Building power with immigrant communities in the District of Columbia

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Helping communities

MLOV is made up of several different teams all working to foster leadership and provide tools for greater civic participation of immigrants in DC who do not speak English as their primary language in solutions that impact their lives. Together, we mobilize the community to prompt systemic change to meet the goal of language justice in the District.

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Our mission

Our mission is to foster leadership and provide tools for greater civic participation of immigrants in DC who do not speak English as their primary language in solutions that impact their lives.

Meet Our Team
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Student testimonials

"Soy Andres Morales tengo 16 años, inmigrante de Venezuela, de la ciudad de Maracaibo. Mi experiencia en MLOV desde que entré fue maravillosa y cómoda, el ambiente del lugar es hermoso lleno de amigos y profesores dispuestos a ayudarte en lo que sea. He podido desempeñar varios roles como el de líder, miembro, voz o dibujante en una comunidad alegre de MLOV."
Andres

Andrés

"Hola! Mi nombre es Carolayn y soy una estudiante del programa de MLOV. Antes de entrar a MLOV yo era una persona muy reservada, no me gustaba mucho socializar con los demás,  y la mayoría de veces he tenido algunos problemas por ser así,pero cuando entré a MLOV aprendí muchas cosas que no sabía. Cambie para bien mi forma de ser y de pensar sobre los demás. Ahora soy más sociable y tengo muchos amigos. También aprendí sobre las culturas de otros países, sobre mis derechos, sobre quien soy y entre otras cosas más. Los profesores son un amor, siempre están ahí para ayudarte en lo que necesitas. El aura que emite ese lugar es muy agradable y te hace querer estar ahí todo el día."
Carolyn

Carolayn

"At MLOV I have learned a strong set of leadership skills that have taught me to understand the feelings and emotions of others but also more about who I am and the person I want to be. The welcoming environment motivates me to communicate with my peers and those who share similarities, along with differences. I appreciate the opportunity to hear ideas of others, which help me shape a positive world view and teaches me to work towards higher, more impactful goals for my community and future."
Katie

Katie

"Hello, I am Roni, a student of MLOV. I like MLOV because the staff are always super friendly and helpful when it comes to learning and life issues. The things I’ve done during my time in MLOV were learning about my rights when it comes to working and working with other people from different cultures and backgrounds. The ways MLOV has helped me was they helped me complete my fafsa form for college tuition and apply for different colleges around the United States where I got accepted to most of them and received a full ride scholarship. They also helped get over my social anxiety as they introduced me to many people of my age where I got to speak to them a lot and make many friends."
Roni

Roni

"Hola, mi nombre es Abdiel y mi apellido es Montoya. Yo soy estudiante de MLOV y yo encontré MLOV en línea y desde ese momento estuve participando en MLOV y de lo que aprendí es tener confianza en mí mismo, respetar a los demás en todo aspecto y aprendí a liderar. Tuve muchos errores y dificultades en aprender de mis errores pero pude superarlos."
Abdiel

Abdiel

Flyers

Mentee flyer Amharic
Mentee flyer Dari
Mentee flyer English.
Mentee flyer French
Mentee flyer Haitian Creole
Mentee flyer Pashto
Mentee flyer Spanish
Mentee flyer Ukrainian
MLOV Youth Program English
MLOV Youth Program Spanish

Latest news

Explore the latest news and updates from MLOV.

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MLOV Youth Programs

We are currently recruiting for two upcoming youth programs, our Immigrant Youth Mentorship Program for refugees and asylees ages 15-24 in D.C., and our Summer Youth Program for rising 6th-12th graders in D.C.
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MLOV Response to the State of the Union (SOTU)

In this year's State of the Union address, President Biden's discussion on immigrants was predominantly centered around his proposal to bolster border security. This singular focus overlooks the diverse array of concerns that weigh on immigrant families across the United States.
MLOV Immigrant Youth Mentorship Program

MLOV Launches New Immigrant Youth Mentorship Program

For many young individuals who have arrived in the United States as refugees or immigrants, the journey to a new homeland is marked by prolonged periods of displacement and numerous challenges.
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Hiram Cortez appointed new MLOV Executive Director

The MLOV Board of Directors is extremely pleased to announce we have appointed Hiram Cortez as our new Executive Director, effective February 13, 2023.
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Let’s keep immigrant families housed for the holidays - and beyond

Last Tuesday, Council passed the largest budget in DC history to help thousands of residents have a stable livelihood as the pandemic continues to rage.
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DC Budget Wins for the People, But Still More Work Ahead

Last Tuesday, Council passed the largest budget in DC history to help thousands of residents have a stable livelihood as the pandemic continues to rage.
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Supporting Essential Immigrant Workers

Essential workers are heroes. They risked their lives throughout the pandemic to keep the rest of us safe. Now it is long past time for essential workers to receive compensation for their hard work. Essential workers deserve more than praise, they deserve hero pay.
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Nuevos menores no acompañados se reúnen con sus familias en DC

Es la frase repetida que se siempre y desde niño había escuchado y que refería a las opciones de vida próspera que se viviría por miles de inmigrantes en los Estados Unidos.

Areas of focus