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Black Girls Learn Languages

Multilingual is the new black

5/29/2020

She Was Accepted into The Korean Government Scholarship Program


Meet Rose Finley, currently living in South Korea and is a recipient of the super competitive Korean Government Scholarship Program. Read more to find out how she was able to get this amazing opportunity and what you can do to take advantage of similar opportunities.

BGLL: Thanks so much for agreeing to be interviewed and being open to sharing your story! Tell us about yourself.

Rose: My name is Rose Finley and I’m from Grand Rapids but am currently living in South Korea. I have a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Christian Counseling from Liberty University. I speak English, Spanish, French and Arabic. I currently am learning Japanese, Mandarin Chinese and as a recipient of the Korean Government Scholarship Program, I’m also improving my Korean. After the program, I’ll pursue my master’s degree in Clinical Social Work specializing in mental health and mood disorders. My degree will be completely taught in Korean, so I am a bit nervous.

BGLL: What made you want to learn those languages? How did you learn them?

Rose: I started Spanish when I was in elementary school. I just really wanted to be friends with the new kids who spoke no English, so I got a dictionary and asked the ESL teacher when I got stuck. As I got older, I just turned my TV to the Spanish channel with Spanish subtitles and left it there. I eventually figured it out haha. By the time I got to University, I tested out of all the leveled Spanish classes and straight into Spanish Lit and Advanced Spanish Grammar. 

French, I took two years in high school. Picked up the rest of it from living in Canada, where I could practice speaking, reading and watching TV in French. I actually don’t care for French much, but when I was in Algeria, I was grateful because my Algerian or Arabic was not good enough to get around well.

My ex spoke Arabic, Algerian and French fluently, so he taught me Arabic and Algerian and I self-studied with Madinah Arabic series and TV shows, cartoons (Chugginton, Octonauts, Peep and the Big Wide World) 

Korean, I have been actively self-studying for almost 2 1/2 years now through textbooks, home immersion, social media, and help from other friends and bloggers. I got interested in Korean because of K-pop and Korean dramas, like a lot of people did. My interest grew more as I got interested in Korean culture and history, and after I completed my psychology internship in Korea, I just decided to go for it. 

I’ve been learning for Japanese for less than a year and I use textbooks written in Korean, with Mandarin. I use only the app Hello Chinese and courses for HSK (the Chinese proficiency exam) on Udemy. I want to travel to both these countries one day and I have an interest in their culture and history as well.


BGLL: What opportunities were you able to take advantage of because of your language skills?

Rose: I have used my language skills to volunteer with immigrant communities, take classes in subjects I’m interested in, and to help and motivate others through my studygram (study focused Instagram account).

I honestly think the coolest aspect of knowing other languages for me personally is being opened up to this whole world outside. I’ve learned so much about history, culture, and people in a way that I probably wouldn’t have been able to without language. As previously mentioned, I was able to complete a psychology internship in Korea and accepted into the Korean Government Scholarship Program.

BGLL: Tell us more about the Korean Government Scholarship Program. What is it? How did you find out about it? What was the application process like?

Rose: So, the Korean Government Scholarship Program started in the 1960's and was created by the Korean government Ministry of Education to bring over students who were some of the strongest in their countries to study in Korea. They have an Undergraduate and Graduate Scholarship. The scholarship provides 1 year of intensive Korean language and your degree program fully funded, as well as a stipend of around 900 dollars a month. I applied for the Graduate scholarship and this year they accepted 700 graduate students from over 160 countries around the world. There are 2 tracks: The Embassy track and the University track. They both have different processes for applying and being accepted. This year through embassy track they accepted 16 students and I applied University track where they only accepted 5 students. There were hundreds of applicants in America and it is extremely competitive because you must pass 2 or 3 rounds in order to be accepted. I think what helped me to secure this scholarship was my knowledge of Korean language from self-studying, my knowledge of my field in both America and South Korea, and how I expressed my will and dedication to not change the culture but to add my experience to it in a helpful way to benefit both foreigners and natives. I originally found out about the scholarship from a professor at a Korean university that I went to when I did my study abroad my senior year of undergrad.

BGLL: Do you still actively use the languages you know?

Rose: I was using Spanish mostly to communicate with customers at work or for entertainment. I watch a lot of Spanish TV and read books in Spanish from time to time. I lived in Canada and Algeria previously, so I used French and Arabic a lot more back in the day. Now I rarely use Arabic and French. I still read or watch shows, blogs in French, but I think my conversational skills are lacking. 

I use Korean every day in every aspect of my life as much as possible. I’ve even completed psychology courses in Korean. Japanese and Mandarin I’m still very new at and hope to use them for travel and making friends in the future 

BGLL: Which languages are your favorite and why?

Rose: Spanish and Korean hands down. Spanish just has been a part of my life for so long. I love everything about it, the culture and history of Spanish speaking countries is so rich and different in each respective country, I feel like I’m always learning. 

Korean is such a complex and beautiful language. It’s also a language of social justice. Written Korean language was created to give the people of Korea a language that they could read regardless of class. Back in the old day only those who were rich and higher up in society were literate. Spoken Korean was written in Chinese Characters called Hanja. In the 15th century King Sejong created Hangul so that everyone from rich to even poor slaves could read. Transforming the country as a whole. There is just so much to the [Korean] culture, language and country that I love. I could talk about it all day haha.

BGLL: What are some suggestions you think would be helpful when learning languages?

Rose: First, figure out your reason for learning the language and what you want your end goal to be. Once you have an end goal base your study methods and materials around that. Since I intended on going to graduate school in Korea, I started my studies focusing on reading and comprehension first. Now that I’ve gotten a bit ahead, I currently focus on listening and speaking a bit more. Next, I plan to focus on writing.

Second, never compare yourself. Although this is in reality hard to do, comparison can make you continually feel you aren’t good enough or “doing it wrong”, there is more than one way to do things, and it’s not a race. 

Finally, don’t let anyone, including yourself limit you. This is something I always stress on my studygram. You’re already great and amazing, nothing is impossible if you want it and are willing to work for it. So, believe in yourself and keep going. 

BGLL: How can we keep up with you on social media?

Rose: I’m on Instagram @thestudyingnightowl Currently and I plan to open an official blog in the future.
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5/24/2020

10 Weird Facts About Me



Hola mis linguistas.

 

I was thinking the other day, that I’ve built this wonderful community, but do you guys really KNOW me? To get to know me better as a person, I’m sharing with 10 weird facts about me:

 

1.      I looooooovvveeee to belly dance. I enjoy listening to the different rhythms such as baladi, saidi, malfuf, etc. It’s my dream to host a “hafla” at my house one day. (A hafla is basically a dance party where the women dance and take turns playing the drum/dumbek).

2.     I enjoy the intricacies of language such as grammar, punctuation and spelling. In fact, I used to participate in spelling bees in elementary school. You could say I have a natural talent for spelling in multiple language.

3.     I have a wide range of knowledge about random things I learned over the years, partially because I’ve held various job titles: cashier, laborer, food service worker, beauty consultant/makeup artist, travel coordinator, as well as the aviation and pharmaceutical industries.

4.     I love listening to music from other countries, even if it’s not necessarily a language I’m learning. If the beat is nice and I can dance to it, I’ll add it to my library.

5.     I love living in Germany, but I do not like German food. I prefer to eat foreign foods like Turkish, Indian or Greek.

6.    I’m a Virgo sun, Pisces moon and Sagittarius rising. And before you ask, yes, they all apply to me haha!

7.     I’ve had some high-profile dates, such as a millionaire and a tv personality.

8.     I’m a Spanish language tease, meaning I speak a little very well but can’t quite go all the way 😝 I have native/near native pronunciation, I know phrases and sayings with the correct syntax. So much so, most natives get excited to speak to me even though I’m not fluent. LOL I’m working on it.

9.     My favorite dishes are salmon croquettes/bacalaíto. I remember as a little girl, whenever I would see my mom or dad come back from the store with that orange GOYA box, I would be so happy!

10.  I consider all millennials that grew up in New York, to automatically be of Caribbean descent simply because of the heavy influence of the cultures on the city during our time growing up.

 

So, there you have it. Some weird facts you’d probably never learn about me from selfies or infographics.


What are some weird facts about you?

 

Xoxo,

 

 

 

Language Bae

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5/22/2020

What Languages Taught This Lawyer-Turned-Career Alignment Coach



Meet Nia Jackson, a multilingual lawyer-turned career alignment and mindset coach. She has helped numerous people improve their mindset, go after their dream job/career and get it—including me! Read on to find out more about Nia and how she became fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

BGLL: Thank you so much for agreeing to share your story! Tell us about yourself. Who are you and what do you do?

Nia: My name is Nia Jackson, I’m a descendant of African slaves born in Houston, Texas raised in New Orleans and currently reside in New York on Long Island. I have a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Spanish Language/Literature (Villanova), an International MBA (Pepperdine), and Juris Doctor (Hofstra). I'm an Attorney for a construction company here in New York City, I have my own Law Firm, Jackson Law Group, LLC and am a Coach and Founder of Beyond Encouragement, a Purpose Discovery Company for millennial women.

I speak English, Spanish and (Brazilian) Portuguese. I barely use either of them today even though I live in NY. I usually only use them in emergency situations LOL. I want to travel more to countries where I can use both languages.

BGLL: How did you get started learning those languages?

Nia: I got started with Spanish in high school and it was a struggle, but I was determined. I took it during all 4 years of high school, throughout college and business school. I decided to learn Portuguese because it was a necessary requirement for living in Brazil for 7 months. So, I learned a few phrases, took lessons online, signed up for a basic grammar class for when I arrived, crossed my fingers, and moved.

BGLL: Which of your foreign languages are your favorite and why?

Nia: Portuguese is my favorite. It sounds so sultry and swagalicious!!! The history of black people in Brazil also makes me feel like by knowing Brazilian Portuguese, I’m closer to my African brothers and sisters that were spread across the world during slavery. 

BGLL: What three tips would you offer those who are trying to learn the languages you know? 

Nia:  Keep pushing. Don't let people's reaction to your ability to speak another language have an effect on your journey to increase your proficiency. Practice is the only thing that can make perfect.

BGLL: Tell us more about Beyond Encouragement and the value you offer as a coach.

Nia: As a coach, I help Millennial & Gen X women who lack self-awareness and suffer from analysis paralysis create manageable action plans to improve their relationships and careers. I show them how to pick apart their problems, so they can immediately resolve the issues that will have the greatest impact on their life. I do this through the company I founded, Beyond Encouragement. Beyond Encouragement was created for those unfulfilled women who need direction and guidance to improve their relationships, careers, and lives. At Beyond Encouragement, they will learn how to deconstruct their problems and immediately use the knowledge they already have.

I also have my own law firm, Jackson Law Group, LLC. But I'm focusing my time and energy on building up Beyond Encouragement. If I have a relationship with someone (or they get referred to me) and they need legal assistance that's in my space (small & businesses contracts) then I'll work with them. But I'm not actively looking for new clients. 

BGLL: How can we find you on social?
Nia: My Instagram is @beyondencouragement, Facebook is www.facebook.com/beyondencouragement and my site is www.beyondencouragement.com.
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5/17/2020

A Huge THANK YOU! Sisters Only Language Summit--Replay Available



Hola mis lingüistas,

 

I just want to offer a huge THANK YOU for being a part of the community, especially to all the black women who attended Sisters Only Language Summit, the first language conference for black women, last month!

 

You showed out in numbers and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. We realize that an event of this magnitude (complete with workshops and a panel discussion) was so necessary for us [black women], who are navigating a language learning community that bears a white male face.

 

*Picture courtesy of Morenita Mommy.
*Picture courtesy of Morenita Mommy


 

We had an amazing program full of workshops complete with an exciting panel discussion.

 

The workshops included:

-       Landing Your Dream Job Abroad (Me)

-       Rebooting Your Language Learning Routine in Quarantine Tamara Marie of Learn Spanish Con Salsa

-       Why Music is the Key! with Desta Haile of Languages Through Music

-       Discovering East Asian Languages through Culture with LeDonna J. of Discovering Language

 

The really amazing thing about the panel discussion on Black Women in Language Learning, is that the panelists were all HBCU Howard University graduates: Dr. Kami J. Anderson of Bilingual Brown Babies, Jamila Ball of Jamii Linguists, and Tami Garcia of Mully Lingua.  

 

If you missed it don’t worry, you’re in luck! You can still access the replay for $25 here. A portion of the proceeds will go to support the COVID-19 Emergency Fund For Single Mothers in NYC, one of the hardest hit areas in this global pandemic.

 

Did you attend the Sisters Only Language Summit? If so, what were your favorite parts of the workshop? What would you like us to talk about during our next summit? Sound off in the comments below!

 

Xoxo,

 

 

 

Language Bae

 

 

 

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5/16/2020

How To Read Aloud In Your TL



Hola mis lingüistas!

I made a previous, I shared the benefits of reading aloud in your target language. But today, I wanted to share with you my techniques on HOW to read aloud to improve your comprehension and communication skills in your target language.

Check out my latest YouTube video (click the thumbnail above), to find out what type of content you should start reading with according to language level as well as step by step how to read aloud for maximum benefit.  

What are some things you read aloud in order to improve your communication skills in your target language?

xoxo, 




Language Bae
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5/15/2020

She Worked in Three Different Countries!



Imagine working in Nigeria, then Zimbabwe and then…DUBAI?? Read on to learn about Bilqis’ journey and all the awesome things she’s accomplished as a multilingual.

BGLL: Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. Tell us about yourself.

Bee: My name is Bilqis Dawodu, but many call me “Bee” for short. I am Nigerian-American from Houston, TX. I have a Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Arabic with a minor in International Studies from Dartmouth College. I previously worked in Education, Marketing/Sales and Cybersecurity, but currently am an Entrepreneur. I am the CEO and founder of Sheba Source: an online hair consulting service and boutique. Sheba Source helps clients find hairstyles that fit their personal style and budget. We provide quality ready-made styles available on our e-Boutique and custom-ordered styles through our consulting service.

I also am the Founder of Young Black Bilinguals: Young Black Bilinguals sheds light on multilinguals, language learners, and language enthusiasts within the black community.  We also share vocabulary, tips, and resources for learning various languages. Young Black Bilinguals hopes to inspire more individuals, specifically the youth, to develop a love for languages.


BGLL: What are the languages that you speak? How did you learn them?

Bee: In addition to English, I speak and I’m continually learning Yoruba, Arabic, and Spanish. I learned Yoruba at home, from my Nigerian community, and through watching Nollywood films. My family is Nigerian; hence I sometimes speak Yoruba with my family and friends. I was enrolled in Spanish classes in High School but primarily learned Spanish abroad. I also studied Arabic as it was one of my majors and for religious purposes. I use Arabic when I want to practice speaking with other language learners or native speakers. I’m always open to learning any language especially if I’m exposed to its respective culture.

BGLL: What was it like the first time you tried speaking a foreign language?

Bee: My first time out of the U.S. was in Costa Rica during a study abroad program. Although I had taken almost 2 years of Spanish at that time, I hardly understood nor spoke any Spanish. I lived with a host family in a small town. My host family spoke some English, but in order to get around town and communicate with most people, I had to learn Spanish quickly. Initially, people rarely understood what I was saying as it was a mixture of mainly English and a few words in Spanish. After some time, it became the opposite. In fact, when I first got back to the U.S., I would interchange between Spanish and English without realizing. I’ve had similar experiences with other languages. Overall, I’ve found most of my experiences have been positive. I would say people are sometimes surprised when they hear me switch from English to another language.

BGLL: What opportunities were you able to take advantage of because of your languages?

Bee: I worked in the Arabic Language Department as an Apprentice Teacher at Dartmouth. During undergrad, I also volunteered in Nigeria and interned in Zimbabwe. After graduating, I worked in Dubai for a year.

BGLL: Which language is your favorite and why?

Bee: Yoruba as it’s my family’s native language. It allows me to form a better connection with our culture and traditions even while living in America.

BGLL: What are some tips you believe would help someone learning another language?

Bee: I’d say choose to learn a language you’re passionate about or interested in. If you love what you’re studying, you’ll enjoy it more. Another thing, if you have the opportunity to travel or study abroad, then go for it! If not, in addition to learning the language, also familiarize yourself with the respective culture of the language you’re studying. I personally enjoy watching films/videos and listening to music in the language I’m studying. I highly recommend it as it helps me better understand how certain words/phrases are spoken and used.


BGLL: How can we keep up with you on social?

Bee: My personal Instagram is @bilyjeans. The language page’s Instagram is @youngblackbilinguals. My business page is @shebasource.
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5/08/2020

She Relocated and Changed Careers!


Meet Ebony, a multilingual Medical Information Associate who was emboldened to make a career change from retail pharmacy to the pharmaceutical industry and relocate to a different state! Read on to find out why she made the change and how she became fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

BGLL: Thank you so much for agreeing to share your story. Tell us about yourself.

Ebony: My name is Ebony Kennedy. Both sides of my family have been in small town, South Carolina for generations. I currently live just outside of Boston, Massachusetts. My hometown is Charlotte, North Carolina. My native language is English. I have a Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Sciences from UNC Chapel Hill as well as a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) from the Eshelman School of Pharmacy at UNC Chapel Hill. I work as a Medical Information Associate, which is a recent career change for me and motivation for leaving North Carolina.

I am also an avid traveler, and I am obsessed with Latin America. Aside from Montreal, in Canada, all the foreign countries I have visited are Latin: Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. I am especially enamored with Brazilian culture and I want to spend some more time there.

Since my move to New England, I have also become very involved in aggressive quad skating as a part of Chicks in Bowls Boston. Not only is roller skating incredibly fun (especially when exploring a new city), but it's made me a part of an amazing community. I was even able to learn some moves from a couple of the girls from Chicks in Bowls Peru during my travels last year.

BGLL: What industry were you in before? Why the change?

Ebony: I was a retail pharmacist for four years, but I wanted career that would allow me to work in other areas of the US, or even outside of the country in the future. When I lost my retail job due to a corporate buyout, I started looking for a job in industry instead. I started the Medical Information job two months ago, and my language skills were a big part of the reason that I got hired. I'm so excited to be able to start my career in the pharmaceutical industry.

BGLL: What are your most notable accomplishments to date?

Ebony: Honestly my degrees/certifications are not the things that I am most proud of. The things that I am most proud of are my personal achievements. I am proud of the fact that I am trilingual. I am proud of the fact that I made a career move towards my future goals, and moved out of state for the first time. I am proud that I have worked to become more social and outgoing. I have largely overcome my social anxiety/extreme introversion and I'm still growing as a person.
BGLL: What other opportunities were you able to take part in due to your language skills?

Ebony: There are many small instances in which I've been able to help people out who have limited English. As a retail pharmacist, I had a few patients over the years who were very relieved to find that I knew Spanish, and sought me out because they felt more comfortable speaking with someone who knew their language. 

For the majority of my first year in Massachusetts, I participated in a weekly theatre class that is completely in Portuguese, because the professor and all of the students (apart from me) are Brazilian. I've made new friends, it’s something completely new for me, and I improved my language learning at the same time!

BGLL: What made you want to learn those languages? How did you learn them?

Ebony: I started taking Spanish in high school, and I took a couple of semesters of Portuguese in grad school. I started Spanish simply because I was required to take a language in high school. As I grew up in an area with lots of Latinos, I figured the most useful language would be Spanish. I grew to really love Latin culture, and when I had an opportunity to take another language, I chose Portuguese solely because it was the language of Brazil. The biggest country in South America doesn't even speak Spanish, and I felt I needed to cover my bases if I ever really wanted to learn about Brazil. You can learn so much more about another country if you speak the language. It’s incredible.

Aside from the aforementioned Spanish and Portuguese, I also want to learn French in the future. Starting a new language from scratch is very difficult, and I'm still trying to find the diligence to stay at it when I'm at such a novice level. Everyone has to start somewhere! I'm not able to use it much yet, but I would love to go to back to Montreal, or other parts of Quebec now that I live much closer. Speaking French would also help me should I get the opportunity to travel to Africa in the future! Speaking French and English will get you pretty far on that continent. I've said for a long time that I want to learn French, and I've been dragging my feet on getting started. My sister and I recently started an online group class, so hopefully this will give me the kickstart that I need.



BGLL: Which is your favorite and why?

Ebony: Don't ask me that! It's hard to choose, but I do feel more comfortable speaking Portuguese. Brazilian Portuguese has a lovely fluid sound and it is so expressive.


BGLL: What are some tips you feel will help those learning languages?

Ebony: Do activities you already love and just incorporate your language into those activities. I LOVE music, and so much of my language learning has come from singing along to bachata, reggaeton and Brazilian funk. I also watch YouTube videos and listen to podcasts in other languages. I simply follow content makers that are in line with my interests. Many people don't stop to think that whatever you are into, be it video games, sports, makeup, or social commentary, many other people are out there with the same exact interests in your target language!

BGLL: What’s something that language learning has taught you?

Language learning is never done. Many people are impressed to hear me speak another language, but I still sometimes make grammar mistakes or don't understand something. Don't be discouraged, and don't be embarrassed. We're all human.

BGLL: How can we keep up with you on social media?

Ebony:  I'm not huge on social media, but if you send a message, I'll always respond. @trillizanumero2 is my Instagram page. If you follow me, you will see many pictures of my dog, Zane.
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5/05/2020

She Created an Interview Project on Blackness While in Brazil!


Meet Kari, a student at UNC Chapel Hill majoring in African, African-American, and Diaspora Studies. She traveled to three countries to learn three different languages and even created an interview project on Blackness while in Brazil. Read more about Kari and what helped her become fluent in three languages.

BGLL: Thanks for sharing your language learning journey with us. Tell us more about you.

Kari: My name is Kari Hill and I’m a student at UNC Chapel Hill. I’m majoring in African, African-American, and Diaspora Studies. I am also an oral history intern at the Marian Cheek Jackson Center in Chapel Hill, NC. I speak English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and am learning Lingala.

BGLL: What made you learn those languages? How did you learn them?

Kari: Mostly in school, however I studied abroad for a year in both Spain and France while in high school. I studied in Spain independently with an exchange program and in France with a program called School Year Abroad.

With Spanish, I believe the learning happened through immersion. I was a decent language student in middle school and I practiced Spanish with an auntie from Honduras. When I was 13, I studied in Spain for a summer for a month and I was enrolled in language classes and lived with a host family. After that month I might not have learned much more Spanish-- I may have picked up a few new slang words. But, after the month I felt like everything I had ever learned was all fresh in my mind and conjugating verbs or translating vocab words came naturally. I went to Spain again after the 8th grade for a yearlong program. Since I was so young my dad accompanied me on the flight. After he met my host family and helped me set up for school, he dropped me off to live with a host family by myself. I was shortly immersed in a Spanish school and I think being forced into the environment is really how I learned the language. At school, I had no idea what the teacher was saying for a good couple of months. I would doodle in my journal as the teacher spoke.

I spent every weekend with the same group of friends. I walked to and from school with them and every day I would come home for lunch and have meals with my host family prepared by my host mother. I would spend nights speaking with my host mom and doing homework. Weekends were spent with the host family and friends and after a while I started catching on and I was able to fully attend high school in Spain without any problems. I passed all of my classes and made incredible friendships-- I’m very thankful for that.

After returning to the US, I started taking French classes in high school. I took two years of French and then learned that my school had newly partnered with a program called School Year Abroad. I applied and lived in Western France (Brittany) for a year and attended an American school. A lot of the language learning happened with my host family, in the school (the classes were in French) and in the after school programs I attended (Gospel Choir & Theater). I also had an awesome art history class on French art! We would take field trip and travel all throughout France to see the art we were learning about in the classroom right before our eyes.

I began studying Portuguese in college and last summer traveled to Salvador, Brazil on a grant. While I was there, I created an interview project on blackness in Brazil. I had such a healing, transformative, and melanated experience!


BGLL: Do you still use those languages?

Kari: I use different languages in everyday interactions and to keep in touch with friends. I love reading, traveling, visual art, and music-- learning languages gives me the access to engage with the world outside of an anglophone lens.


BGLL: Which language is your favorite?

Kari: Spanish because I am the most fluent in that language and can express myself more fully. My favorite language also really depends on the situation and my mood.


BGLL: What are some things you think would help others learning languages?

Kari: If there are classes being taught in your area for the language you want to learn, sign up for them! Or, if you know of anyone in your area who speaks the language you want to learn-- ask them about the possibility of meeting regularly for language practice! What helped me with Portuguese, is using a language app called “hello talk” and you can have language exchanges with people from all over the world in the target language that you are learning. When it comes to language learning, the most effective way to do it is to do it. If you can afford it, I recommend getting a plane ticket and enrolling in a language school somewhere, staying with a host family in a non-touristy location so that there aren’t a lot of English speakers around, and just really committing to immersing yourself.

Another thing I’ve been doing is following a lot of different blogs. I’m particularly interested in Black feminism so I follow Black feminist blogs and people on social media in different countries. So that can be an awesome thing too--just get immersed in a language through paying attention to different things that you are already interested in. I also love listening to Brazilian music.
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5/04/2020

#MCM Edition: He Works At A Fortune 500 Company




Meet Tony, a multilingual Portfolio Manager at JPMorgan Chase, who speaks Spanish, Portuguese and French. He learned Portuguese and French to expand his career opportunities…and meet women! Read more to find out what his language learning journey was like and his tips for learning another language.

BGLL: Thanks, so much for agreeing to be interviewed and being open to sharing your story! Tell us about yourself.

Tony: My name is Tony W. Haywood. I live in Plano, Texas. I am of Afro-Cuban and Bahamian descent. My native language is English, but I have been speaking Spanish for 13 years. I have Bachelor’s Degree in Business and Finance from SUNY Empire State College and I work in Corporate Finance of JPMorgan Chase as a Portfolio Manager. I have been with the firm for 5 years since my internship. I am very active in my community, so I help translate medical forms for folks who are underinsured here in Dallas. I am also a fellow and ambassador with CubaOne Inc, a group geared towards providing Cuban Americans an opportunity to visit Cuba.

BGLL: What opportunity/opportunities were you able to take advantage of because of your language?

Tony: I got my internship with JPMorgan Chase because I listed Spanish and Portuguese as foreign language skills on my resume. So, these languages helped me kickoff my career. My greatest accomplishment, though, would be starting an internal group geared towards vendor managers and having it influence 1,000 people in the company. I made the company homepage 4 times.

BGLL: What was your hardest struggle with language and how did you overcome it?

Tony: I am a naturally shy person so I overcome my shyness by taking it slow and jumping right in. The biggest fight you have is with yourself to overcome anything. But my hardest struggle is accent. I think, self-consciously, I did not want to sound like a gringo. I had a French professor that told me that every language is a chance to be someone different and that character slowly becomes a part of you.

BGLL: What other languages do you know besides Spanish? How did you learn them?

Tony: I know and am still learning Portuguese and French. As shallow as it sounds, I learned Portuguese to go to Brazil and meet women. I used it during my internship to translate legal documents, so it has been useful. French was fun and I took it because it has many practical uses.

I learned both languages in a classroom structure. I also used a lot of apps. Learning a language is a commitment to yourself and is the ultimate test of discipline. I wanted to learn more languages to meet more people and I knew that I would have more career opportunities because of it and, of course, to meet women.

BGLL: Which foreign language is your favorite and why?

Tony: Spanish is my favorite. You can take Spanish anywhere and everyone speaks it differently. Spanish is such a beautiful language. 

BGLL: What are 3 tips you can offer those who are trying to learn another language?

Tony: First, I suggest changing your phone and all your apps to the language you want to learn. Next, find a group on Facebook and practice with native speakers. Lastly, I suggest re-watching some of your favorite shows in the language you want to learn.

BGLL: How can we keep up with you on social (social media)?

Tony: Toño HWood (Facebook)
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on 5/04/2020 0
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Welcome to Black Girls Learn Languages, a multi-platform digital community for black women who are passionate about languages. On this site, you'll find resources to help you with different languages as well as interviews featuring successful black multilinginguals complete with their tips to keep you encouraged, inspired and motivated on your language learning journey!

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Hi, I'm Language Bae! I'm a Foreign Language Enthusiast and an aspiring Polyglot.

I created this digital community to be THE online resource for black women in the language community who are either language learners, language enthusiasts or linguistas--women who have mastered language. My goal is to inspire and encourage black women in the language community by celebrating images of us as multilinguals and allowing us to connect with each other.

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