The Midtown Utica Community Center (MUCC) is deeply rooted in Utica’s rich history of embracing immigrants and refugees. MUCC’s mission extends beyond the initial 90-day governmental support period for refugees, offering extended help to address persistent issues like language barriers, economic hardship, trauma-related challenges, and cultural nuances. MUCC creates a multicultural, refugee-friendly environment and offers a diverse range of services such as; academic support through English-as-a-Second-Language (ESL) education, citizenship classes, after-school programs, college readiness workshops, arts and cultural activities promoting cross-cultural understanding and connection within the community. This summer, I worked at MUCC and contributed to its mission by working as a grant writer and assisting in teaching an Adult Learning English course (ALE/ESL) at BOCES.
Utica, NY, once a declining industrial city, has become an important refugee destination, hosting 20,000 refugee families since the 1970s (Susan Hartman, 2022). Despite the efforts of many establishments to cater to the needs of refugees, numerous challenges persist, hindering these families from adapting to their new environment. These challenges encompass employment opportunities, education accessibility, and housing availability for these deserving individuals (Susan Hartman, 2022). The Midtown Utica Community Center plays a pivotal role in providing essential support. This narrative will chronicle my experiences and insights gained from my internship at the Midtown Utica Community Center.
MUCC serves as a multicultural, refugee-friendly hub, offering services like ESL courses, after-school programs, arts and cultural enrichment activities, health and wellness opportunities, and mentoring and internship programs for young individuals. It surprised me to learn about the persistent challenges hindering refugees from adapting to their new environment, despite the efforts of many establishments to cater to their needs.
This summer, I had the privilege of taking on two impactful roles. First, as a grant writer, I had the chance to connect with local media to raise awareness about our nonprofit organization and fundraisers. Additionally, I spearheaded the development of a mental health program for youth. This program aims to create a safe and supportive environment for young individuals, where they can unwind, learn essential self-care practices, and engage in activities that promote mental and physical well-being. However, my next role truly stole my heart and left a lasting impact on both my personal and professional journey.
As an Adult ESL teacher, I had the privilege of observing, co-teaching, and solo-teaching students ranging from 27 to 60 years old! These incredible learners hail from diverse backgrounds, including Burma, Ukraine, the Dominican Republic, and many more. Their unwavering enthusiasm and eagerness to learn inspired me every single day. From reaching out to local media outlets to creating worksheets for my students I believe that I was impactful at MUCC which in turn contributed to MUCCs mission of helping refugees adapt to their new environment, find jobs, integrate socially, succeed in education, access necessary resources, and foster a sense of belonging.
I am a Belizean woman who migrated to this country with my mother and navigated a whole new world. Working as an ESL teacher was very meaningful to me as I could relate to the students’ experiences. In addition to this, as a part of furthering my ambitions of becoming a special education teacher in the public or charter system at the elementary level, working at MUCC this summer provided me with invaluable experience and understanding of the challenges of educating individuals from diverse backgrounds as a student in the Teacher Certification Program at ¸Ô±¾ÊÓƵ.
This experience has reinforced my belief in the transformative power of education and ignited a sincere dedication to making a positive impact in the lives of the students I will teach. I was drawn to this project due to an interest in community-based research, partnerships, and the transformative power of education and after graduation, I have an interest in pursuing community-based research or working with nonprofit organizations.