Building Latina/o Learners

In Washington County, where Adelante Mujeres provides services, 9.1% of total residents are impoverished with 29.5% of impoverished individuals identifying as Latino. This is significant given that Latinos/Hispanics comprise only 16.5% of the entire Washington County population (Data USA, 2019). Currently, over 50% who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Washington County identify as Latino.

Adelante is seen as a trusted, safe community organization with 18 years of culturally specific expertise working in educational programming, particularly in early childhood education and youth programming. To create a space in which individuals and families can thrive and where learning is encouraged, we focus, through a bicultural and intersectional lens, on engagement and interaction in a supportive and safe environment. Early Childhood Education began in 2003 in order to respond to the need to access early childhood care and education by the Latinx women in our adult education program. The Chicas Youth Development Program began in 2008 in the Forest Grove School District. Since 2003, we have grown to now operate 7 ECE classrooms and 27 Chicas after-school youth school sites. Per academic year, we serve 104 ECE children and over 700 Latina youth in grades 3-12.  

COVID-19: During these unprecedented times, the barriers outlined above that Latino children and youth face are being compounded at a rate that is hard to capture with data. Monitoring the loss of learning and the long-term trauma this pandemic will have on Latino students and their families is ongoing. Addressing and reducing the adverse impacts of COVID-19 for students and families requires ensuring positive conditions for learning in school, whether in person, distance, or blended. Relationships are essential to positive conditions of learning.

Adelante Mujeres is committed to supporting Latino families throughout this pandemic and its long-term effect. Adelante’s approach is two-generational with a focus on creating racial equitable opportunities for both Latino children and their families (parents). Our objectives include: 1) Deliver high-quality, bilingual early education services to ensure preschoolers meet or exceed the kindergarten readiness assessment; 2) Provide culturally-specific and bilingual programming to increase students’ engagement and attendance in school from grades 3-12; and 3) Engage families on the importance of their role in their children’s wellness for a healthy lifestyle including mental, emotional, and physical health to address barriers to attendance. Our activities include:
• Deliver 22hr/week of bilingual ECE instruction to preschoolers in 7 classrooms.
• Provide to all preschool families a kindergarten readiness plan which includes a school visit to their future kindergarten classroom with their parents.
• Deliver 25-weekly 90-minute after-school sessions for Latina girls in grades 3-12 at 24 active school sites with one-on-one mentoring sessions for transitioning students (8th to 9th grade, and 12th to college).
• Provide family-led gatherings and workshops to address school attendance and it's linked to wellness.

With the support from the Dudley T. Dougherty Foundation, Adelante’s Chicas and ECE programs will be able to continue its critical services and it's responsive to COVID-19. It will support personnel expenses of teachers and mentors and supplies that are currently being delivered at the homes of our families due to virtual learning. The above activities will be implemented either in person, virtually, or in a blended combination. The safety and health of our staff and community is our top priority. Yet, Adelante will continue to provide positive conditions for learning through our holistic, culturally-responsive programming. Our support includes:
• Initiate one-on-one contact with each family to assess needs and provide personalized support.
• Coach and support both students and parents on how to navigate mobile technology, social media, virtual platforms, and school websites.
• Identify and re-adapt programming in real-time to respond to the current needs of families.