March 2025 Dreamletter

It sounds like she shares a lot in common with the parents of some of the “I Have A Dream” Foundation students.

Exactly. Growing up, neither of my parents spoke English. They took English classes at our local elementary school. My mom picked it up faster than my father, but what stood out was her determination. She knew she needed language skills to navigate this new country, and she made it happen.

She still speaks with an accent, but that in itself is powerful—she dominates both languages and, through her role as a small business owner, has served as a bridge for many newly arrived immigrants. She connects them with resources and opportunities to forge their own paths.

Shifting to the particular work we do—are there any women who have influenced your approach or inspired your work?

Definitely. For intellectual influences, one of the scholars who has deeply impacted my perspective is Dr. Tara Yosso. Her research on community cultural wealth changed the way I see our work. She highlights the many assets that marginalized communities bring—things like linguistic capital, where being bilingual becomes a strength and a bridge between worlds. Her framework encourages us to focus on what communities have, rather than what they lack. That shift in perspective has been key for me.

Another scholar who has been a huge influence is Dr. Kathy Escamilla. She was one of my professors during my master’s program and led the BUENO Center at CU Boulder. Her work on bilingualism, biculturalism, and biliteracy challenged the idea that being bilingual is a deficit. Instead, she highlights how integrating two languages is an asset. Her Literacy Squared model has been so inspiring because it focuses on developing biliterate individuals, not just bilingual ones. Her work has influenced education across the U.S. and Latin America.

How do you see those ideas playing out in the lives of students in our programs?

I think these concepts are embedded in everything we do. We’ve rewritten the DNA of “I Have a Dream” to recognize the assets our students and families bring. Our partnerships now reflect that understanding, and it’s strengthening the outcomes we all want for our scholars.

With our two-generational approach, we’re partnering with entire families, not just students. Research shows that when a parent has a college degree or some form of postsecondary education, their children are more likely to succeed. Since education is often passed down through mothers, engaging them is critical.

By supporting mothers in achieving their own goals—whether through education, job training, or other opportunities—we’re not just helping students; we’re accelerating economic mobility for entire families. And we’re already seeing shifts among the families participating in our two-gen model. That’s exciting!

That’s powerful. How do you see us inspiring and equipping young women through our programs?

I think it happens every day in our programming. We have more female-identified students, and it’s incredible to watch their growth.

For example, we have Dreamer Scholar alumni currently serving here as AmeriCorps volunteers, which is so inspiring. When you hear their stories and see what they’re accomplishing, it reminds us that we played a role—whether big or small—in building their confidence to take those steps.

Another one that comes to mind is an eighth-grade student who was struggling due to bullying and other challenges. She took a break from Dreamers, but when we launched our community center programming, she reengaged. Now, she’s thriving in STEM classes and robotics. Her mom tells us she’s doing so much better and feels like she belongs. That’s huge.

We created a space where she feels seen, valued, and heard. Hopefully, this exposure leads her to pursue a career in STEM. We may never fully measure our impact, but we can see it. It reassures us that we’re moving in the right direction in the afterschool space.

That’s amazing. Thank you for sharing all of this!

Absolutely! Thank you.