Organization Spotlight: Briggs Center for Faith and Action

December 9, 2019

For this month’s organization spotlight, we spoke with Stacey Fannon. Ms. Fannon is the ESL Program Manager for the center. She holds a Master of Science from Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health (2000).

 

The Briggs Center for Faith and Action funds and manages the ever-growing ESL initiative. The center engages people who share a passion for social justice and serving the disadvantaged. Briggs has several programs and services. The ESL Program is the central focus.


Briggs offers free, literacy-access, drop-in ESL classes to over 200 learners from 45 countries each year. Thanks to a host of dedicated volunteer teachers, Briggs offers English classes on Sunday morning, Tuesday evening and Wednesday & Thursday mornings. Citizenship classes are also offered. The purpose is to facilitate English conversation and socialization. The goal is for learners to become more proficient and confident in English. Literacy acquired will empower learners to achieve their goals and strengthen communities and workforces.

Classes aim to assist LEP-learners living/working in/near Bethesda. Briggs participates in a “Know Your Neighbor” campaign which seeks to welcome and help our neighbors in need. Historically the program has reached childcare providers, retirees, homemakers, international students and some men. The primary population served are women eager to develop English skills to improve their lives in America.

The top five countries where the majority of our learners were born in is China, Colombia, Brazil, Japan, and Italy. A small percentage of the students are also from countries like Poland, Tunisia, Argentina, France and Israel among other countries. The occupation of the learners ranges from childcare providers to teachers to homemakers. Based on our FY19 midyear data, we are currently serving 158 learners from 41 countries. 

All of our teachers are volunteers. Most of our instructors are retired educators, lawyers, and public servants who are passionate about immigration and social justice issues. Some hold full-time jobs (e.g. nurse, psychologist) with the flexibility to volunteer. Others are pursuing TESOL as a second career and wish to gain teaching experience at the Briggs ESL Program. 

Recent success stories:
One of Leslie Layne’s Beginning Literacy students, Giselle, started off the year knowing very little English. One of her goals was to get a job. Giselle recently informed Leslie that she got a job at a local restaurant. Giselle brought the menu into the ESL class to practice with her teacher and role-played ordering food. Leslie was so happy and felt proud of her student’s accomplishment. Giselle is grateful for Leslie’s help building her confidence and English skills needed to get the job.

The Briggs Center ESL Program offers citizenship and civics classes. Learners improve their English while gaining knowledge about U.S. history, civics and culture. The classes help prepare learners for the U.S. citizenship test and interview. Stacy Parkinson, MCAEL board member and Briggs volunteer, was elated when two of her students became U.S. citizens.

Challenges: 
Since we offer drop-in classes, attendance varies widely. Instructors don’t know exactly how many students will show up on any given day. However, some students do notify their teacher if they know they’ll be absent. Sharing cell phone numbers, email addresses, and forming WhatsApp groups improves communication and helps instructors plan accordingly.

Our teachers have discovered that reading short stories is more appropriate for drop-in classes. Our advanced class is currently reading Great American Short Stories (Dover Thrift Editions). Reading full-length books in class can be a challenge, especially for students entering midway through the book. As a solution, before the new student begins class, he/she reads the part of the book they missed at home in their native language. Then, the student reads the rest of the book in English with the class. 

An exciting new project:
As an outgrowth of the ESL Program, the Briggs Center is in the process of creating an Immigration Services Clinic under the leadership of Ferew Haile. Last year, the Briggs Center became affiliated with the Catholic Legal Immigration Network. The Briggs Center is awaiting approval from the Department of Justice to provide legal immigration services. 

Tips for recruiting and retaining volunteers: 
Volunteers are our greatest natural resource! The Briggs Center ESL Program recruits via word-of-mouth, email lists (neighborhoods, schools, churches), and websites (Briggs Center, MCAEL, Montgomery County Volunteer Center). I try to recruit teachers that live nearby. This makes it more convenient for them, so they don’t have to deal with a long commute or traffic.  I retain volunteers in many ways. If a teacher is unable to make a class, I help the teacher find a substitute (or teach the class myself – which is very fun and rewarding!). If a teacher has a good idea or resource, he/she shares it with me, then I share it with the others. I share what I learn from MCAEL provider meetings and internet research. Before or after class, or during a coffee break, I check in with the teachers to see if they need anything from me or if they can take any more students. When the teachers come to me with a problem, we brainstorm solutions together. I also give them homemade baked goods and cards around the holidays and at the end of the year to show them my appreciation.  

What motivates our teachers to volunteers:
Most of our volunteers are retired. They are looking to doing something meaningful with their time. I think volunteering with immigrants is their way of making the United States a welcoming place. I think they are motivated to teach because it makes them feel good and it makes the students feel good. The students teach the teachers just as much as the teachers teach the students! It’s a win-win situation!

For more information about the Briggs Center for Faith and Action, please visit their website

Interview by Halima Ahmed

Alina Ramirez Joyner Joins MCAEL’s Board of Directors

By Kayla O'Neil • July 11, 2025
MCAEL is excited to welcome Alina Ramirez Joyner to the Board of Directors. Alina brings extensive experience as a consultant, advising senior leaders in government, private industry, and nonprofits on corporate social responsibility, community investment, and multicultural engagement strategies in both Mexico and the United States. She serves as Chair of Community and Inclusion in an educational setting, as a financial stewardship advisor, and as a civic community engagement coordinator in Bethesda, MD, where she leads initiatives to foster connection, transparency, and financial sustainability within local communities. Her professional path has included work with domestic and international organizations such as the Embassy of Mexico, the Washington, DC Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, CBS Radio, the Mexican Secretariat of Communications and Transportation, Mexico’s Electoral Institute, and various civic and local organizations. She's also collaborated with clients like National Geographic and leading healthcare systems including MedStar Health, Inova, and Adventist HealthCare. “As an immigrant myself, I understand both the challenges and the possibilities of navigating new systems—a perspective that fuels my dedication to advancing language access, inclusion, and fairness as essential tools for community growth and individual success,” said Alina, who is originally from Mexico City. “I integrate global strategy, risk management, and sustainable operations to design systemic solutions that empower individuals and strengthen communities, minimizing resource inefficiencies and accelerating social progress. “Joining MCAEL’s Board is an exciting opportunity for me to help harness the transformative power of language to build connections, create a sense of belonging, and open doors for individuals and communities alike. I’m inspired by MCAEL’s mission and look forward to applying my experience in community engagement, fundraising, and cross-sector collaboration to help strengthen and sustain the organization’s impact.” Outside of work, Alina loves exploring art, history, and the outdoors, especially hiking with her family and their dog.

Executive Director's Spotlight: A Message to All Our English Learners

By Gerard Etienne • July 8, 2025
Something important struck me during our recent end-of-year convening of program instructors and administrators. It was a day of celebration, sharing, connecting, brainstorming, and problem-solving – all centered on two fundamental questions: How can we serve our learners better? And how can we improve? The passion and dedication in that room were palpable. What struck me was how deeply everyone cares about this work: it matters to them. It matters to all of us. But as the day progressed, I realized something: many of the English learners in the programs we support may not know just how many people are cheering them on. They may not see the full village behind them – rooting for their success. Everyone in the picture above is part of that village – and they’re only a small fraction of it. Across Montgomery County, program administrators, instructors, volunteers, elected officials, and organizations involved in ESOL instruction are all working toward the same goal: helping our learners achieve the English proficiency they need to improve their financial stability, thrive in their communities, and feel a genuine sense of belonging. So, to all our English learners: even though you may never meet any of us, please know that you are not alone. We are rooting for you. We are cheering you on. We want you to succeed. In today’s political climate, that’s a message we must repeat – and amplify.

End-of-Year Celebration Recap

By Kairy Castro Barrios • June 18, 2025
Last Friday, June 13th, 2025, MCAEL hosted its End-of-Year Celebration & Sharing Session, attended by adult English Instructors and program staff representing 24 programs from the MCAEL network. This End-of-Year Celebration was designed to bring ESOL professionals together to celebrate their dedication and commitment to helping a community of non-native English speakers learn English as a second language, thereby supporting them in their daily lives. Their passion for teaching English as a second language contributed to everyone's eagerness to share the ways their lessons work, teaching methods that engage learners, and identifying the specific instruction skills they'd like to develop. One English instructor mentioned that, towards the end of class, she plays "Hangman" with the learners to help with spelling words; so far, no one has been hanged!  All English instructors and program staff share a common goal: to make a difference in their communities and make a direct impact on those around them. During this celebration, they were asked, “what inspired you to work in the ESOL field?" Instructors mentioned that enabling a community to learn English empowers them to grow and better integrate themselves within society. Brenda Voit, an ESOL instructor at the nonprofit Identity, mentioned that she is an English instructor who fulfills community needs and is passionate about the work she does. Christine Patton; an ESOL teacher at JSSA, spoke about her family’s personal experience emigrating from Germany to the United States and the shared frustrations of not knowing English, as well as navigating that experience in their daily lives. Christine views Montgomery County’s ability to provide free and accessible English classes as a reassuring sign of support. This invaluable resource can make a difference in the lives of many, creating a vibrant, growing coalition of Adult English learners. Kairy Castro Barrios MCAEL Intern