News and Events

The ESU Supports Immigrants, Asylum-seekers, and Refugees

National News

Welcome back to all of our students, teachers and volunteers. Read the inspiring stories of some of our students here. 

For nearly a century, the English-Speaking Union has employed English as a catalyst to foster global understanding and good will through educational opportunities and cultural exchange.  The ESU is an inclusive organization, in the words of our founder Sir Evelyn Wrench,  "founded in no narrow attitude of race pride, in no spirit of hostility to any people."

In today's shrinking world dominated by dollars and digits, unprecedented migration and bloody national borders, the ESU remains committed to improving the lives of immigrants.

Since 2013, nearly 1,000 recent immigrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers from 66 different countries have been welcomed as members of the English-Speaking Union Andrew Romay New Immigrant Center. The Center provides a welcoming environment, resources and information to help immigrants improve their English to explore work and study opportunities, network, pursue citizenship, and acquire cultural fluency in order to participate fully in American society.

In addition, English in Action, one of ESU's oldest educational programs founded in 1976, helps immigrant newcomers to the United States gain fluency and confidence in conversational English by pairing them with volunteer tutors for weekly conversation sessions. In addition to practicing the language without the fear of making mistakes, English in Action students learn about life in this country and teach their conversation partners about their own languages, lands and customs. In 2016 alone, English in Action engaged over 446 tutors donating 28,000 volunteer hours in helping 688 immigrant students of all ages assimilate in American culture and language at ESU Branches all over the US.

The English-Speaking Union supports a strong immigrant population in the US as one of our country's core values. The ESU is committed to continue to provide valuable educational programs focused on supporting immigrants, refugees and asylum-seekers.

Learn more about the ESU Andrew Romay New Immigrant Center here.

Learn more about ESU--English in Action here.

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