SpanglishBaby™

A Glance at Bilingualism Across the U.S.

Roxana A. Soto — Wed, 16 May 2012 18:29:10 +0000

We’re totally loving this infographic created by BestCollegesOnline.com! The graphic speaks for itself and we’re sure many of you are already aware of the info included, but we think it’s a great way to share with others why we consider bilingualism such an amazing benefit!

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Celebrating Baby Showers and Traditions

Elizabeth — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:15 +0000

Is it just me or does it seem that there are more baby showers in the spring than in the other seasons of the year?

Recently, some friends and I hosted a baby shower for another amiga. When I commented to my mother-in-law that I would need her help taking care of Sofía for the day because the shower would be at my casa, her eyes lit up! And then the stories started pouring out about how much she and her gals LOVED baby showers when she lived in Peru. I love to hear stories about the way things are done in different countries, in fact, the cultural traditions fascinate me. As she spoke, the visions of waiters in black ties carrying trays of mini sanduches and recuerdos (party favors) for the guests danced in my head.

I’m sure that somewhere here in La USA that there are people who all customarily pull their dinero together and hire caterers and waiters to serve baby shower guests so that the hostess doesn’t have to lift a finger. I personally haven’t been to any of those showers, not in La USA nor Latinoamérica, but I can only guess they exist.

As I prepared, organized and decorated our casa, I made sure to explain to Sofía the significance of each. I want her to learn about customs here as well as in Latinoamérica, but unfortunately I’m not very well-versed on them in any country. ¡Gracias a Dios for Pinterest! One quick search and you are served up a platter of current cutesy baby shower ideas (mostly) from La USA!

It also seems that baby shower decorations and arrangements today are a lot more creatively complex than before. I mean the invention of the Silhouette Machine has opened doors to some dedo-parado/fancy schmancy personalized banners, detailed wall hangings and custom decorations. I feel like I woke up one day and everyone was making Diaper Cakes for Baby Showers. We were no exception!

From Pinterest, I used the idea for a Rubber Ducky Punch Bowl and the recuerdos for the guests — personalized home-made cookie pops. ¡DELICIOSO!

Cookie Pops are much different than the recuerdos that my mother-in-law described used to be given to the guests in Perú. Evidently those recuerdos must be a current local Latino tradition as well — an insight I picked up from a quick trip to our neighborhood Dollar Store.

In my quest to consciously raise my daughter Sofía to be bilingual as well as bicultural, I continue to culturally dissect just about every experience that comes our way. Maybe you reading this could help me fill in some blanks, por favor?

Old or new, borrowed, blue or rosado, I would love for you to share what you know about baby showers in your culture.

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Bilingual Book Apps for iPhone and iPad

Chelsea — Tue, 15 May 2012 08:00:12 +0000

It can be a chore searching for bilingual books, and now we all have an extra challenge…searching for virtual resources to keep our little Spanish speakers engaged! Here are few great bilingual book apps that can help you change up your storytime routine and, at the very least, entertain your kids for a few minutes.

iPhone and iPad:

MeMeTales ($0.99)

This app is like several book apps in one! Instead of having to download individual stories, you can use MeMeTales to access many books, most in English and a few in Spanish. The coolest part is that when you sign up and enter your child’s name, he/she can earn stickers (for printing and displaying) and points for reading books. This will unlock games. It’s encouraging and easy for young children to navigate. Check out the story “La Hormiga y el Saltamontes” first!

Bean Bag Kids: Little Red Riding Hood ($0.99)

Not only are the characters incredibly cute, but this storybook app is interactive. As the narrator reads, your child can try to collect all the stars on each page and tap the Bean Bag Kids to get them to wave or laugh. The Spanish is high quality and the animation makes following along easy. If you like this bilingual rendition of a classic, check out the Bean Bag Kids: Pinocchio app for another great story.

Curly Hair, Straight Hair ($0.99 for iPhone, $3.99 for iPad)

Since multiculturalism is so inextricably tied to bilingualism, this is a nice reinforcement of the importance of accepting differences of all kinds. With simple animation and audio, it follows the adventures of all types of cabello throughout a day. The repetition and simplicity make it a great choice for little readers. It even comes with a small Spanish/English dictionary that includes all hair-related terms.

iPad Only:

Ana Lomba’s Spanish for Kids: The Little Red Hen (FREE)

This is a great choice for niños who prefer apps that look more like traditional books. “La Gallina Roja” has nice, bright colors, easy controls for volume and language, and conversational narration. Choosing “scenes” and turning pages is easy and fun.

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School Libraries Getting Makeovers {Giveaway}

SpanglishBaby — Mon, 14 May 2012 20:51:46 +0000

In 2007 Target, in partnership with The Heart of America Foundation, launched the Target School Library Makeover. The goal was, and still is, to help more children read proficiently by the end of third grade. So how exactly does Target help children accomplish this? The program helps revive school libraries across the country that are in need by providing them with a new surplus of books and technology that will surely get kids excited about reading.

This year’s program will include three awesome components. First, library makeovers that consist of transforming 32 school libraries with remodeled spaces that will feature 2,000 new books, furniture, carpets and shelves, and a technology upgrade that includes new iPads! As if that weren’t enough, each child will also receive seven new books to take home! The chosen schools will also have the option of receiving Target Meals for Minds school-based food pantry in addition to the library makeover.

The second component of the Target School Library Makeover program is $1.5 million in reading grants to over 100 schools that have already received library makeovers in order to increase reading proficiency. And finally, Target will work with school districts in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. to develop a literacy pilot. The goal being that by the end of 2012, Target will have transformed libraries at 150 elementary schools across the country that are in need.

We all know how important literacy is in our child’s life. Reading not only opens up our child’s imagination, but also provides them with the tools to explore and embrace the world around them. Many of us even create little reading nooks at home with our favorite bilingual books, or set aside a special time of day just for reading with our niños en español. So, of course we are also hosting an awesome giveaway for SpanglishBaby readers to get their own and special bilingual reading nook en tu casa.

The Giveaway!

We’re giving away one Target prize pack to create your own inspirational home library! The package includes:

One Nook Color (or similar type e-reader)
10 new age-appropriate books. Spanish-language ones are available and may be requested.
One bookshelf
One blanket
One $50 Target GiftCard
One “Fat Boy” Chair

To enter, all you have to do is tell us what your ideal at-home library space includes.

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway. If you want to up your chances at winning, then this is how you can get additional entries (only after you’ve completed the step above):

**Please leave a separate comment for each so we can count them and avoid mistakes.

1. Subscribe to receive blog updates and subscriber-only content via email and leave us an extra comment letting us know you did so or that you’re already a subscriber. Make sure to leave the comment using the same email you subscribed with.

2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway including a link to the post http://bit.ly/JBdgCf, @SpanglishBaby and #TargetSLM hashtag. Copy the link to the tweet in an additional comment on the giveaway’s post.

Click to Tweet Ex: Target renovating 32 school libraries thru #TargetSLM U can win a reading nook prize, inc a Nook Color @SpanglishBaby http://bit.ly/JBdgCf

3. Like SpanglishBaby on Facebook and join a thriving community of parents.

This giveaway ends Sunday, May 2oth, at midnight PST and is open to everyone over 18 years of age in the continental U.S. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Check out the Giveaway Rules.

Disclosure: Target provided us with these giveaway packages to share with you at no cost.

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Quiero mi Baby: Caroline & Christian Exclusive Preview!

Tracy — Mon, 14 May 2012 11:00:59 +0000

Caroline and Christian of Quiero mi Baby on Tr3s

Hola Spanglishbaby familia! We’re back with another episode of MTV Tr3s’s show, Quiero Mi Baby – the new series that shows the realities of cross-cultural parenting including language, religion and tradition clashes, in addition to many other issues unique to bi/multicultural families.

Check out this exclusive preview (meaning YOU WILL ONLY SEE IT HERE!) of tonight’s episode and then see our interview with the couple, Caroline & Christian, below.

Episode Description: Beauty Queen Caroline and Business man Christian have only known each other for a few short months, but are already gearing up for some big changes that will last them a lifetime! Don’t miss how these first-time parents go through a life changing experience, especially Caroline given that she is a model and is very scared she won’t be able to get back in shape once baby Chase is born. Will she get her modeling life back after the baby is born? Tune in to this episode of Tr3s’ original show Quiero Mi Baby!

SpanglishBaby talks to Christian

SB: The preview video and description for your episode didn’t give us much background. Can you tell us more about where you grew up and your heritage?

Christian: I grew up in Haiti and was raised there till I was about eleven years old. I moved to New York with my mom and my two brothers but kept returning back to my heritage at least three to four times a year. When I tell people I am Haitian they don’t believe me. They say “No way, you’re Latin.” Once I start speaking Creole is when they realize I am not lying. It does not bother me though, yo hablo un poquito!

SB: Were you raised bilingual?

Christian: Yes I was raised bilingual. Ever since I can remember my parents taught me French, Creole and English. I am now learning Spanish from Caro.

SB: Do you plan to raise your baby, Chase, to be bilingual?

Christian: Absolutely! I feel it is important that my son Chase knows his ancestors language. Also being able to speak different languages will open many more doors for him in life. With that said Chase has no choice but to become bilingual.

SpanglishBaby talks to Caroline

SB: Same questions for you! Can you tell us more about where you grew up and your heritage?

Caroline: Most definitely! I was born in California but growing up I was extremely fortunate because I was raised in the best of both worlds. Brazil and Peru. I remember always jumping on a place and one year staying with my moms family in Peru eating ceviche and the next year dancing samba with my dads side of the family in Brazil. I was a lucky girl to have been raised multi-cultural. I believe it has helped me a lot especially with landing roles in my line of work.

SB: Were you raised bilingual?

Caroline: My first primary language was Portuguese. As you know though when you attend a school where everyone tends to speak English you sort of adapt to what surrounds you. I remember coming home and my family would speak to me in Portuguese and Spanish and I always responded in English. Now that I am older I understand the importance of being bilingual and I practice my Spanish and Portuguese all the time!

SB: Do you plan to raise your baby to be bilingual? (Why or why not?)

I agree with my husband 100% speaking multiple languages is a necessity in America. The more you know the more opportunities and chances will be brought to you. I believe every mother wants the best for their child and I want Chase Valentino to be extremely successful as his parents and I will raise him to speak English, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Creole. I myself am learning French and Creole by Chris.

I believe a happy family is one that can agree on certain things and disagree on others. No one is perfect but if you have love in your hearts then nothing can get in between of a happy life. Chris and I are getting to know each other every day more and more and I think it’s safe to say that I will never stop learning about my husband.

We love each other and we are super blessed. Thank you for interviewing us. I would love all my followers to follow me on twitter and facebook to keep updated with tips, advice and motivational quotes. I also will post photos of my family and future projects. I love to spread positive energy around the world and as my motto goes “Changing the world one person at a time.” God Bless!

Do you relate to Caroline & Christian’s story? Want to see what happens?

Watch Quiero Mi Baby on MTV’s Tr3s Mondays at at 9pm ET or on Tr3s.com.

Disclosure: We did not receive any monetary compensation to share this post. We just think this is a great show that completely relates to what we share on SpanglishBaby.

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Why It Takes a Nonconformist to Raise A Bilingual Child

Ana Flores — Mon, 14 May 2012 07:01:35 +0000

Earlier last week I had to write my first post on my new blog – Besos – for Babble as one of their new Voices. As I tried to introduce myself to that new audience, I kept coming back to the label of nonconformist which was given to me by my high school friends when the class superlatives were announced. There I was, right under the title of “Class Nonconformist.”

No, I wasn’t thrilled with it at all, but over the years I’ve learned to embrace that seemingly negative trait and realized just how happy I am to not meet everyone’s expectations of how things “should” be. Check out my Babble Voices article and you’ll get to know my nonconformist self just a bit more.

After that bit of self exploration, and reading the many comments from other women (and men) applauding and coming out as nonconformists themselves, I realized that all of us here are nonconformists just by the fact that we’ve decided to gift our children with a second (or more) language. Wouldn’t you agree?

Why are we nonconformists?

We’re nonconformists because we won’t believe any of the myths thrown our way by those who seem to know better than we do and have never read or researched the plethora of facts surrounding the incredible benefits of the bilingual brain.

We’re nonconformists because we will go out of our way to find the books, music, apps and toys that will enrich our kid’s lives with the sounds of our language of choice.

We’re nonconformists because, if given the choice, we will ignore the ignorants who claim bilingual education fails the system and we will do everything we can to enroll our child in a dual-language immersion program.

We’re nonconformists because we don’t care if others think it’s rude we’re not speaking to our kids in English when out in public. We are focused on our kid’s language learning and immersion process and not the other’s insecurities.

We’re nonconformists because we won’t let society dictate that one language is all we need; we know bilingual is better.

I’d love to hear from you on this one. Do you feel you’re a nonconformist? Why or why not? Let’s start this conversation and continue leading this #BilingualKids movement together.

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The Cast of Girl in Progress Talk About Their Mamás

Lidia — Fri, 11 May 2012 19:25:04 +0000

We’ve talked about this movie for the mamás before, Girl in Progress which opens today for Mother’s Day weekend! This compelling and funny movie about Grace (Eva Mendez) and her daughter Ansiedad (Cierra Ramirez) is relatable on so many levels.

Grace is a young mother who never got the chance to grow up and mature. She is almost a girl herself, and at times her daughter Ansiedad seems to show more maturity. As flawed as Grace is she is also a hard working mother who loves her daughter. She works two jobs to make sure Ansiedad is getting the best education. As Grace is caught up working two jobs and trying to keep a relationship with her boyfriend, she doesn’t realize she is emotionally neglecting her daughter.

Ansiedad, like her name suggests, is full of the teenage angst and desperate to leave her childhood and her mother behind. So she sets out to create her own coming of age story to speed up the process to maturity and independence. As a daughter it is easy to relate to Ansiedad’s character, as many of us went to through a stage in our young lives where we thought our parents just didn’t fit in. But of course, we soon realize how much our moms sacrifice for us and how lucky we are to have them.

So what does the cast have to say about their own mamás? We got the chance to meet and interview the cast of the Girl in Progress and, of course, the conversation was bound to end up with stories about the actor’s own mothers.

Eva Mendez, Cierra Ramirez, and Espinoza Paz Talk About Their Mamás

“I’ve always been attracted to mother-daughter stories. I’m really close to my mom, really close. She’s hugely influential in my life and part of my success I’ve obtained because I wanted to pay her back for everything …I’m so thankful for her apoyo, for her support and her love…” -Eva Mendez

Did she sacrifice a lot for you career?

“Absolutely, but even more specific than that you know she sacrificed coming to this country for my brothers and sisters, you know what I mean? But being the only one born in the United States I felt that it was my responsibility, I felt like everyone else had an excuse, everyone else had to struggle so much: my brothers and sisters when they first came to this country; my parents – they were outsiders, they were immigrants. A mi mis padres siempre me llamaron la americanita…Eve-e la americanita… so growing up with that what it did was it instilled this sort of a set of beliefs in me that were fundamental in being successful. Plus the belief that my parents were like..tú puedes hacer lo que tú quieras , tú estas en este país… this is were you dream big! Follow your dreams and that’s how I was raised, so I really, really believe that everything I give back I give back to my mom. That’s it. It all goes back to her.” -Eva Mendez

What were some other role models that you had growing up? Or now that you look to?

“My big sisters, absolutely, but I have to say my mom takes the cake on it. You know I still have girlfirends that I made when I was twelve years old. We’re still together ..living.. you know we have different lives but we were a foursome. We called ourselves D.E.S.K.: Debbie, Eva, Shawn,and Karla. Ridicolous. DESK. We though it was really cool when we were 15. We called our selves desk! Do to me it´s really about keeping that female support system.” -Eva Mendez

[To Cierra] What about your parents? Are they strict are they lenient?

“My mom is pretty lenient, because we have that buddy-buddy type relationship I can tell her anything, but then she’s still a motherly-advice giver she’s always there for me. I have to say I don’t mess with my dad. He’s just strict.” -Cierra Ramirez

When asked about his success as a singer and now his movie debut Espinoza Paz said his mother had a lot to do with it.

“The truth is I think that my mom has a lot to do with it. I think that has helped me a lot. [Her] perseverance and also that my mom, may she rest in peace, she would pray and I don’t know maybe God heard her and said I’ll let you be what your mom wanted you to be” - Espinoza Paz

About the theme of the movie what can you tell us? A difficult relationship between mother and daughter. Did you grow up with your grandmother?

“No, with my mom. I was about 14 or 15 when she died. My mom was always very affectionate with me. I was kind of mischievous and rebellious but we were all that way. In the ranch all the kids where like that. We didn’t listen to our mom but my mom was always affectionate and understanding. Always happy, always cheerful and glad. And she would pull my ears but nothing past that. She would worry because I wouldn’t behave but nothing past that. Aside from that it was a small town and there was no way to get out of there. Whatever mischief I got into half an hour later everyone knew…” -Espinoza Paz

Girl in Progress opens today! You can follow on Facebook and check out videos with sneak peeks of the movie there.

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Pampers: Mi Milagro. Nuestra Herencia. {Giveaway}

Vanessa — Fri, 11 May 2012 06:37:17 +0000

Having just given birth to mi milagro, the importance of preserving my culture has been heavy on my mind. In addition, being the only Spanish speaking caretaker in our children’s lives presents its own set of challenges. Language is truly the most impactful way I celebrate and embrace my heritage with my children. For that reason, I am always on the look out for supportive and informed communities in which to engage with other like-minded parents. In celebrating our heritage, a parent can never have too many allies!

A new and exciting community was just launched by Pampers, Mi milagro. Nuestra herencia., providing Hispanic parents with a forum to connect and discuss all the wonderful ways that we celebrate our heritage with our children. Through the online initiative, parents connect with the Pampers Latino community to share baby care tips, cultural traditions or simply experiences from their own Latino childhood.

In order to get us excited about celebrating our culture and heritage, Pampers is giving away a cultural prize pack to one of our lucky SpanglishBaby readers. In the prize pack, you’ll find many ways a parent can express the love of our heritage with their children from classic baby books to traditional Spanish lullabies, and even a Latin American cook book.

We loved our cultural prize pack! Of all the fun items it was packed with, Alina loved the Spanish language books the best. Alina’s bedtime routine has always consisted of reading bedtime stories, so when our Pampers cultural prize pack included two Spanish language books in which Alina was very familiar with in English, she was ecstatic! Celebrating our culture and heritage through literature, and the ability to translate that into any language, is a valued opportunity.

{photo by: favitia}

The Giveaway!

We’re giving away one cultural prize pack to one lucky winner. Prize pack includes:

Spanish-language baby books
Spanish-language lullabies
Hispanic/Latin American cookbook
A full-set game of Loteria
Pampers’ cultural body suit

To enter, all you have to do is tell us who is your Milagro (miracle) and what is your Herencia (legacy) to him/her.

That’s all you have to do to enter this giveaway. If you want to up your chances at winning, then this is how you can get additional entries (only after you’ve completed the step above):

**Please leave a separate comment for each so we can count them and avoid mistakes.

2. Follow us on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway including a link to the post http://bit.ly/KtJh0g, @SpanglishBaby and #Pampers hashtag. Copy the link to the tweet in an additional comment on the giveaway’s post.

Click to Tweet Ex: Visit @SpanglishBaby to win a #Pampers cultural prize pack http://bit.ly/KtJh0g

3. Like SpanglishBaby on Facebook and join a thriving community of parents.

This giveaway ends Thursday, May 24th, at midnight PST and is open to everyone over 18 years of age in the continental U.S. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Check out the Giveaway Rules.

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Simple Red Wine Olive and Pepper Rice Pilaf {Recipe}

morena — Fri, 11 May 2012 06:32:18 +0000

Mother´s Day is around the corner, and food is being thrown at us from every direction. As we all very well know, moms tend to have a special place in their hearts for sugary treats, and buying baked confections or making them at home is high on the list of best gifts for her on this once-a-year event. But before the awaited dessert, a whole meal needs to be prepared for the family, and even though this is, in fact, Mother’s Day, most mamás put their aprons on and work away in the kitchen to get the job done. After all, this is why we celebrate them: because they care so much for us, that they won’t stop working even on their day to show how much they love us. Motherhood is a very special thing indeed!

Thinking of this, one of my favorite rice pilafs came to mind, since it’s so easy to make, and sure to please everyone. Making this pilaf is easy for mom, if she wants a hassle-free meal that will still allow her to relax a bit and enjoy all the pampering of the day. But it is also great for teenagers and husbands who want to take control of the kitchen for the day and please her. What’s great about it is that it is the perfect dish not only for this day, but for any other occasion, and it’s good for pros and beginners alike. All you have to do is mix the ingredients, add the delicious red wine syrup made with Holland House red wine vinegar, y listo! A healthy, nutritious, -and most importantly- delicious meal that will leave everyone satisfied and with a smile.

The very adaptable recipe also allows you to add or skip ingredients according to your family´s taste. I love it with lots of olives and roasted and fresh peppers, but you may add bacon, cheese, or any other vegetable, like green peas or artichoke hearts. Sometimes I even transform it into a salad, using the same ingredients, with added baby spinach and blue cheese (or goat cheese, which I love and goes amazing with red wine vinegar). When I do this, I splash the dish with a red wine vinaigrette, instead of the syrup of the pilaf…and just like that, you have a whole new dish!

Ingredients

2 cups white rice (Basmati or jasmine is fine)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 tablespoon onion, diced
1 cup green olives, sliced
1 cup black olives, sliced
1 red pepper, diced
1 cup raisins or cranberries
½ cup almonds, sliced and toasted
Salt and pepper

**
6 tablespoons Holland House red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar

Preparation:

In a heavy saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and stir until aromatic. Don´t let them turn golden. Immediately add the rice, stirring for a few minutes, add salt and pepper (be careful with the salt because the olives are salty), and boiling water to cover. Put the lid on, lower the heat to a minimum, and cook for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the red wine syrup: In a pan over high heat melt the sugar, add the vinegar, add salt and pepper, and bring to a boil for 3 minutes.

Uncover and stir with a fork to separate the rice grains. It should be fluffy. Add the green and black olives, red pepper, raisins, or cranberries.

Serve the rice sprinkled with the toasted almonds and the Holland House red wine syrup.

Everyday Cooking Holland House Sweepstakes!

We invite you to head on over to the Holland House Facebook page to enter their sweepstakes for a chance to win a professional meal makeover consultation from Meal Makeover Moms or your own cookware set. Go here and enter!

Disclosure: This post is part of a sponsored series to develop recipes using Mizkan products. All opinions are our own.

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What Is A Spanish Speaker Supposed To Look Like?

Susan — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:00:31 +0000

In this country, there is a definite stereotype as to what a Spanish speaker is supposed to look like. The erroneous belief seems to be that only people with dark hair, dark eyes and tan skin speak Spanish. I know that the readers of SpanglishBaby are aware of the great diversity that exists among Spanish speakers, but the reality is that the American public seems to hold fast to their misconceptions.

At the school where I teach, the students are always amazed when they learn that Ms. Choi is a native speaker, because even though she is ethnically Korean, she was born and raised in Ecuador. This year in particular, my students are slowly changing their deeply guarded beliefs as to what a Spanish speaker looks like since they have a classmate who is ethnically Korean, but was born and raised in Paraguay, and two students of Indian descent whose parents grew up in Panama.

When my children were just babies, I would often wonder how these stereotypes would affect their Spanish speaking ability. Now that they are older, I am starting to see that it is not hurting them but rather helping them. Currently, Spanish is their dominant language. When they speak to me or to each other, it is always in Spanish.

The fact that they look very much like their German grandmother with their blond hair and blue eyes causes them to get a lot of positive attention for speaking Spanish. Both Spanish and non-Spanish speaking adults praise them for being bilingual. They are often told how smart they are or how wonderful it is that they can speak Spanish. I actually think it is the reason that they have never rebelled against our Spanish only rule. In fact, I am actually starting to find them showing off a bit. They use their Spanish to impress the hostess at the Mexican restaurant we frequent in order to hear her praise them, and to get more candy.

At the same time, I can’t help but wonder how Spanish speaking kids who do not fit this stereotype are treated. Do they receive the compliments and praise that my sons receive for speaking Spanish, or are they looked down upon for not speaking English? Are they told they are smart and wonderful for knowing two languages or are they told to speak English because they are in America?

It is my belief that as more studies come out about the benefits of being bilingual, there will be less negative reactions to different races and different languages. I hope that my efforts to educate both my own children and my students about the value of cultural and linguistic diversity will change negative stereotypes and make the world a better place for everyone.

{Image via Michael Bentley}

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