEL as a Start-Up Grant recipient in 2023 and then grew to become an Access Small Grant recipient the following year. To learn more about WUMCO and the good work of all of our current Grant Partners, click here.

Leadership Change at MCAEL

By Kathy Stevens • August 29, 2024

Dear MCAEL Community: I am writing to share with you that I will be leaving MCAEL as of early October. I have accepted a position as President and CEO at the Healthcare Initiative Foundation. After 12 years of stewarding and growing the coalition, our team, and the organization’s role in the county, it is time for me to pass the torch to new leadership and pursue some new challenges of my own. MCAEL is a strong organization that has proven the value of having one entity coordinate the work of the coalition to build a diverse network of adult English language learning opportunities. With the partnership of Montgomery County government, dedicated coalition organizations, and incredible supporters and volunteers, MCAEL continues to provide much needed and much desired English classes. With an incredible staff, the organization is well positioned to continue to meet the needs of our community. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have served as MCAEL’s Executive Director. It has been rewarding to work alongside such a remarkably talented team, engaged Board members, dedicated program staff and instructors, and committed funders and supporters. While I'll miss MCAEL, the people I've worked with, and most especially the thousands of adult learners we have been able to support, I am excited to see MCAEL continue its growth and leadership in the county. The Board of Directors is meeting to identify the search process and timeline for a successor leader of MCAEL and that information will be shared as soon as practical. I will be working with the staff, board, and coalition to ensure a thoughtful and smooth transition. Thanks to you and the many other people who support MCAEL’s work, I am confident that the organization will continue to be strong and impactful. With gratitude, Kathy Stevens

Uber Impact

By Kathy Stevens • July 30, 2024

I’ve had to use Uber more in the last month than the entire last year while my car was out of commission. As you may know, the app offers you the option to indicate your comfort level with conversation. While I was trying to lean into just relaxing on the car rides and not talking much, I couldn’t help myself and quickly started conversations with my drivers. Many of my drivers were non-native English speakers, and they shared their experiences adjusting to a new country while not being comfortable with the language. Their stories echoed an all-too-common experience among immigrants in our community, who often work at jobs below their training levels. We discussed how to find English classes, should they be interested, and I was even able to connect one of my drivers to a workforce development opportunity. Sure, it would have been more convenient to have my car in working order so I could drive myself to work. But I never would have made these rewarding connections.