Voices of Hope 2025 celebrates multilinguism in Los Angeles County

A group of parents, community leaders and educators recognized the importance of multilingual education during the first annual Voices of Hope 2025 event. 

The inaugural celebration on April 10 came at a pivotal moment as more federal actions could directly affect English learners. 

The event hosted by the Consortium for Multilingual Learner Success in Alhambra highlighted exemplary public schools leading the way in multilingual education and recognized the rich linguistic diversity of Los Angeles County.  

Jennifer Cano, senior policy and advocacy manager at Alliance for a Better Community (ABC), said with the situation we are currently facing in the country, collaboration is key. 

She said the consortium, co-chaired by ABC and Californians Together, was born of collaboration after California Prop 58, passed in 2016 to restore bilingual education. Prop 58 gives California public schools more control over dual language programs, repealing former Prop 227, which required English-only programs. 

“So at this time it’s important that we shine a light on the bilingual programs to maintain them and keep the staff connected,” said Cano. 

During the dinner celebration, Voices of Hope 2025 showcased on a video multilingual speakers, including Spanish, English, Portuguese, Mandarin, Armenian, ASL, Akateko, Zapoteco and Russian, to prove the unlimited opportunities that multilingualism brings. 

The consortium indicated that some people believe multilingual learners are framed as people who take up resources or who are behind in education when in reality multilingualism proves unlimited opportunities. 

There are an estimated 1.1 million English learners in California, according to Californians Together. 

Among the featured speakers on the video was LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho who is from Portugal and an undocumented young immigrant. He worked in construction and as a dishwasher. However, he proved that education is the key to success. After graduating college, he became a teacher and was eventually appointed as the Superintendent of  Miami-Dade County Public Schools, which he served for 14 years. In 2022, he came to Los Angeles to lead LAUSD. He recently spoke in support of undocumented students after ICE agents tried to enter two LAUSD elementary schools. 

The importance of the State Seal of Biliteracy 

Cano said speaking more than one language elevates the multilingual effort in K-12 schools and districts that create pathways to biliteracy. The students in these schools have the opportunity to receive the State Seal of Biliteracy upon graduation.

“So once you begin to celebrate good work, others are encouraged to move toward that,” she said. 

Representatives from public schools and leaders accelerating multilingual education across L.A. County were recognized for their efforts. 

Maria Elena Meraz, founder of Parent Engagement Academy, said parents are a vital part of their children's success. The nonprofit, founded in 2017, educates parents in their language on how to navigate the education system. 

“The objective is that they learn how to help their children achieve higher education. It can be a four-year college, it can be a trade school, but they have options,” she said.

Meraz said they also teach the parents about the importance of teaching their kids more than one language, mainly if the parents’ native language is other than English. This helps children not only to learn another language but also learn about different cultures and traditions.

“We have a curriculum about dual language learning to make education accessible, because there are doubts on whether or not children should be bilingual,” she said. “This way they can graduate from high school with a State Seal of Biliteracy that shows they speak more than one language.”

She often encourages parents to visit their children's school and make sure they ask how their children can obtain the Seal of Biliteracy with their high school diploma.