Support a Howard Graduate Teaching in Spain

Hi everyone! My name is Courtney Bartlette and I am a spring 2024 graduate of Howard University with a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations and English. I have recently been admitted to the North American Language and Cultural Assistants Program (NALCAP) where I will be working as a Language Assistant in Spain, exchanging culture and language with either primary or secondary school students for the 2024-25 school year. While the program is paid, I will need assistance with moving costs and fees associated with the visa application process.

This program is a once in a lifetime opportunity to gain experience working abroad and increase my Spanish fluency as I pursue a career in international relations and community outreach. I have been in love with language and cultural exchange since childhood, and ever since I studied abroad in Costa Rica I have felt like there is a calling for me behind this unique passion just waiting to be explored. In my travels, I found that many people in the United States have flawed understandings of people from other countries and vice versa. I found this to be especially true amongst Black Americans who are often not exposed to the beauty of the world's diversity and whose stories often go untold on a global platform. I feel a strong pull towards facilitating cross-cultural understanding on a global scale, and working with NALCAP is the perfect way for me to explore what this looks like on a practical level as I exchange stories with Spanish students and immerse myself into a new culture.

By supporting me, you will be participating in this cultural and lingual exchange and allowing important human experiences to be shared with new audiences. I plan to depart for Spain in mid September. Funds raised will supplement my personal savings and go towards my flight, initial accommodations as I search for long-term housing, my visa application and background check, and a small emergency fund.

Thank you so much for allowing me to share my story with you! Any donation big or small makes a difference, and if you are unable to donate, a share is helpful as well. Let's do this thing!