225 6th Street, Suite B
P.O. Box 1534
Alamosa, CO 81101
719-587-3225 (phone)
719-587-0045 (fax)
irc@slvirc.org

Immigrant Advocate:
Venus Valdez

Education/Outreach Coordinator:
Jim Sanchez

AmeriCorps Volunteer:
Emmy Lou Helmuth

Community Coordinator: Antonio Sandoval

Cross Cultural Communication Specialist: Ren Carbutt

Adult English as a Second Language (ESL)

and

Citizenship Classes

(coming soon more information on on our Adult Spanish Language Classes)

ESL Classes for 2008

Monte Vista - Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7-9pm at the First Baptist Church, corner of Third and Boadway

Alamosa - Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6-8pm at La Llave, 801 State Ave.

Center - Mondays and Wednesdays, 7-9pm at Center High School, 500 South Broadway

Fort Garland - Tuesdays and Thursdays 7-9pm at Sierra Grande High School

Citizenship

Classes beggining again in June 2008.

In order for a refugee or immigrant to become a citizen he or she must learn a new language, prepare for, take and pass an exam, pay significant fees, and overcome vast amounts of red tape. This is a difficult process to undertake without direction and guidance.

Citizenship is an important status for anyone living in the United States. Not only are citizens granted the central democratic right to suffrage, but citizens are included in the judicial process by serving on juries, have access to public benefits including federal jobs, and have the opportunity to be civically involved in an integrative way especially by exercising their right to vote. When an immigrant or refugee becomes a citizen he or she has access to all of these benefits. Naturalization also helps the family members of former-refugees and immigrants to immigrate more quickly and automatically conveys citizenship status to children who are under 18, in the parent’s legal and physical custody, and are lawful permanent residents.