Lydia León, Community Service

At the Centro Hispano, we provide a safe, welcoming, comfortable environment for Spanish speakers and other Latinos in our community. All staff and volunteers that have direct contact with families are bilingual in English and Spanish. In this way, families can communicate their experiences and we can provide orientation and support in addressing issues they face.
My passion for working with the Latino immigrant community arose from my interest in the Spanish language. Learning Spanish was crucial to my entering and continuing in this field of work because through studying Spanish I also learned about Latin American cultures and immigration to the United States. Language opened the doors to a new world and eventually to new realities of Spanish speakers here in the United States. When a person is able to give voice to their experience, they often take a giant step in being able to achieve their goal. We offer Latino immigrants this opportunity at the Centro Hispano.