Oral History Interviews with Migrants and Nonprofit Workers

The English, French, and Spanish oral histories document the lived experiences of migrants from Latin America and Francophone countries. These narratives highlight resilience, the challenges of migration, and the essential work of nonprofit organizations.

Students conducted and transcribed interviews with individuals who work with or identify as migrants. Topics included access to resources, cultural adaptation, and community support.

Warren Thompson

Warren Thompson represents an older generation of bilingual individuals who remain remarkably open-minded and adaptable, especially when considering the conservative norms often found in Southern communities. Originally from Pensacola, Florida, Warren relocated to Macon, Georgia, about two and a half years ago. He currently teaches English at the Hispanic Community Center (CCH), located within St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where he works closely with newly arrived Latino immigrants in Middle Georgia. His role involves assessing language proficiency and instructing beginner to intermediate English learners. Warren speaks fondly of the connections he forms with his students and the fulfillment he finds in helping them gain confidence through language. He also reflects on his previous experiences teaching English to a Venezuelan family and workers at a Mexican restaurant back in Pensacola. For Warren, fostering a relaxed and engaging classroom environment is key—he believes that fear, embarrassment, and self-consciousness are often the greatest barriers to language learning.

Brenda Lewis

Brenda Lewis represents a grassroots leader and community organizer whose path to service began with something as simple—and powerful—as speaking a second language. A native of Macon, Georgia, Brenda Lewis is one of the program directors at CCH (Centro Comunitario Hispano), a center she helped establish in May 2023 in response to the growing needs of the local Hispanic population. She describes herself as “boots on the ground,” deeply involved in both day-to-day logistics and urgent, hands-on support. Whether it’s interpreting, notarizing documents, coordinating resources, or helping families navigate school enrollment and vaccinations, Brenda steps in wherever and whenever she’s needed. Her work is often spontaneous and personal, driven by immediate community needs and guided by compassion. She leads GED Math prep classes but will just as readily drive someone to the health department or help translate a piece of confusing mail. The idea for CCH started with late-night phone calls, casual conversations, and the realization—shared with her mother—that Macon’s Hispanic population needed more structured support. What began as informal outreach has now grown into a central hub for information, education, and empowerment. For Brenda, creating CCH was never a career plan—it was a response to the lived realities of people around her and a reflection of her belief in showing up when others are in need.

Ciera Hernandez

Ciera Hernandez represents a new generation of professionals bridging the gap between industries and underserved communities through lived experience and cultural understanding. A local realtor in the Middle Georgia area, Ciera didn’t begin her career in real estate. Her journey started in the classroom—as a tutor and ESOL aide within the local school system—where she supported Hispanic students with homework, language translation, and navigating everyday school life. Before that, she worked in a migrant daycare, helping protect the children of field workers from exposure to harmful pesticides. These early roles laid the foundation for her later work, showing her firsthand the systemic barriers facing Hispanic families, not only in education but also in financial literacy and housing. Ciera credits her time in education with shaping her awareness of how much was missing—how little guidance many families had when it came to credit, banking, or homeownership. Her transition to real estate became a way to fill those gaps. As a bilingual realtor, she now works closely with Hispanic clients to demystify the home-buying process, often serving as both guide and advocate. Whether she’s explaining financing concepts or walking clients through the paperwork, Ciera’s work is about more than sales—it’s about trust, dignity, and creating access. Her dedication stems from a personal history: her grandfather was a migrant worker, and she carries that legacy forward by serving families like her own. For Ciera, real estate is not just a profession—it’s a continuation of a lifelong commitment to empowering her community.

Billie Gonzalez

Billie Gonzalez represents a deeply rooted advocate for migrant families, drawing on decades of personal and professional experience to support students and their caregivers across Georgia. Originally from Venezuela, where she lived for 36 years, Billie now works as a family engagement specialist and former tutor, focusing her efforts on Hispanic families in the education system. Her bilingualism allows her to build strong connections with Spanish-speaking families, and her role centers on bridging the gap between home and school—ensuring that parents feel welcomed, informed, and involved in their children’s education. Working with around 12 migrant families and a group of 23 students, Billie describes these relationships as familial. Over the past eight years, she has supported them not only through academic tutoring but also through practical, emotional, and logistical help. While her official role is in education, Billie recognizes that learning cannot happen when basic needs go unmet. She partners with local programs to provide food and connects families to additional resources, always with the goal of empowering and uplifting. Billie’s work is also informed by her personal life—her husband Carlos’s immigration journey, her children, and her grandchildren have all shaped her understanding of the complexities families face. She is especially attuned to the nuances of culture and language, noting the regional differences in Spanish dialects and how that shapes her communication with students and parents. For Billie, supporting migrant families is not just a job; it’s a calling rooted in empathy, shared experience, and an unwavering belief in the power of education to transform lives.

Silvia Gomez

Silvia Gomez represents the quiet strength and dedication behind community-building efforts at the grassroots level. A staff member at the Centro Comunitario Hispano (CCH), Silvia speaks of her role as one grounded in service, education, and hospitality. Her work focuses on supporting both newly arrived and long-established Latino residents in Middle Georgia. From offering a warm welcome and conducting intake interviews to leading hands-on classes, Silvia ensures each person who enters CCH feels seen and supported. Silvia’s responsibilities are broad but rooted in a single mission: to uplift the community through access to education and practical skills. She helps register new participants, speaks with them to understand their backgrounds, and places them in the appropriate programs—whether it be GED prep, financial literacy, or citizenship workshops. On Wednesdays, she leads basic sewing classes, a space where learning and community come together. For Silvia, these courses are more than just instructional—they are opportunities to empower individuals, especially women, by teaching a useful craft and offering a place of belonging.