About
“Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today.”
"La educación es nuestro pasaporte hacia el futuro, porque el mañana pertenece a quienes se preparan hoy". - Malcolm X
Our Mission
The mission of the Las Casas -- English as a Second Language Program is to provide English language learners who do not have other educational opportunities the skills needed to advance their educational, vocational or personal goals.
Our History
The Las Casas - English as a Second Language program was started by Sister Ann Ronin, OP, Dominican Sisters of Mission San José with three students in 2002. The program is named in honor of Bartolome de las Casas, a 16th century Dominican friar. Las Casas was one of the first recorded civil rights advocates of indigenous people in the Americas. Sister Ann sought to honor his dreams and ideals by providing inclusive English language classes to the Bay Area community with the belief that all people - regardless of background - deserve equitable treatment and an education in this world. We are honored to continue embracing and supporting her founding vision of equity and education.
About Our Students
Las Casas is open to adults from all parts of the world and all language and educational backgrounds. The majority of our students live in the surrounding Fruitvale community neighborhood and are native Spanish speakers. Many of our students are from Spanish-speaking countries but are more familiar with an indigenous language, such as Mam (Guatemala).
Because we aim to serve those who do not have other educational opportunities, we serve only low-level ESL students. No student is too “low” for our program. Once a student tests out of our program, we will assist them in the application process to enroll in local community college or adult school ESL classes.
About Our Teachers/Volunteers
The Las Casas program has always been and continues to be taught by a team of dedicated volunteers. While many of our teachers have educational and/or professional experience in ESL instruction, the only requisite for teaching is the desire to learn and help our students. We place new volunteers in the classroom as an Assistant Teacher. Once we know a teacher and have found they have the interest, skills and strengths to be a Lead Teacher, we place them with a class where they are responsible for planning lessons and taking the lead on classroom instruction.
Advisory Board
Sister Gloria Marie Jones, Board Chair
Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose
Walner Diaz
Las Casas, Program Assistant
Sister Veronica Esparza Ramirez
Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose
Lisa Gonzalves
Alameda Adult School, Interim Principal
Sigrid Mueller
UC Berkeley Emeriti Academy, Program Manager
Dana Neufeld
Las Casas, Program Director
Janet Wilks
Cristo Rey de la Salle, Mission Advancement
James M. Wood
Law Office of James M. Wood
In the Media
“Our pilgrimage of the heart invites us to a deeper understanding of
culture as an act of justice, honoring diversity in a globalized world.”
- Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose
