Albania Jimenez of Literacy in Community urges family-centered investment

I think I...

So good afternoon.

I'm Chair Gutierrez.

I'm members of the subcommittee.

My name is Albania Jimenez, and I'm here on behalf of Literacy in Community, LINK.

We work with children birth to five, their families and the educators and community partners who support them.

LINK is a facilitating agency for City's First Readers and Open Manhattan Early Childhood Connect.

A child's home language is a foundation for learning.

When a caregiver sings to a baby, tells a story, or talks through the day in the language they know best, that child is building language connection and a sense of belonging.

Families should never feel they must stop using their home language to help their child learn English.

I just want to be specific on that.

This November, Link plans to launch Supporting Multilingual Homes, a workshop series designed to help families build on every interaction,

not sure their home languages, and share what they know.

About their children with educators.

Families cannot do this alone.

Childhood educators

need practical training to learn about each child's languages, invite meaningful conversation, support home languages development, and intentionally build English skills.

Families also need welcoming programs and resources they can use in the languages they speak.

We ask the council to invest in family-centered early literacy programs and professional learning for educators who serve multilingual children.

Let's start before kindergarten and build on the strengths children and families already bring.

Thank you.