Dulce has been an ESOL student for fifteen years. She started taking classes with a volunteer tutor five years after she moved to the country. She didn’t know much English then but strongly desired to learn. Our one-on-one classes were perfect for her and her learning style. She’s had many ups and downs during these years and sometimes had to take extended breaks from taking lessons due to life circumstances. She always came back.
Last year, inspired by an experience on the morning of her birthday, she wrote “The Sunrise and the Fog,” a book in English! Although she’s always had a passion for writing, it surprised her that she had the impulse to write her first book in her second language. Congratulations, Dulce! And thank you! You can read The sunrise and the fog here! (pay close attention to the dedication!). Watch the video below, where Dulce speaks about her book. Make sure you watch it on Youtube so you can read the subtitles.
Dulce spoke at our 14th Annual Authors for Literacy Dinner and Auction. In this photo, she’s holding author Silas House’s book, and he’s holding Dulce’s first story. Dulce spoke to the audience and shared her experience as a student and her intention to be a writer and a motivational speaker.
Here are Dulce and her tutor Katherine:
The English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program teaches oral English, reading, and writing to adults who have immigrated to the U.S. from around the world. ESOL is the largest program at Literacy Together, serving approximately 250 students annually. Our students’ most common goals in learning English are to improve their employment prospects, help their children in school, and pass the U.S. Naturalization exam.
