Finding their voices
“Adult education has improved our lives,” said Waleska DeSouza as she stood before a crowd at the Charlesview Community Center in Allston-Brighton. “We can look for jobs, express our feelings and our thoughts, because we speak English now. Last week, a woman asked me for information, simple information on how to take the bus. But I could help her. It felt amazing, and I am so grateful.” DeSouza was addressing an audience of area residents, community-based organizations, elected officials, and leaders of the Harvard community during the annual Allston-Brighton Legislators’ Breakfast on May 2. DeSouza and her husband, Valdez, were recognized for their work in the Gardner Pilot Academy’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) program. The after-school program enabled the DeSouzas to improve their English at the same school their children attended. But it was the spirit of community outreach that dominated the breakfast, where nine area residents were honored by...