News
Learning Spanish and Building Community
This fall, CHAI hosted its second six-week series of Spanish classes open to the community. This initiative began last year after the president of the Fallstaff Improvement Association (FIA), Joshua Richardson, expressed his desire to make the FIA more inclusive to Spanish-speaking residents. Since then, the classes taught by Arriba Spanish Learning Center have extended beyond Fallstaff residents to teachers, partners, and other community members. On November 24, seven participants completed the series and earned certificates. As they reflected on their accomplishment, one shared, “The language I learned is already benefitting me at work as I interact with many Spanish-speaking students and their parents.” Another said, “The instruction wasn’t at all as intimidating as I thought being a newbie… my confidence grew as I listened to my peers’ engagement.” With growing interest and encouraging outcomes, CHAI looks forward to expanding opportunities for residents to learn together and build a stronger, more connected community.
