In the Summer of 2022, the English Learner Storytelling program was created to provide English Learners (ELs) in Fresno Unified School District with a platform to share their experiences navigating the education system as English Learner students – the challenges, successes, and everything in between. Through storytelling, youth elevate their voices, identify barriers, and offer solutions directly to policymakers and education leaders to strengthen support for English Learners.
In 2026, the program entered a new phase and evolved into Multilingual Advocacy, a name that better reflects the direction of our work. While storytelling remains at the heart of our work, our focus has expanded beyond English Learner experiences to advocating for multilingual education for all students. By uplifting youth voices and advocating for multilingual education, we aim to transform education systems that recognize, value, and build upon the linguistic strengths of every student.
Interested in Joining?
To learn more, contact Ashley Flowers at [email protected].
Living In Two Languages
“Living In Two Languages” is a Zine created by the first cohort of the Multilingual Storytelling project.
In this Zine, you will read personal youth stories about their experiences as English Learners in Fresno Unified. The stories range from how youth lacked support systems in school, learning English as a second language, and being a mentor to other English Learners in the district. To read to Zine or learn more about the program, please visit yli.org.
Interns: Ivan Villanueva, Julia Prieto
Youth: Aileth Aguilar, Angel Michelle Alonso Arreola, Angel Diaz, Concepcion Pacheco Cruz, Frank Yang, Mary Lee, Moises Jauregui, Nancy Aguilar, Yaslin Carrasco
Fresno Unified Latinx High School Celebración
The Global Student League (GSL) is an organization within Fresno Unified’s high schools whose mission is to straighten diverse multilingual student voices to help advocate for inclusive change.
In Summer 2022, GSL in partnership with Youth Leadership Institute (yli) saw a need for an authentic ceremony in Spanish that celebrated their culture and ethnic background, so families were honored and included in their child’s milestone.
With support from the adult allies and the community, GSL and yli were able to successfully host the first-ever Fresno Unified Latinx High School Celebración on June 4, 2023. Almost 400 students were recognized, with over 3,000 loved ones in attendance to celebrate their graduate. The Latinx High School Celebración will continue annually. Read our stories about the celebración below:
- Fresno Unified students present their plan for a Latinx graduation ceremony
- Fresno Unified has first-ever Latinx graduation ceremony to recognize seniors and their families
- Fresno Unified’s second Latinx High School Celebración honors 559 graduates
- Fresno Unified’s third Latinx High School Celebración – Instagram Video
- Graduates on the Impact of the Annual Latinx High School Celebración
