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Description
Mayor Wu joins Catholic Charities and program alums for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new El Centro Adult Education Center.
B
B
When
we
arrived
to
this
beautiful
city
of
Boston,
Catholic,
Charities
Refugee,
an
immigrant
Services
well
welcome
and
support
us.
They
bought
food
for
my
family,
help
us
get
funds
made
medical
appointments,
unprepared
documents.
There
were
so
many
things
to
learn
because
of
living
education,
whether
job
opportunities
and
culture.
We
have
to
learn
a
new
language
too.
Catholic
Charities
help
us
with
everything
we
have.
We
have
started
English
classes
at
the
laboratory,
Center
and
found
our
first
job.
I
moved
to
El
Centro
to
learn
more
English
and
I
was
promoted
in
the
store.
B
I
have
an
opportunity
to
help
those
who,
like
me,
need
support
and
Care
in
their
new
home
country.
It's
not
easy
to
learn
a
new
language.
It
challenged
both
your
mind
at
on
time.
Two
ingredients
are
necessary
for
your
success.
Perseverance
and
passion
I
want
to
say
to
all
our
students,
You
Are,
Not
Alone.
B
Boston
Public
School
mother
of
two
boys,
first
elected
to
be
to
the
Boston
city
council
at
the
age
of
28.
Mayor,
who
was
the
first
Asian-American
woman
to
serve
on
the
console
she
was
related
elected
president
of
the
city
council,
determined
the
first
woman
of
color
to
serve
in
that
role
among
her
many
accomplishments.
She
offered
Boston
communication
access
ordinance,
which
guarantees
translation,
interpretation
and
assistive
technology
for
access
to
city
services,
regardless
of
English
language,
profession,
proficiency
or
communication
disabilities,
mayor
Wu
graduated
from
Harvard
College
and
Harvard
Law
School.
A
D
C
First,
introduction
to
city
government
an
intern
and
there's
a
staff
assistant
for
Mayor
Menino
I
got
to
sit
just
a
few
feet
outside
Larry's
office
and
watch
him
work
and
how
how
passionate
he
was
and
how
much
he
poured
in
as
then
head
of
the
Human
Services
arm
of
city
government
and
now
to
be
able
to
see
him
making
sure
we're
still
making
all
those
connections
is
has
been
really
special.
Thank
you
very
much.
C
C
C
And
I
want
to
thank
all
the
speakers
who
are
going
to
be
on
the
senior
program
for
sharing
your
hugely
inspirational
examples,
and
thank
you
for
pouring
into
so
many
other
people
have
the
passion
and
the
perseverance
that
you
have
already
shown
so
to
Lydia
Mariana,
Fiona,
Ciro
UC.
Of
course,
we
are
so
excited
for
you
to
have
a
new
home
and
one
that
will
be
a
home
for
many
many
families
to
come.
This
space
is
beautiful.
It
is
comfortable
it
is.
C
You
can
look
out
on
the
city
that
we
hope
is
really
belongs
to
each
and
every
one
of
our
residents
for
centuries,
Boston
has
been
a
gateway
to
the
world
and
for
more
than
six
decades,
El
Centro
has
welcomed
our
residents,
our
newest
residents,
with
open
arms
from
Intensive
English
courses
for
speakers
of
other
languages
to
College
and
Career
Readiness
programs.
As
you
have
heard,
El
Centro
has
played
a
vital
role
in
helping
immigrants
connect
to
key
resources
and
services
to
thrive
in
our
city.
C
Today,
we're
celebrating
the
opening
of
a
new
adult
education
center
here
at
Jamaica
Plain
that
will
help
El
Centro
continue
and
expand.
That
mission
just
steps
from
Jackson
Square
station,
this
new
center
is
even
more
Transit
accessible.
It's
as
you
can
see
full
of
natural
light
and
energy
equipped
with
the
latest
classroom
technology
and
more
space
in
the
conference,
rooms
that
are
have
been
needed
and
ready
to
host
activities
for
the
entire
Community.
The
space
will
do
so
much
for
those
looking
to
make
Boston
their
home.
C
I
come
from
an
immigrant
family
and
watched
what
my
parents
had
to
go
through
I'm,
the
oldest
kid
in
in
Born
to
Immigrant
parents
and
my
mom
and
dad
came
to
this
country,
not
knowing
anyone,
not
speaking
the
language,
nothing
in
their
pockets,
and
they
found
their
way
right
in
in
that
very
special
way
that
our
immigrant
families
do,
of
whatever
it
will
take
to
fight
for
your
your
kids,
the
Next
Generation
to
have
a
better
life
they
did,
but
it
came
with
a
lot
of
struggle.
It
came
with
a
lot
of
sacrifice.
C
It
came
with
a
lot
of
heartache
and
to
know
that
there
is
a
center
here
for
any
of
our
new
newest
families
to
have
a
place
to
start
to
have
a
landing
pad
a
home,
a
family.
That
means
so
much,
and
we
know
that
in
fact,
it's
not
just
our
newest
immigrant
families
who
benefit
from
that.
The
entire
city
benefits
when
our
residents
feel
connected
and
get
what
they
need
right
away.
C
C
Here
in
Boston,
we
are
proud
of
our
history
as
a
city
of
immigrants
and
we're
proud
of
our
presence
as
a
city
of
immigrants
and
I'm,
incredibly
grateful
to
all
the
Immigrant
Community
to
lend
their
culture
and
economic
contributions,
Vitality
Arts,
Ingenuity
and
Community
to
the
city
of
Boston
I'm,
so
thankful
to
organizations
like
El,
Centro
and
Catholic
Charities
Boston
will
provide
the
space
resources
and
support
for
our
communities
to
flourish.
So
congratulations
on
this
new
center
and
I.
Look
for
that.
C
All
you
all
in
this
room
and
those
who
will
be
stepping
into
your
footsteps
to
come
that
will
accomplish
and
contribute
to
the
city
of
Boston
and
because
we
have
we're
thankful
that
our
media
now
is
more
and
more
bilingual
in
allowing
us
to
reach
residents
in
in
all
different
languages.
One
more
time
in
Spanish.
A
E
F
E
Probably
several
of
the
other
teams
that
we
have
here
in
this
room,
so
my
room
actually
going
to
be
in
English
but
anyways
again
good
morning,
and
thank
you
all
for
joining
us
really
to
celebrate
the
opening
of
our
new
El
Centro
adult
education
center.
Here,
we're
all
very
excited
about
that.
I
would
like
to
start
by
first
extending
a
special
thank
you
to
Mayor
wolf.
We
very
much
appreciate
her
making
the
time
to
be
with
us
this
morning
and
Mia
Wu.
E
Thank
you
for
all
the
work
you
were
doing
to
address
the
educational
equities
in
the
city
of
Boston.
We
will
continue
to
do
our
part
here
at
Catholic
Charities
to
ensure
that
there
are
opportunities
available
to
immigrants
in
our
community.
As
many
of
you
know,
Catholic
Charities
provides
full-core
service
areas,
Family
new
Services
basic
needs
representative
against
services,
and
that
adult
education
and
Workforce
Development,
which
includes
the
life-changing
El
Centro
adult
education
program,.
E
E
Ly
recognized
for
its
innovative
practice.
El
Centro
has
been
providing
comprehensive
ESL
classes
in
wraparound
support
services
for
adults
for
over
60
years.
Working
hotness
show
that,
no
matter
what
our
students
goals
are
from
attending
college
to
entering
the
workforce,
learning
English
will
not
be
a
barrier
to
success.
E
I
would
like
to
also
thank
Jacqueline
Chernobyl
for
her
leadership
of
this
division
and
Larry
Mays
Jennifer,
Mendelson
and
Jerry
Jerry
kahalin
for
their
efforts
to
secure
under
space
and
I
also
early
today
get
a
chance
to
meet
some
of
the
people
that
worked
on
this
project
and
I'm
not
sure
where
they
are.
But
then
thanks
for
all
the
effort,
you
got
a
gentlemen.
Thank
you
very
much,
foreign.
E
Together
with
our
dedicated
teachers,
you
have
helped
our
students
to
believe
in
themselves
and
to
recognize
their
unique
potential,
setting
them
on
the
path
for
brighter
futures
to
the
students
who
are
here
with
us
today.
You
should
be
very
proud
of
the
hard
work
you
put
into
this
program.
I
hope
you
enjoy
all
that
this
new
space
has
to
offer
and
that
it
already
Feels
Like
Home.
D
Thank
you
Kevin
and
good
morning.
Everyone
good
morning,
six
years
ago,
I
immigrated
to
the
U.S
to
find
a
better
life
for
my
family.
I
was
full
of
ambition
and
wanted
to
go
to
polish
lowing.
That
education
was
the
key
to
success.
However,
goals
and
dream
were
not
enough.
I
only
heard.
No,
you
cannot
do
it.
Polish
is
not
easy.
You
don't
have
money.
D
You
come
here
to
work,
Choice
does
not
matter,
go
have
a
baby
and
I
could
go
on
Handel
home
I
am
stubborn
I,
usually
don't
let
the
situation
or
people
Define.
My
life
I
started
thinking
about
going
back
to
my
country,
then
my
husband
was
spotting
off
to
break
me
to
El
Centro,
which
I
usually
call
the
school
of
opportunities
since
day.
One
all
I
heard
was
you
can
do
it?
Follow
your
dream?
It
is
possible.
D
D
D
El
Centro
also
helped
make
me
find
my
first
job
as
a
receptionist
from
there
I
became
a
certified
teacher
in
less
than
a
year
now,
I
am
working
as
a
supervising
teacher
for
Horizon
for
homeless
children.
This
excellent
organization
is
working
to
help
families
navigate
the
whole
door
of
homelessness.
B
D
Spectacular
space
in
Columbus,
Avenue,
El
senko
is
now
more
comfortable
with
a
new,
beautiful
and
high-tech
environment.
I
am
so
glad
to
be
an
element
of
that
exceptional
program
and
we'll
finish
by
saying
that,
no
matter
how
smart
you
are,
you
need
the
right
program,
people
and
resources
to
help.
You
realize
your
dreams,
so
my
success,
it's
not
only
based
on
what
I'm
capable
to
do.
D
D
D
F
F
F
F
F
Stuff
by
that
time,
Julie
we
found
Libya,
of
course,
Mariana.
The
wonderful
Mariana
among
our
teacher
I
hope
improved.
My
skills
learn
the
culture
and
had
the
opportunity
to
change
my
life.
After
a
few
years,
I
can
proudly
say
that
I
have
worked
for
multiple
video
Outlets
as
El
Munda
Boston.
That
was
the
first
then
Univision
Telemundo
and
NBC
Universal
language
right
there,
where
I
went
to
New
England
Emmy
Awards
becoming
the
first
Latino
ever
to
win
as
outstanding
life.
News
producer.
F
F
F
F
And
I
tell
my
story
today
as
a
testament
to
the
power
of
education
and
her
work,
and
the
most
important
is
that
I'm,
not
the
only
one.
There
are
many
who
have
changed
their
life.
Things
will
say
true
and
thanks
to
people
like
Mariana
for
one
day
was
my
teacher,
my
mentor,
my
American
mother
and
now
I
have
the
honor
to
introduce.
Please
join
me
in
giving
away.
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
We
want
you
to
be
striving
for
the
start,
shooting
for
the
Stars
and
it's
your
whole
way.
You
will
always
find
help
and
support.
Now.
I
would
like
to
invite
you
to
share
delicious
Latin
American
food
that
is
prepared
by
restaurants,
owned
by
our
alumni
and
students,
restaurant
Becca
in
Brighton
and
Don
tequeno
and
Donia
arepa.