Wendy Ramirez & Jackleen Rodriguez, Founders of Spanish Sin Pena
Jackleen Rodriguez and Wendy Ramirez are on a mission to make learning Spanish an inviting, confidence-building experience — especially among nuestra gente.
Jackleen (first-generation Mexican American) and Wendy (first-generation Salvadorian American) have done just that with Spanish Sin Pena, a safe space for Latinx students who want to feel more connected to their culture while also improving their communication skills.
“Spanish Sin Pena is much more than improving our Spanish,” says Monica, a participant of the program, which has enrolled 1,000+ Latinx students since its inception. “It’s about delving deeper into our shared experiences and our cultures WHILE learning Spanish. My experience was better than I could have anticipated, the sense of belonging and community was amazing! At no point did I feel judged, I can’t recommend this program enough!”
Wendy and Jackleen are doing so much good for the Latinx community. I’m so excited for you to meet them. Learn more about these mujeres de magia below.
Grace Gavilanes: How did you two connect and decide to work together?
Wendy: The moment I met Jackie I knew I had to work with her. I was still not sure how but I saw so much potential in her and her ability to connect with people. She helped me with my first business ideas. My mission has always been to connect through culture. First with a clothing brand and now with language. Jackie believed in me and my vision and has helped take Spanish Sin Pena to a level I did not imagine.
Jackie: We actually met when we were both living in Washington D.C. The network of like-minded Latinas from Southern California isn’t that big so when we were introduced we connected right away! Our love for California, our cultura & passion for art brought us together quickly and we knew one day we’d work together. We started collaborating together for projects for Wendy’s first Business, Intimalena. We had a lot of fun being creative, traveling, and working together. Fast forward some years later: We’re both back in California, and Wendy had this calling, this vision for Spanish Sin Pena. So, she told Jackie she needed her to make it come true and here we are … 3+ years and over 1,000 students later. We also just launched our 2022 Spanish Sin Pena Academy with almost 200 students enrolled!
Jackleen Rodriguez
GG: What inspired you to start Spanish Sin Pena?
Wendy: What inspired us was our own struggle with Spanish and desire to serve our comunidad. Our goal is to create a safe space for the Latine/x community and allies to learn and practice Spanish with others who face similar struggles but ultimately use Spanish to connect with their elders, open up professional opportunities, be a resource to our community, and to pass it on to future generations.
Jackie: We want to uplift the voices in our community. Our students consist of teachers, nurses, immigration lawyers, parents, social workers, etc. They’re doing powerful work! Helping them reach their Spanish goals gives them the confidence to be a resource to nuestra gente! It’s so beautiful to see all the seeds being planted blossoming into new friendships as well. It's such a powerful reminder que juntos somos más fuertes!
Wendy Ramirez
GG: What has been the response to Spanish Sin Pena?
Wendy: There are so many stories that students have shared. I think it is great that our students feel more confident professionally and find their voice in Spanish but the stories that touch my heart are every time I hear a student share how they connected with family in a way they could not before because of the language. A few times that has been connecting with grandparents, parents, and family that still lives in Latin America.
Jackie: Something we constantly hear is, “I thought I was the only one who felt like this.” Learning a language tied to your cultura can bring up so many feelings around identity, family history, trauma, etc. Oftentimes it can feel isolating and can be a lot to navigate on your own. Students lighting up when they find out they’re not alone is so empowering and also makes them realize the power in sharing their own story!
“Imposter syndrome is just another tool for oppression. TAKE UP ALL THE SPACE! ”
GG: What advice would you give 13-year-old Wendy and Jackie?
Wendy: Believe in yourself. You may think people do not understand you and that is okay. Your job is to understand yourself, trust yourself, and love yourself.
Jackie: I know school isn’t easy for you and you’ve been getting “talks too much in class” on your report card since pre-school. But now you can go and tell Mrs. Maria that “talking too much” is your job now and you're a jefa! Never dim your light — you’re not too much for the right people!
Wendy and Jackleen
GG: Imposter syndrome is a very real thing in our community. How have you combatted it?
Wendy: I remind myself why I am doing the work and who I want to serve. When I was working in the US Congress in a very fast-paced, high-pressure job, surrounded by a lot of white men with power, I would remind myself that I was there to give voice to my community — to help immigrants, refugees, and children. I would go in the bathroom, take a deep breath, get grounded with my intention, and go out and do the best job that I could. Now I remind myself what brings me joy and I know I am not an expert so I try to hire people that have the skill or expertise I want to bring to our community.
Jackie: Dr. Ana Becerra shared a powerful reminder in our recent Spanish Sin Pena workshop. She reminded us that when we get the feeling that we don’t belong, when we start thinking we aren’t enough or not ‘worthy,’ think about where that stems from. Imposter syndrome is just another tool for oppression. TAKE UP ALL THE SPACE!
GG: What does being Latina mean to you?
Wendy: Being Latina is a feeling that connects us with all of Latin America. It is the food, the music, the values, the art, the history, the languages, the dances, the resiliency, the immigration stories. It is everything that makes us who we are.
Jackie: Being Latina to me means being the glue that holds our family together, the key holder to all the secret recipes, the one that breaks cycles of generational trauma, and leads with passion ignited by all the cultura, values, and traditions passed down from our ancestors!
