Interview and article by Tashanna Johnson, UMass Amherst Community Engagement Course: Multilingualism and Literacy, spring 2022 Robin Smither is a volunteer tutor at ILI who volunteers in order to, as she says, “help others through service.” Robin, who graduated from high school this past spring, has been volunteering at the Amherst Survival Center for years, […]

Rebecca Chazin is a Colorado native that headed East for the green trees of Western Massachusetts, where she obtained a bachelor’s degree in Economics & Environmental Science & Policy from Smith College. After 9 wonderful years in the Valley she left to pursue a lifelong dream of living abroad. Since 2016 she has lived in […]

Chinatsu Nagamune is an ESOL student in ILI’s Free English classes for Immigrants and Refugees. The background of her Zoom screen reveals fabrics of a beautiful deep blue color.  Chinatsu uses traditional Japanese techniques, such as rice resist paste and hand-cut paper stencils, to create her patterns. The results are stunning: waves and eyes, concentric […]