Annual Soy Bilingüe Festival 
Encompassing our values and showcasing who we are at NEW Academy of Science and Arts, the Soy Bilingüe Festival was proposed and inaugurated in 2017 and is now in its 6th year! It’s main objectives are: Educate the community on the importace of speaking more than one language and address NEW Academy’s commitment to prepare global citizens for this 21st century global economy. Featured in this culminating event are parent workshops, speeches from prominent educators and community leaders, reading activities, student work exhibitions, student artistic performances, local traditional music and dance groups, and informational booths on the topics of education and community resources.
Our annual Soy Bilingüe Festival has impacted 500+ families every year since its inauguration, and is always offered at no cost to the community. Our 6th Annual Soy Bilingüe Festival 2023 took place in person on Saturday, April 22nd 2023. This year we had an Art Gallery, a story telling tent, parent workshops, and performances. Our parent workshops discussed the benefits of our bilingual program, and further educated our parents on the different platforms we have at NASA. Our families also got to enjoy cultural performances from Mexico, Guatemala, Brazil and Poland. Thank you to all the organizations that joined us this year!
Outline of Event Name of Event:
Soy Bilingüe Festival
Name of Organization Hosting Event: NEW Academy of Science and Arts (NASA)
Contact: Office 213-413-9183
email: martinez@newnasa.org and yvalenzuela@newnasa.org
Expected Audience: open to NASA’s immediate community
General Purpose of Event: This year the theme is Nuestr Herencia, highlighting the long term impact of bilingualism. This is the 6th annual event. Rationale: The components of the Soy Bilingüe Festival are designed to raise awareness on the benefits of speaking more than one language, to celebrate being bilingual, and to address NEW Academy’s commitment to prepare students with the global skills they need for success in the 21st century global economy. Research shows that students who participate in multilingual programs attain high levels of academic achievement. Additionally, according to a recent UCLA study, two-thirds of employers prefer to hire a bilingual employee over a similarly skilled non-bilingual employee. Therefore, we consider that it is necessary to educate our community on the value of solidifying our students ’first language as they acquire English proficiency, and become fully bilingual and biliterate citizens of this new economy.
Program Features
Speakers: Featured speakers include professionals in the field of multilingual education, community leaders, and professionals who are bilingual and successful in their respective fields.
Workshops: Workshops will be facilitated by professionals in the field of multilingual/multicultural education and will offer parents information/resources that will assist them in raising and educating bilingual/biliterate children.
Partnering Organizations: Various organizations have been invited to offer information and resources to the community.
They have included: Consulado General de Mexico, California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), Center for Equity of English Learners (CEEL) of Loyola Marymount University (LMU), Office of Congressman Jimmy Gomez, Westlake North Neighborhood Council, McArthur Park Neighborhood Council, Read Conmigo, Consulado General de Guatemala, Angels Gate Cultural Center, Levitt McArthur Pavilion, NEWCapital LLC, Multilingual Learning Network, Office of Council-member Gil Cedillo, L.A.P.D. Rampart Division, NEW Economics for Women, Office of Assemblymember Miguel Santiago.
Entertainment: Local traditional music and dance groups have been invited to participate.
Previous entertainment has included: Mariachi Nuevo Amanecer de Luis A. Zambrano, Grupo Folklórico de UCLA, Marimba Jornaleros, Danza Mexica Cuauhtémoc, Krakusy Polish Dancing, CCNP’s Puro Corazon.
