When Manalie first joined The ILC’s Next Steps program to improve her English and advance her career, she asked her teacher to move her down a level. She didn’t believe she could handle the work, particularly while juggling two part time jobs at Burger King and the Cheesecake Factory. Her teacher told her to believe in herself and Manalie stuck with it.
Now she’s leaving the school early because she was accepted into a certified nursing assistant (CNA) program, the first step in her dream of becoming a nurse. She told her classmates that sometimes you won’t think that you can do it, but you can. Her father is currently taking Level 2 classes at The ILC and her sister is an ILC graduate who is now in college. For this family, learning English is a family affair.
Thank you for making stories like this possible through your continued support.
Diane Portnoy
Founder and CEO
The Immigrant Learning Center, Inc.
Barry M. Portnoy Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards
The eighth annual ILC Barry M. Portnoy Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards were held on October 29, 2019. Check out the website to see photos and learn about this year’s winners.
Immigrant Entrepreneur Nominee Jose Garcia Profiled in Wicked Local Somerville
Wicked Local Somerville recently profiled Jose Garcia, a nominee for our Barry M. Portnoy Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards. Garcia is an immigrant from Guatemala who fell in love with Japanese cooking and opened three Boston restaurants, including Ebi Sushi in Somerville. Congratulations, Jose Garcia!
The Immigrant Learning Center®, Inc. (ILC) of Malden, MA, is a not-for-profit organization that gives immigrants a voice in three ways. The English Language Program provides free, year-round English classes to immigrant and refugee adults in Greater Boston to help them become successful workers, parents and community members. The Public Education Institute informs Americans about the economic and social contributions of immigrants in our society, and the Institute for Immigration Research, a joint venture with George Mason University, conducts research on the economic contributions of immigrants.