Bilingual Nation

Program Overview

Bilingual Nation is a group of volunteers who help families experiencing crisis to find stability and move toward their long-term educational goals. We provide English classes, GED tutoring and career planning, as well as bilingual (Spanish/English) conversation spaces where people can connect across language barriers. Through Camp Esperanza, we help with immediate needs after immigration-related crises, providing assistance with housing, transportation, childcare, and legal guidance. These wrap-around services make it possible for people to focus on learning English and reaching their full potential.

Bilingual Nation holds classes on Mondays at the Dayton Metro Library, Tuesdays online, and Wednesdays at restaurants, cafes, and bars around the city. Our team of volunteer teachers create and deliver original lessons catered to the needs of our learners. Volunteer social workers help people make plans after crisis situations and connect them to resources.

Cost Info

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

“It was a great experience! The interactive role-playing at our tables brought the language to life. As someone who enjoys learning languages and has been studying Spanish on my own, practicing in a real-world setting like a restaurant was a relaxed, welcoming way to build confidence while connecting with others in the community over food. Any chance to use a language in everyday situations is a win!" – Jeannette Horwitz, Welcome Dayton coordinator and Bilingual Nation attendee

“I was lucky to see an announcement in the Dayton Daily News on the very day the class began in September. I literally put my shoes on and headed to the library and I have been faithful about attending ever since. This class has so much going for it! For one thing, [they have] a unique format for his classes, one that works equally well with people who've never spoken a word of Spanish and those of us who have been attending for months. I am confident I speak for us all when I say the class is fun, sometimes hilarious, informative, practical and worthwhile. Those who've joined recently receive all prior materials from class, as they update the class lesson document with what we covered in class and make the entire document available to us weekly.
Besides learning the language, we have in each other an assortment of backgrounds, ages, and walks of life. Sometimes the age range is 7 to 76 (that would be me, and I may not be the oldest!). I have so enjoyed the people I've met here. There are common bonds in this group, our interest in learning the language, of course, but also our openness to new ideas." – Mary Ellen Foster, Bilingual Nation class member

"Muchas gracias por tomarse el tiempo para nosotras. La verdad, estuvo muy lindo. A mí me ayudó mucho y me encantó conocer personas maravillosas." // "Thank you so much for taking the time for us. It was truly lovely. It helped me a lot and I loved meeting such wonderful people." – Esperanza G.