Getting Rooted
“Elisa, would you, la chica, and Anthony like to go on a socially-distant walk with me?” I asked. “Sure!” she replied, “At what time?” “What about after work? Around 6 pm.” “Awesome, see you there.” Elisa, her daughter “la chica”, Anthony, and I...
Encouraging Mentees to Become Self-Advocates
“My voice has power.” In the fall of 2018, Casa Chirilagua staff gathered to cast the five-year vision plan of the organization. What took place in our community center became a series of conversations to get the pulse of...
Flourishing in Spite of Obstacles
Imagine moving to a new country where you do not know how to speak the language and you’re starting 1st grade through a computer screen all by yourself in your home. That’s how Lucia* began her first year of school after her family recently immigrated from Guatemala....
I Choose to be Genuinely Powerful
In my short time interning at Casa Chirilagua, I have learned so much from the Culture of Honor that staff and program participants seek to carry out as we live life together in the neighborhood. This month, we continue learning and...
Police Listening Session
This past month, members of the Chirilagua community had an opportunity to practice trust-building with members of the Alexandria Police Department. To connect with and understand the needs of our community, Chief Brown and a handful of other officers asked to come to...
We are a community of people “learning together to love our neighbors as ourselves” in a Latino neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia.
As a faith-based Christian non-profit with a small staff and over 100 volunteers, we serve alongside more than 100 families and their children (1st-12th grades) each week through our community programs.