• Maria Eliades

Giving New Immigrant Parents Equal Resources: Interview with CIANA Volunteer Tutor, Kip

Photo by Maria Eliades

Why do you tutor at CIANA?

I started in December 2015, which was definitely a heightened period, like now, of immigrant rights. It was high on my conscience at the time, and it just happened that it was here in my neighborhood. Working with that kind of community was a good fit. I also like working with kids.

You’ve been here for a while. What’s kept you here?

The kids are really great, and it’s been cool to see the same kids every semester and watch them go into different subjects.

What do you think the Elementary After School Program does for the kids who come here?

Sometimes I feel it’s just as much if not more a service to the parents, one that all parents need equally, but that immigrant parents don’t necessarily have access to. I imagine that it’s one of the very few resources that other families who have been here for a long time might find more easily.

As far as value to the kids, it seems like a great place for them to interact, socialize, and to get to know everyone else in the neighborhood.

Why do you think CIANA is an important part of integrating new Americans into New York City and the United States?

I know that CIANA’s services are much broader than just the tutoring program, but just having a place to put your kids for an hour and a half is really important to help the parents do whatever else they need to do to integrate into society.

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