EDUCATE YA
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        • WOMAN AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN MEXICO
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        • LANGUAGE AND CULTURE FOR EDUCATORS
        • MEDICINE IN MEXICO. Prehispanic, Institutional, Alternative
        • SPANISH LANGUAGE FOR MINISTRY
        • Celebrate Day of the Death in Cuernavaca, Mexico
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​Edúcate Ya's Staff


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Rafael Arellano
Executive Director, Founder and Spanish Instructor
​
​Rafael was born in Cuernavaca, México, the City of the Eternal Spring. He started teaching Spanish when he was 16 years old and is still doing it at Edúcate Ya. He received a BA in Pastoral Ministries from Marylhurst University, and did his graduate studies in Theology at Mt. Angel. He has been an advocate for education among Latinos, has offered opportunities for those that are interested in learning Spanish and about Latino cultures, and has provided the opportunity to study abroad.  He has a MA in Spanish Literature and has taught in four community colleges in the Portland area.  He is the founder and executive director of Educate Ya. 


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Daniel Alfaro Blanco
Executive Assistant and Academic Coordinator


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Carlos Castillo
Spanish Teacher/ Program Coordinator

Hello, I’m Carlos Castillo, a Colombian LGBTQ+ activist, psychologist by profession, and a citizen of the world by vocation. I served as an LGBTQ+ advisory counselor for the Mayor’s Office of Bogotá, and as a designer of evaluation tools for job competencies. I’ve dedicated much of my life to working for the dignity, mental health, and rights of socially vulnerable communities. I have led workshops and conferences on suicide prevention and was the principal of a Mega School in Barranquilla, Colombia.
Today, I lead a vital HIV and STI prevention program, and I also coordinate the Spanish program at Edúcate Ya. A lover of theater, concerts, cinema, hiking, and travel, I find my greatest inspiration in human connection. I am a proud father of two cats and a collector of moments.

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​Alyssa Pearson
Grant Manager

Alyssa Pearson raised along the US-Mexico border in the Mesilla Valley of New Mexico, where she learned the importance of chiles, sunshine, immigrants, and great rivers. After receiving her Ph.D. in Marketing from New Mexico State University, Alyssa has worked as a professor, an agricultural startup consultant, and in federal grants management. Throughout her career, she has maintained a passion for helping people and businesses obtain the education and community support they need to achieve their goals. These days, Alyssa is a proud resident of North Portland, and is grateful for the opportunity to support the Latino community of the greater Portland metro through her grant-writing and development work at Edúcate Ya.
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Instructors


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Diego
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​Spanish and ESL All levels 

Pronouns: he/him/el  Languages Spoken: English, Spanish, Portuguese 

Hola! Soy Diego! I hold a degree in Journalism from Universidad Autonoma de Occidente in Cali - Colombia where I'm originally from. My experience includes Public Relations, working with educational programs for studying abroad, and teaching languages. I consider myself a passionate traveler and hiker who loves nature. That's why I decided to explore Brazil for twelve years. There, I studied applied linguistics and started my career as a language teacher. I have taught English, Spanish, and Portuguese for the last 10 years, focusing my classes primarily on conversation. I believe that language learning is most effective when students use vocabulary and grammar structures to discuss their experiences and talk about their reality. Drawn by the vibrant and eclectic atmosphere, I decided to moved to Portland, where I quickly fell in love with the city's unique vibe. 


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Rafael Arellano 
Spanish All levels Grammar 



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Michael Poehner 
ESL (English as a Second Language) all levels

Hello! Originally from the East Coast, I hold a master’s degree in French from Middlebury College in Vermont and bring a deep passion for languages and the cultural insights they provide. I am fluent in French, English, and Spanish, with experience teaching all three. My background includes teaching English in France and living in Quebec, where I immersed myself in Francophone culture. For nearly nine years, Portland has been my home, and I’ve loved sharing my enthusiasm for language learning and cultural exchange with the community.


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Emma Weinmann

ESL All Levels
​
Hello! My name is Emma Weinmann. I was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, but have spent a large part of the last five years traveling internationally. I have a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in Tourism from California State University – Chico and hold a TEFL certification. I found Educate Ya through the Intercambio language exchange program and have recently begun teaching ESL classes to beginner and intermediate English language learners. Before coming to Edúcate Ya, I had the opportunity to teach younger students in Peru, Indonesia and Mexico and fell in love with the process of teaching. I am so excited to be a part of the Edúcate Ya team and can’t wait to see where this new career takes me! 

Location

6327 SE Powell Blvd.
​Portland, OR 97206

What Our Clients Are Saying

"EducateYa is a wonderful community place where I had the privilege to teach English to Spanish speakers in Portland. My students came from Hillsboro and drove all the way into town because the methods EducateYa used are so successful. The management at EducateYa, including Rafael Arellano-Barrera are encouraging to all teachers and students to learn, experiment and grow. I highly recommend EducateYa for its mission statement and principles to make everyone in the U.S. bilingual. Yes!" 
Nana Nash


​"Educate Ya, is an amazing place to learn and build community in the Portland area."

Great school. Super teachers Well worth my drive from Vancouver. Tried another Portland school and Educate Ya was hands down better.
Barbara Harmon

Te ayuda si estas buscando traducir documentos y tambien a llenar documentos, si tu no sabes Ingles ellos te ayudan mucho!
Ivis Amaya





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Office Phone (503) 238-5790

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  • Home
  • ABOUT
    • ABOUT US
    • Our Staff
    • Board of Directors
  • EVENTS
    • Events and Workshops
  • Programs / Programas
    • AVANZA >
      • AVANZA 18- 35
      • AVANZA Edu
      • AVANZA Pro
    • Cultural Awareness
    • SALUD / HEALTH >
      • Educadores de Salud
      • HIV/STDs Prevention
      • Workshops
    • Educadores de Reciclaje
    • Intercambio
  • CLASSES / CLASES
    • Spanish Classes >
      • Course Outline
    • Clases de Inglés / ESL
    • Private Classes
    • Study Abroad >
      • COSTA RICA
      • Full Immersion in México >
        • WOMAN AND SOCIAL CHANGE IN MEXICO
        • LGBTQ+ STUDY ABROAD
        • LANGUAGE AND CULTURE FOR EDUCATORS
        • MEDICINE IN MEXICO. Prehispanic, Institutional, Alternative
        • SPANISH LANGUAGE FOR MINISTRY
        • Celebrate Day of the Death in Cuernavaca, Mexico
  • Services
    • Translation
    • Servicios de Traducción
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Work With Us
  • CALENDAR
  • Contact us
  • Donate