Empowering Voices, Building Connections
“Diversity is being invited to the party: Inclusion is being asked to dance.” – Verna Myers
Garden Spot Communities celebrates the cultural diversity team members bring to their work. Team members from Zambia, Colombia, Honduras, Puerto Rico, Ukraine and regions across the United States bring unique perspectives to our work here in Lancaster and Montgomery counties.
But more importantly, Garden Spot strives to celebrate the individuals — to help them fulfill their dreams and live the lives they imagine. The question has been asked: How can we make sure all of our team members are dancing?
In spring 2024, Allison Cuthie, director of ForgeWorks, was working with Garden Spot’s Human Resources team to orient new team members to our communities. She repeatedly struggled to help team members who were learning English to fully understand the organizational culture. Allison recognized that if Garden Spot could serve people who struggled with English and help them find success, Garden Spot Communities could quickly become the employer of choice for people with diverse backgrounds.
Her first goal? Meet the immediate need to understand and speak English.
Allison reached out to a handful of residents who had English as a Second Language (ESL) training and experience as well as a dozen team members who were identified as English language learners. A new micro-community that involved team members and residents was born.
LEN + RAMAZANI = FRIENDSHIP
“At my core, I’m a teacher,” says Len Reinsfelder, Garden Spot Village resident since July 2022. “I taught Spanish and ESL. I oversaw a school that taught many languages. I have a lot of language in my background. Participating in this program made sense to me.”
While living in a refugee camp in Zambia, Ramazani Saleh filed a request with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) to be able to come to the United States with his five oldest children.
“Moving to the United States has been my dream since I was young. I petitioned UNHCR because we were living in a refugee camp. I wanted a better future for my children; I wanted them to live in a place where they could go to school and be somebody someday,” Ramazani explains.
The family was thrilled to immigrate as refugees from Zambia to the United States in December 2023. They landed in a world unlike anything they had ever experienced before.
When Ramazani started at Garden Spot in May 2024, he understood very little English. Communicating with residents and other team members was a challenge, which made the ESL program a perfect opportunity for him. When his supervisor, Al Vega, invited him to participate, he was all in.
“Ramazani’s biggest need is to build confidence. In our lessons, I encourage Ramazani to read and to speak. We read and talk about real things like taxes and how to file them properly, as well as cars and kids,” Len says. “He has made really good progress in the short time we’ve been working together.”
“Since I met Len, I am happier. I’ve seen a big difference in my English. He’s a wonderful man,” Ramazani says.
Ramazani and Len are also working on writing English, which is a requirement for taking the U.S. Citizenship Test. A more immediate project is a presentation Ramazani will give in English in April as part of Garden Spot’s Tapestry Talk series, which celebrates the stories of the people who live and work at Garden Spot Village. As Len learns more and more about Ramazani, he records the information, keeping an eye toward the presentation, when Ramazani will share his story with his new community.
MILLIE + SANDRA = SHARED CHALLENGES
“I speak Spanish, so when Allison offered the ESL opportunity, I volunteered because I thought I might be able to help someone,” says Millie Feliz, a Garden Spot Village resident since November 2020.
“I need to improve my English,” Sandra Parra, a Garden Spot Village housekeeper since 2012, says. “I need help with pronunciation, learning new words and gaining confidence in talking with residents and other team members.”
When Sandra first moved to Lancaster from Colombia in 2009, she took English classes at a local church. It was overwhelming because there were 35 people from around the world with varied English skills. Sandra had strong written English skills but struggled with speaking. It was hard to get the help she needed in such a large class.
One-on-one tutoring with Millie was exactly what she needed.
“My husband was from the Dominican Republic,” Millie adds. “We met at church. He was a pastor and our church services in New York City were in Spanish. We spent three years in Honduras, so I know what it’s like to be in a country where you are not familiar with the language.”
“The English language is nice, but it’s also hard. One word has different meanings,” Sandra says.
“Spanish is the same way,” Millie teases.
Sandra and Millie continue to faithfully meet on Tuesday mornings at 11am. They read children’s books and complete writing exercises to help Sandra develop her English skills. They review the materials Sandra needs to complete for Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) training. They talk, laugh and share life.
Sandra shares about her daughter’s successful enrollment in the Physician Assistant program at nearby Elizabethtown College. Millie shares stories from her family. Together they are mothers cheering their children and celebrating their families’ success. Millie is also Sandra’s cheerleader — encouraging her as she explores CNA training, as well as continuing education to pursue a career in nursing.
“I am really, really thankful for Miss Millie because she spends time with me. She wants to teach me English and she’s a beautiful lady. She has so much patience with me,” Sandra says.
“I’m simply trying to build her confidence because I know what it’s like,” Millie responds.