Originally from Cape Verde, Laura Lopes moved to Boston in 2018. Seeking to improve her English skills, she enrolled in the Boston Public Library’s English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes at the Grove Hall Branch.
Laura’s desire to learn English stems from her passion for helping others. “I’m inspired to learn English because I want to give back to my community,” she says. She’s proud of her progress, but is determined to keep learning to have an even greater impact. “I want to be a nurse, so I must speak English,” she says.
Funded by individuals and corporate grants, the BPL’s 100 percent cost-free ESOL program is an essential resource for Boston’s increasingly diverse neighborhoods. Now, classes have expanded to ten branch locations and serve as an inclusive space for communities to come together.
