Photos and text by Mike d’Alessandro
Thursday March 23 was a night of inclusivity, community and bilingualism at the McKeon Center lobby, when the Truman Bilingual Learning Center (TBLC) welcomed guests, alums and professors emeriti with delicious empanadas for their 20th anniversary, “quite an accomplishment,” as professor and program organizer Ana King defined it.
City Colleges Chancellor Juan Salgado gave a heartfelt speech half in English and half in Spanish and praised bilingual students who “thrive in this community” every day. Over the decades, the TBLC has changed the lives of Spanish-speaking students seeking to learn English and find a safe place for those who feel left out.
Another key speaker Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th Ward) complimented Truman for welcoming refugees and for the support that TBLC gives to ESL learners, as he himself was an ESL learner and high school student in Tennessee, when he was 17 and first arrived in the U.S. Next, TBLC alumna Daisy Contreras of National Public Radio gave her personal story of how the program was crucial in putting her on the path of becoming a radio journalist covering Latinx community issues.
Accompanied by jazz music, a collective energy of pride and celebration was palpable, as many of the guests including retired Truman faculty and staff identified as bilingual themselves and took pride in the success that people just like them accomplished.
“20 años no son nada” was the motto esta noche, as the TBLC looked forward to helping bilingual students thrive and achieve their goals while providing them with a sense of community that is key to success and part of the college experience at Truman. Program staff also now anticipate offering certificates and course work in Spanish for such programs as Auto Technology, new features launched this academic year.
The UPTOWN EXCHANGE 