Abelardo Almazan Vazquez is passionate about gender neutral language, gender inclusivity and asking questions around gender roles, consent, respect and how cultures can perpetuate stereotypes or be changed to make everyone feel seen, heard and valued. It's a beautiful and uplifting conversation about the impact that our words and actions have on others and creating more empathetic humans.

Bio

Over the years, I've enjoyed teaching intermediate and advanced Spanish classes, coaching an all-gender soccer team, and sharing my expertise in Latin dance as an evening activity. I hold a Licenciatura in Teaching Spanish as a Second Language from Universidad Internacional UNINTER in Morelos México and a Master's in Latin American Studies from Cleveland State University. As an immigrant with 20 years of experience, I proudly represent the lively city of Cuernavaca, México. My unique contributions, learnings, and unlearnings at the Putney School have invited me to present at renowned World Languages conferences, including the distinguished Massachusetts Foreign Language Association 2018's "Best Workshop of State Conference." I am a co-founder of the influential Minnesota Council on Teaching Languages and Cultures 2020 "BIPOC/Immigrant World Language Educators strand" and a sought-after featured speaker at The Northeast Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages 2021 in NYC. My classroom insights have had a lasting impact, and my testimonies and experiences led me to serve as the keynote speaker at the Greater Washington DC Association of Teachers of Foreign Language 2021 Spring Conference, the 2023 Vermont Foreign Language Association Spring Conference, and the Keynote Speaker for the Western Massachusetts Seal of Biliteracy Awards 2023 Ceremony at UMass Amherst.

Producer's Notes

Visit the Language Lounge on Twitter - https://twitter.com/langloungepod

Connect with Michelle - https://twitter.com/michelleolah

Have a comment or question? Leave a voicemail at (207) 888-9819 or email [email protected]

Produced by Wayside Publishing - https://waysidepublishing.com

Social Media

Twitter @AbelardoAlmazan

Insta @abelardoalmazanv

LinkedIn: Abelardo Almazán-Vázquez

Mentions

Paulo Freire, Freire Institute, https://freire.org/paulo-freire

bell hooks -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bell_hooks

John Dewey https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dewey

MAFL https://mafla.org/

NECTFL https://www.nectfl.org/

ACTFL https://www.actfl.org/

SCOLT https://www.scolt.org/

Meredith White @techMEWithyou

Claudia Elliot @claudiamelliott

Berta Delgadillo https://profesoradelgadillo.com/

MAFLA https://mafla.org/