Californians Together hosted our EL Advocacy Institute November 10-13, 2022 at Kellogg West Conference Center and Hotel in Pomona, where we were joined by 55 mid-career advocates from across California representing PK-12 to IHE and partner organizations from the Central Coast, San Francisco Bay Area, NorthState, Central Valley, Inland Empire, Orange County, Los Angeles and San Diego County regions.
The institute highlights included a deep dive into EL Education history, the “system”, and case studies from A Legacy of Courage and Activism by Dr. Laurie Olsen, as well as, skill-building sessions led by Elizabeth Jimenez Salinas. Other presenters included Vickie Ramos Harris (Catalyst California), attorneys Mary Hernandez (Garcia -Hernandez- Sawhney LLP), and Cynthia Rice (CRLA Foundation).
Local programs were also spotlighted, including Anaheim Union High School District’s Vietnamese Dual Language Immersion Academy, introduced by Dr. Renae Bryant (AUHSD) and featuring Don Le, a tenth grader at Magnolia High School, who sang a captivating and heartfelt song in Vietnamese.
Also showcased was Ontario’s fabulous Ballet Folklorico Tenochtitlan from Chaffey High School.
The design and curriculum for this institute were developed through The English Learner Leadership and Legacy Initiative, a project of Californians Together.