LYNN — The City Council chambers were filled with Latina mothers and their families on Tuesday evening, as the mothers graduated from Latina Center Maria educational programs. Around 40 graduated from the English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) class, and 10 graduated from the Life Coach with Emotional Intelligence course.
In her remarks to the graduates, Latina Center Maria founder and Executive Director Magalie Torres-Rowe said that the mothers who took these courses did so for their children.
When Latino students drop out of middle and high school, Torres-Rowe said that people sometimes say it is because Latinos don’t care about education. She said that this is untrue and “painful” for the Latino community.
“I found out that the main source for the students to succeed in class is the moms know English,” Torres-Rowe said.
The mothers take classes with Latina Center Maria so they can help their children with homework and communicate with their children’s teachers, she said.
The ESOL program ran from September to June and totaled 110 hours. Torres-Rowe said the mothers who graduated from the program showed up every Friday afternoon, even after working all day.
“I don’t see that the moms are tired,” Torres-Rowe said. “They are focused because the kids are the priority.”
The Life Coach with Emotional Intelligence course was in session from January to June and totaled 100 hours. The mothers in this program were in class every Sunday over Zoom from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Latina Center Maria also presented an award to Mayor Jared Nicholson for his advocacy for and support of Latinos. City Council President Jay Walsh, Ward Six Councilor Fred Hogan, and Ward Three Councilor Coco Alinsug were each given a “Thank You” award from the center.
Walsh said in his remarks that he could see the dedication the graduates and their families have.
“It’s a big deal to be able to communicate, communication is a very fundamental thing,” Walsh said.
Alinsug talked about how, like the mothers who graduated Tuesday, he is an immigrant. He said his own mother is still living in the Philippines and described how every immigrant has to be far away from their loved ones.
“But we need to move forward in our new country, this is our home now,” Alinsug said. “We need to be good with what we do, whatever it is, because we need to help our new home move forward.”