Meagan and Gaby address some of the most prominent misconceptions of heritage speakers, both in- and outside the classroom, and discuss how to change and push back against some of these ideas. Have a misconception to add to the list? Drop us a comment!  

In this episode, we chat with Sophia, a heritage speaker and pre-med student majoring in Spanish and Public Health. She shares her journey navigating heritage language learning, finding community in heritage Spanish classes, and preparing for a future in medicine. Together, we discuss healthcare disparities, building trust in medical settings, and why language and culture matter deeply in patient care, especially for Latine communities.

Gaby and Meagan share the advice they gathered from heritage speakers across languages to enjoy the holiday season and feel good in their heritage roots and language with family and friends. Wishing everyone a happy holiday season! 

In this episode, Meagan and Gaby explore what well-being means in the context of heritage language learning. From intergenerational trauma to compassion and forgiveness, they discuss how understanding the past can help heritage speakers and signers move toward healing and flourishing in their heritage journeys. 

Starting out a series on heritage languages in pop culture, Meagan and Gaby comment on themes from the popular Latinx remake of One Day at a Time, starring Rita Moreno and Justina Machado. Topics include cultural heritage, mental health, and language use within Spanish heritage communities, as they come up in the episode. 

Join us for a new season with Paul Meighan-Chiblow, Indigenous heritage speaker of Scottish Gael. Paul tells us about his journey learning his heritage language, and the emotional ups and downs of maintaining an Indigenous language, including working through historical traumas, celebrating family support, and connecting to the land. 

Meagan and Gaby chat about the challenges that exist for in-group scholars in heritage language studies. Representation, positionality statements, allyship, and community-building, this episode dives into creating a field by and for the heritage community. 

Andre shares his experiences as a Child of Deaf Adults (CODA), his advocacy work as a student at Gallaudet University, and on Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and ASL communities in the DMV. This episode is sponsored by HumanitiesDC! :)

*This is the audio-only version of the episode - head to our YouTube channel for the video, including ASL interpretation! 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wWMfJKlDVs&t=10s

In this episode, we chat with Claudia Zurita, a Spanish-English bilingual elementary teacher in the DMV. She shares her own experience moving to the US from Bolivia as a child, her transition into teaching, and her work now within a bilingual education setting. This episode is sponsored by Humanities DC.

In this episode, Mahalet Samson tells us about her work in healthcare awareness and literacy with Ethiopian, Eritrean, and the larger African American community in the DMV. Tune in to hear how her Amharic language and heritage culture have helped her to build trust and make an impact within the communities she serves. Mahalet also shares advice for anyone looking to enter into healthcare advocacy work within their own communities. A big thank you to HumanitiesDC for sponsoring this episode!

Links to organizations mentioned in this episode:
African American Health Program (AAHP)
Ethiopian Community Center (ECC)
Mobile Med Care Clinic
Mayor's Office on African Affairs (MOAA)
Ethiopian & Eritrean Students Association (UMD)