Language and Cultural Exchange—Jamaica & Colombia

This project is very dear to my heart. It brings together two of my favourites—people and culture.

The project aims to provide instruction in Spanish and English for 30 students over the course of 2 months. Spanish-learners will come from Jamaica and English-learners will be from Colombia. The students will be selected through an open call via community organisations and social media influencers engaged in cultural exchange. The students will meet twice weekly for 1 hr and 15 mins via Zoom/Google Classroom with a certified language teacher. They will use material created especially for this pilot. The reading, listening, writing and speaking worksheets will be made publicly available, so that others may also use them in the future.

What we ask:

We ask that you donate CA$30 to this education and cultural exchange project.

What your contribution will support:

30 people between the ages of 18-35 years old who have an interest in the other country (Jamaica or Colombia) will be given free classes.

These participants will also be invited to learn about the other culture during Saturday presentations from cultural practitioners doing work in their respective field eg. dance, music, film, publishing etc. As part of the project, students will be asked to co-create a small piece with their Jamaican/Colombian counterparts, which will be showcased publicly.

Future plans:

The project is expected to grow into a full program. Future offerings will be funded through a combination of private investment, participant contributions, and crowdfunding initiatives.

Benefits to participants:

No potential student will be turned away because of financial constraints. Additionally, your contributions to this pilot project will ensure that participants:

i) will be able to experience a culture and language that otherwise might not have been accessible;

ii) will be able to build bonds with regional neighbours;

iii) will be empowered to co-create their own mini-cultural projects.

The social return on investment of this project should not be underestimated. Your donation offers hope and helps participants take a step towards sustainable connections that will change their lives.

Accountability:

At the end of the pilot, you will receive a short message of thanks and a link to the mini-project produced by a group of participants.