Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jackie Rodriguez, Wendy Ramirez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Jackie Rodriguez, Wendy Ramirez , thanks for joining us today. Can you tell us about a time where you or your team really helped a customer get an amazing result?

Our program was created for Latino/e’s and Allies who want to speak Spanish with confidence—whether to connect with family, open up professional opportunities, be a resource to our community, or pass down the language to future generations. The program is designed for all levels.

One of our students, Micaella, joined the program three years ago during a particularly challenging time in her life. She shared that finding the community within SSP helped her confront and overcome the shame she had internalized for not speaking Spanish “well enough” to communicate with her grandmother or pursue her dream job in immigration law, serving the Latino/e community.

Despite living in a rural area in Washington state, Micaella took part in our online classes. The online format allows people from across the globe to join together and practice—our students have come from over 38 states in North America, as well as from Japan, Canada, Mexico, London and more.

Throughout her time in the program, Micaella was dedicated, open to the activities, and consistently showed up to practice. We reminded her that perfection wasn’t necessary to start speaking Spanish; what truly matters is the intention to help and connect. Learning happens through both experiences and mistakes. Practicing with our diverse facilitators and peers allowed Micaella to build the confidence she needed to interview for a job that required Spanish proficiency—and she was offered the position!

In addition to landing her dream job, Micaella recently joined us on a cultural immersion trip to Oaxaca, Mexico, to celebrate her success in winning asylum cases for three families. She has also deepened her connection with her grandmother, now able to communicate with her more meaningfully in Spanish.

Jackie Rodriguez, Wendy Ramirez , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Spanish Sin Pena was founded to address the emotional barriers that many face in reconnecting with their language and cultural identity while also enhancing job opportunities for individuals with Latin American heritage.

Our inspiration came from our own struggles with Spanish and our deep desire to serve our comunidad. We aim to create a safe space for the Latine/x community and their allies to learn and practice Spanish alongside others who face similar challenges. Our program helps participants connect with their elders, open up professional opportunities, be a resource to the community, and pass the language on to future generations. We also offer cultural immersion trips, where participants can meet, gather, and learn together in Latin America.

A key part of our mission is to uplift the voices within our community. Our students include teachers, nurses, immigration lawyers, parents, social workers, and more—individuals doing powerful work. Helping them reach their Spanish goals gives them the confidence to be valuable resources to nuestra gente.

It’s incredibly rewarding to see the seeds we’ve planted blossom into new friendships and connections!

Have you ever had to pivot?

It was 2018—a time before most of the world knew what Zoom was, believe it or not. Our program was originally designed to be hosted online to reach diverse communities across the nation and beyond. Little did we know, a pandemic was around the corner that would lead the world to seek connection and community online. In 2020, we experienced the highest demand we had ever seen. People were signing up to learn the language, but they stayed for the community and relationships they were building.

The feelings of “not being Latine/x enough” because of not speaking the language can be isolating, and the pandemic only intensified this sense of isolation for the people we were trying to reach. We faced an overwhelming demand, more than we could serve at the time.

Everything began to change in 2022 as the world started opening up again. People craved in-person connections. We began hosting outdoor meetups to provide safe spaces for checking in with one another. As mandates were lifted and folks felt comfortable traveling again, we planned our first group trip—a volunteer trip to Puerto Rico after being hit by numerous hurricanes where some communities still didn’t have electricity. We partnered with local organizations that were providing direct support.

Since that trip, we haven’t looked back! We’ve traveled to Mexico City, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Oaxaca, and now, we’re headed to El Salvador this November. These trips are for our students and others who want to learn by being immersed in educational classes and cultural experiences.

How’d you meet your business partner?

We actually met while living in Washington D.C. The network of like-minded Latinas from Southern California isn’t that big, so when we were introduced, we connected right away! Our love for California, our cultura, and our passion for art brought us together quickly, and we knew one day we’d work together.

We began collaborating on projects that promote our cultura through art and fashion, and a strong friendship naturally developed. Over time, we realized that we worked well together, complementing each other’s talents and skills.

With Wendy’s teaching and business expertise (our Jefecita) and Jackie’s storytelling and marketing skills (our Social Media Bruja), we make a dynamic duo. We share core values that guide all the work we do. Anyone who says not to mix business with loved ones just isn’t doing it right!

And here we are, over five years later, with more than 5,000 students having enrolled in our program.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.spanishsinpena.com
• Instagram: @Spanish SinPena https://www.instagram.com/spanishsinpena/
• Facebook: @SpanishSinPena https://www.facebook.com/spanishsinpena
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/spanish-sin-pena
• Other: 2024 Fall Enrollment Opens Sept 15th! Use code: Voyager10 for 10% off www.spanishsinpena.com/programs

  Check out our podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5uxTWiqPe9f9oHUY6HPCCw?si=e05224df373f487c

  Join us in El Salvador: https://www.spanishsinpena.com/elsalvador

Image Credits

Photos are our own.