Miguel and Sulvey came to Omaha from Venezuela, and quickly got connected to inCOMMON through ESL classes. Our staff and volunteers immediately noticed that Miguel and Sulvey were not only incredibly committed to their studies, but were also committed to building relationships in their new community. They helped practice with other students and brought in Venezuelan food to share with their classmates and teachers. Sulvey even helped improve the class experience for everyone with great ideas for learning and relationship building.
Soon after joining inCOMMON’s ESL program, Miguel shared about his successful career in taxes and international imports in Venezuela, and his dream of starting a business here in the United States. Our staff connected Miguel to a partner organization where he learned about entrepreneurship resources and opportunities. He also continued to attend English classes where he built the confidence to interact with his English-speaking customers.
In the midst of their increasingly busy schedule, Miguel and Sulvey joined a local church and enrolled in inCOMMON’s citizenship class at Park Avenue Commons, where they demonstrated the same commitment to their studies and relationships that they did in their ESL class. Sulvey even met individually with a tutor for extra practice, and in the early mornings would be found studying the material until she had it mastered.
In June 2021, Miguel and Sulvey achieved yet another dream – they officially became US Citizens! Shortly after, Sulvey joined inCOMMON’s staff team as the Citizenship Citizenship coordinator, and now offers support to immigrants benefitting from the same program that played such an important role in her and Miguel’s life!