We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Yolanda Borrás a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Yolanda thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Crazy stuff happening is almost as certain as death and taxes – it’s technically “unexpected” but something unexpected happening is to be expected and so can you share a crazy story with our readers
On Tuesday, January 12, 2010, a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck Haiti. Just a few days later, on that Saturday, we had a family concert planned where children and visiting artists were set to perform. These family concerts were designed to bring families together in a safe and enjoyable space to experience music.
This particular event presented I’m Bilingual! with a chance to both raise funds and raise awareness about the recent tragedy in Haiti, a country that shares an island with my home country, the Dominican Republic. In an effort to contribute, I invited parents to donate whatever they could, suggesting a minimum donation of $10 that would go towards UNICEF’s relief efforts.
During the event, one of the children’s caregivers handed me an envelope, requesting that I keep it safe. Inside was a donation from a parent. I tucked it into my handbag and continued with the event.
After the family concert concluded, I gathered my belongings, including the cash and the envelope, and took them home. My intention was to count the funds before sending them off to UNICEF. As I tallied up the money, I sorted through one dollar bills, five dollar bills, tens, and twenties. All these small contributions added up to an astonishing total of over $1,000!
But then came the real surprise. As I opened the envelope, I had to steady myself. If I hadn’t been seated already, I might have been taken aback enough to faint. Inside was a check for $10,000 to support the earthquake victims. I had never in my wildest dreams imagined raising such a substantial amount.
When I expressed my gratitude to the parent responsible for this generous contribution, her response was profoundly insightful: “It’s easy to give when someone provides the opportunity to help.” The lesson from this experience was clear: Don’t hesitate to ask, especially when it’s for a noble cause. You never know what might happen when you open that door of possibility.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I have loved education from my earliest years. When I was a teenager I blended my love of teaching and music by providing piano lessons to children in my country, the Dominican Republic. Additionally, I volunteered at an orphanage, where I taught English to the children. As an adult, I had the privilege of residing in various countries across Europe and Asia, immersing myself in different cultures and languages. Throughout my journeys, I continued teaching both children and adults, maintaining a strong connection with music.
This journey led me to pursue a Bachelor of Music from Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Conservatory and later a Master of Educational Administration from Columbia University Teachers College. Equipped with this blend of musical proficiency and educational knowledge, my vision began to take shape.
In 1999, while residing in New York City amid its rich cultural diversity, I recognized a unique opportunity. Families were eager to preserve their cultures and languages, which ignited my excitement to create a distinctive program for infants and children. This vision revolved around music, serving as the primary vehicle to impart fundamental skills and foster awareness of our diverse world. I envisioned achieving this by combining languages, music, and play.
This dream crystallized into reality with the birth of I’m Bilingual! Languages Through Music. It marked the convergence of my mission to impact lives through education and provide enriching musical experiences. I’m Bilingual! emerged as the pioneering program to offer music and language classes for infants and preschoolers in seven languages. The program received great support from families and educators alike.
However, the formidable challenge arrived with the 2008 economic recession that dealt a severe blow to New York City. During this trying period, I strategically pivoted I’m Bilingual! towards teaching and specializing in Spanish. This decision distinguished my program and provided a renewed vigor. New York City’s status as a melting pot of Latin American communities added to the resonance of teaching Spanish and connecting children with their cultural roots.
In 2016, a significant milestone was reached as I’m Bilingual! turned 15. To mark this occasion, I began creating a collection of illustrated songbooks accompanied by support materials, activity sheets, a teacher’s guide, and a CD featuring traditional Latin American songs. The collection has won 17 awards to date. Concurrently, I started offering workshops to educational institutions and early childhood educators globally, sharing strategies for guiding children’s musical education.
A noteworthy collaboration was established with the New York Public Library in 2019, introducing Spanish story time sessions enriched with musical activities for children and infants. When the pandemic struck, my dedication persisted. Virtual sessions and fun educational videos allowed I’m Bilingual! to reach families and students across the United States and worldwide.
In the summer of 2023, I was invited to present a webinar for the National Head Start Association’s Early Head Start Learning Series. This platform enabled me to share best practices in early childhood and preschool music education. My collaboration has also extended to institutions in the Dominican Republic, where I contribute to the training of preschool teachers.
Throughout this journey, my love for music has been my guiding light. I’m Bilingual! stands as a testament to my commitment to children and education, continually nurturing sensitive, culturally aware, and music-loving individuals.
As I envisioned, I’m Bilingual! Languages Through Music persists in shaping young hearts and minds, fostering diversity appreciation, a love for music, and an unquenchable curiosity about the world. Each note of gratitude and every milestone reached by a parent, educator or a child echoes the resounding success of I’m Bilingual! I feel lucky and grateful for this professional journey, but there is yet much more to come!
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
During my 15-year journey with I’m Bilingual! in New York City, I reached a pivotal moment that demanded a significant change. The retail aspect of running the Spanish music programs for young children required a great amount of my time. Balancing the work—and creating a book collection at the same time—in one of the fastest-paced cities in the USA was quite a challenge.
Recognizing the need to expand my impact and reach, I made a strategic decision to pivot. I decided to stop the retail aspect of I’m Bilingual! and channeled my efforts into creating educational books and materials that had been field-tested with great success in my classes for so many years. I was convinced that my materials could bridge the gap for educators facing challenges in teaching Spanish music to a growing population of bilingual children. This marked the beginning of an exciting transformation that would enable me to connect with a broader audience, both within the USA and in Spanish-speaking countries worldwide.
This transition wasn’t without its challenges, but it allowed me to bring my dream to fruition. Today, I’m proud to be an award-winning author of four books and a CD. The books and CD combined have won 17 awards! I have designed a comprehensive teacher’s guide for the music collection for children—all in the Spanish language. This endeavor also opened doors to offer teacher-training programs and presentations that are making a positive impact on hundreds, and soon thousands, of educators globally.
As I embarked on this new phase of growth, I found myself immersed in continuous learning and fresh experiences. The journey also led me to presenting for esteemed organizations, where I can share my expertise in languages and music for young learners. Moreover, I’ve embraced creativity like never before, manifesting in various exciting projects, including the development of educational videos for both educators and children. These endeavors, accompanied by the delightful puppets Tony, Tina, and Ted, promise to bring further enrichment to our curriculum.
This pivot in my life has brought about a profound sense of fulfillment and creativity. It has allowed me to impact the lives of educators, children, and parents alike as I share my passion and love for music and early childhood education. Looking ahead, there is a world of possibilities yet to be explored, and I am eager to continue this journey of innovation, growth, and meaningful connections.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
There are many books that have helped me enormously. The first book that helped transform my business during the first years was E-Myth by Michael E. Gerber. I highly recommend it to anyone that is starting out, is wearing the multiple hats that we have to wear at the beginning of this journey. Other important books include: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace by Gary Chapman and Paul White; Blue Ocean Strategy by W. Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne; You. Inc, The Art of Selling Yourself by Harry Beckwith and Christine Clifford Beckwith; Purple Cow – Transform your business by being remarkable by Seth Godin; UR a Brand! by Catherine Kaputa; Say it in Six – How to Say Exactly What you mean in 6 minutes or less by Ron Hoff, and How to Become a Marketing Superstar.
Currently I have embarked in reading an amazing set of books by Donald Miller. These are: Business Made Simple, Marketing Made Simple (with Dr. J.J. Peterson) and Building a Story Brand.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yolandaborras.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/imbilingualeducation/?next=%2F
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/imbilingualeducation
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolandamborras/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@imbilingualeducation