Transcript of 2023 Awardee Romy Greenwald Video

2023 Awardee Romy Greenwald Video

Transcript

My grandparents are Jewish immigrants from Mexico and Cuba. I’ve always grown up hearing their immigration story and the challenges they faced. Understanding my family’s history really inspired me to start MiSendero.

There are over 1.1 million English learners in California, and oftentimes these students feel invisible. My mission with MiSendero is to not only integrate these students, but integrate them as leaders. Usually, English learners are the ones receiving tutoring. We flip this dynamic, and now English learners become the tutors at school, and they’re helping their English-speaking peers learn Spanish, and this has really lifted them up.

We’re across many different schools in California and Florida and have impacted over a thousand students. We also hold a series of intercultural exchange events to showcase Latino culture and foster friendships that extend beyond the school.

MiSendero means “my path” in Spanish. I’m grateful to my family, who cleared the path before me, and I will continue to clear it for those who will come after.