About three years ago, Abiu arrived in the United States from Mexico. After a few months of living here, he learned about Literacy Together while working at the Element Hotel, just across the parking lot from our office! He started taking classes with Luanne, and although he felt his English was very low when he started, it improved quickly.
As his English improved, new opportunities began to open up. “I now have another job where I absolutely need to speak English, and it is even very difficult to find someone who speaks Spanish. These daily interactions with my co-workers made me realize how much I have improved, and I am grateful to all the people God has put in my path because, as I said, I never imagined speaking English. Now I use it as my main means of communication. I realize how much I have grown, and it’s because of my teacher Luanne that I’ve learned all I know.”
He remembers how consistently his teacher supported him, especially in literature and social studies. She gave him homework, encouraged him, and pushed him to succeed. Thanks to her, he was able to achieve his GED in a short time.
“In March, I earned my GED, breaking through barriers that once felt impossible. Back in Mexico, I had always dreamed of studying nursing, but without a GED and without English, that dream felt completely out of reach. At one point, I even gave up on it. But eventually, I decided to give myself fully to it and realized I had to face those challenges head-on. Passing the GED became proof to me that I can achieve whatever I set my mind to.” He then enrolled in a CNA certificate program, graduated last month, and is now working at Mission Hospital!
This transformation – all in just three years – fills Abiu with deep gratitude.
“Volunteers do such important work. It’s so disempowering not to be able to communicate in English. When you realize English stops being a barrier, you start achieving things that you had never thought possible. That’s when doors start to open. The Latino community feels so loved by people who want to support us; we are very grateful. I personally hold so much gratitude in my heart for my teacher, Luanne.”
Abiu’s story is a reminder of resilience and the power of education. And because he has such a gift for learning and is great at math, he’s considering becoming a math tutor for our Adult Literacy program whenever he has some free time!
