Community Education
Community programs that we offer
La Raza provides a safe, confidential, bilingual space for members of the Latino community to ask questions and explain their issues free of fear. Our Community Education programs are run by bilingual, volunteer teachers, offering citizenship classes, ESL classes, interview preparation, and other support.
Citizenship classes
Our citizenship class operates on a drop-in basis, although most students come regularly every week. The course material is taught in cyclical fashion: students review the same material multiple times, approaching it through different instructional activities. For example, when studying history and civics, one week students might discuss the questions in a circle, led by the teacher; the next week they may be filling out a worksheet; then, the next week, they might be playing a game based on the same questions. The activities are structured so that new students who are less familiar with the material can receive help from their more advanced classmates.
ESL Classes. *Not currently available!
A large number of the families we serve have very limited English skills, which makes passing the naturalization interview, and becoming a citizen, an order of great magnitude. We offer a beginner-level ESL class every Tuesday at 10:00am designed to help our clients improve their language skills. Although the class focuses on the fundamentals of English, the teacher is aware of the naturalization interview requirements and plans their instruction with that in mind. Students preparing for citizenship have priority, but other students are also allowed into the class if space permits.
Parenting Classes
The upbringing of children and the guiding of adolescents are parents’ fundamental tasks.
Throughout the year LRCRC offers parenting classes at our Center. “Martes Familiares” is a 12 week program. Each session is two hours; parents learn new skills on parenting and also have the opportunity to share experiences with other parents. During the classes, child care is provided and snacks for parents and children are served.
Community Forums
La Raza hosts forums on topics are important to the community, such as immigration law, health and wellness, nutrition classes on diet and exercise, banking, and finance. Each year Kaiser Permanente comes to La Raza to lead a series of talks on healthy living.
