TEENS OF COLOR ABROAD PILOT PROGRAM FUNDRAISING PAGE

Our Mission. At Teens of Color Abroad, our mission is to cultivate the next generation of globally conscious youth of color through language immersion study abroad programs. We know that by providing underrepresented students with intensive small group language training, cultural programs, and educational tours, we can grant them access to the world. 

The BIG Problems. There is extensive research on the academic, social, and professional benefits of learning another language and studying abroad, yet, students of color have been mostly excluded from this experience. Currently, only 20% of K-12 U.S. students are enrolled in foreign language study, a distinct divide compared to countries such as France, Spain, and Romania, whose student participation soars over 95%. As citizens of a nation with the second-largest Spanish-speaking population, our focus is to prepare our participants with the language training necessary to thrive in a multilingual, multicultural society.

In addition, according to the 2018 Open Doors research, only 6% of U.S. college students abroad identified as Black/African-American yet, conversely, roughly 71% identified as White. Teens of Color Abroad aims to confront this racial disparity earlier by creating engaging, language focused, international study opportunities for high school students of color that will inspire them to continue this journey while in college.

The Solution. In a partnership with world-renown language school Centro MundoLengua, TOCA will facilitate a two-week language immersion study abroad program in Seville, Spain in July 2020. Students will:

• Take 3 hours of small group language training classes daily (30+ hours total)
• Live with a local homestay family
• Engage in fun, cultural activities such as salsa/flamenco dance lessons, museum tours, kayaking the Guadalquivir river, surfing lessons, a visit to the Alhambra, a paella cooking workshop, and much more!