我们对社区的承诺
February 11, 2026
蒙哥马利县成人英语学习联盟 (MCAEL) 的使命，是通过为成人英语学习者及相关服务项目提供支持，筑牢社区联结。在民众恐惧与不安加剧的时刻，我们有必要清晰阐明自身的价值观，以及对所服务民众的坚定承诺。
明尼苏达州及全美多地移民执法行动的相关报道令人深感不安，这理所当然地引发了全美移民与非移民社区的高度担忧。因此，马里兰州的民众，尤其是蒙哥马利县的居民，会对本地移民执法力度可能加大的情况感到焦虑，这一点实属情理之中。这种不确定性带来的恐惧、焦虑与脆弱感，正影响着人们的日常生活、家庭稳定，也让许多人不敢再主动寻求教育和社区服务。
我们每天都能通过合作联盟伙伴、授课教师、学员、志愿者，以及身边的亲友，亲历这种氛围带来的切实影响。当移民群体被一概而论、不实描绘成罪犯，或是被视作公共体系的负担时，其造成的伤害远不止于言语层面。这会破坏彼此间的信任，损害社区福祉，撕裂社区的社会纽带。我们绝不能任由这种情况发生。
在此，我们有必要重申那些早已被充分证实的事实——这些事实得到了不同意识形态阵营中知名学术机构、政府部门和政策研究组织的大量研究佐证。有充分证据表明，移民群体（包括无证件移民）的犯罪率始终低于美国本土出生的公民，他们为地方、州和联邦政府贡献了数十亿美元的税收，同时在劳动力市场和小微企业创办领域发挥着至关重要的作用。这些结论并非主观臆断，而是有着数十年可靠研究证据的支撑。
MCAEL 秉持并支持能促进社区与地方机构间信任的政策与理念，这些理念和政策对保障公共安全、公共卫生，以及推动教育普及而言，都是不可或缺的。我们很庆幸身处这样一个认可并践行这些原则的县域。
MCAEL 始终与我们的学员、合作方、邻里、家人，以及整个社区站在一起。我们坚信，无论移民身份、语言能力或种族背景如何，每个人都有权得到公平、有尊严、充满体恤与尊重的对待，有权在自己的家中、社区里，在日常生活的方方面面感到安全。我们将始终坚守使命，为成人英语学习者及相关服务项目提供支持，并与合作方携手同行，不断增强蒙哥马利县社区的抗风险能力，增进社区信任，为民众创造更多发展机遇。
Last month, MCAEL sponsored three adult ESOL professionals from the coalition to attend the Maryland Association for Adult, Community and Continuing Education (MAACCE) 2026 Conference. Centered around the theme, Empowering Communities Through Education: Empowering People Where They Are, the conference brought together adult education professionals from across Maryland for workshops, resource sharing, networking, and professional learning. Anieta from Gaithersburg Beloved Community Initiative (GBCI) particularly enjoyed a session on scenario-based problem solving. The session "emphasized the importance of going beyond grammar and helping students become problem solvers—giving them opportunities to find their voice and advocate for themselves. This is something I am excited to continue building into my classroom." For Tanya from Identity, a standout session was Invisible Luggage: Leading with Emotional Intelligence, Not Emotional Weight. "The workshop emphasized that everyone—clients, teachers, staff—carries some form of emotional baggage, whether it’s a carry-on, a checked bag, or a whole conveyor belt. It began by prompting us to reflect on our own emotional “luggage” with the question: 'What emotional weight are you carrying right now, and has it been making decisions for you without your permission?' The concepts introduced shifted many participants’ perspectives.” Tanya appreciated the reminder that while learners and colleagues may share parts of their stories, much of what they carry remains unseen. The session reinforced the importance of approaching others with empathy and understanding. MCAEL is grateful for opportunities to support adult ESOL professionals in accessing continuous professional development and bringing back new ideas, resources, and perspectives to their programs and the coalition.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over a year since I arrived at MCAEL as Executive Director. Time has flown by in the best way possible — a sign that I’ve been fully invested in the work. I could write a 20-page essay on what I learned and observed this past year, but I won’t do that to you! Here are a few thoughts from year one: I’m happy to be past the initial learning curve! Starting any job with this level of responsibility can feel daunting and overwhelming at times. While there is no question I still have plenty to learn (I always will), I no longer feel like the “new guy". And that feels good. Managing a coalition of ESOL organizations can be challenging, particularly when needs can vary greatly from one organization to another. The upside is that our relationship with coalition partners is collaborative, constructive, and supportive. Everyone is working toward the same goal, even if the path sometimes looks different. One of my favorite parts of the job is attending community and coalition partner events, especially ESOL graduations. These events help me stay connected to the people behind our work. They also remind me of what it was like to arrive in this country not speaking English and how limiting that was. Every graduation is a reminder of why MCAEL’s mission matters and why we should never take it for granted. Thinking back to arriving in the United States without English, I still have moments when I can’t quite believe that I am leading an organization like MCAEL. My path here was anything but straightforward, and I feel a great deal of gratitude for every challenge, every opportunity, and all the people who helped me along the way. As I look forward to the coming year, I know I am in the right place doing work that is very meaningful to me and that I am proud of. The next fiscal year will undoubtedly bring more challenges, but with an exceptional staff, a supportive and engaged board of directors, and a cohesive coalition, we have a strong foundation to meet them.
With the correct spelling of funambulism (noun: the act of walking on a rope between two points elevated from the ground), the Montgomery College Spelling Bee team secured the Honeybee Trophy at MCAEL's 11th Annual Grown-Up Spelling Bee. The competition was robust, with all five teams demonstrating impressive spelling skills. Along with Montgomery College, this year’s team line-up included Burness, Bethesda Magazine, GBCC NextExecs, and the Rockville Chamber of Commerce. Even the audience proved their prowess, spelling zenzizenzizenzic (noun: a number to the eighth power) during the Audience Spell, with a group of four audience members winning the prize (once they chased down the Bee, who had taken off with it). The event was buzzing with energy and good spirits. At the reception, guests posed in the photo booth and enjoyed refreshments while donning antennae headbands and bee sunglasses. This year’s People, Power, and Potential Award went to two women who were once English language learners themselves. Bibi Mohamed is the force behind the English language program at ISWA (the Islamic Society of the Washington Area). As Program Director, Bibi goes above and beyond to remove learning barriers for women, including childcare, housing and food insecurity, and transportation. Likewise, Milagro Flores, the CEO, Founder, and Executive Director of Mujer Fuerza y Coraje, is focused on women. She started her organization 16 years ago, when she realized that many women were facing the same challenges as she was – “difficulties communicating, limited job opportunities, and a deep fear of speaking with their children’s teachers. Many of us were also afraid to visit the doctor because we could not fully understand what was being said. We felt frustrated, isolated, and, at times, invisible.” Milagro’s words remind us of why adult English language learning is so vital. “We aren’t just supporting English classes,” MCAEL Executive Director Gerard Etienne explained in his remarks at the Spelling Bee. “Learning English is essential to workforce development, economic stability, healthcare access, safety, community connections, equity, mental health, and so much more. So, when adults learn English, the impact extends far beyond the individual – it strengthens and benefits the entire community.
