Carol Lawfer is the pastor of Diamond United Methodist Church in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, a city of some thirty thousand residents situated atop a mountain of ancient anthracite in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Three years ago, the City of Hazleton made worldwide news when it passed an ordinance potentially holding landlords and employers legally responsible for hiring illegal immigrants. The ordinance led to many polarized opinions of the city, including charges of rampant racism.
While the ordinance was struck down in a lower court, the City plans to appeal it to The Supreme Court, if necessary. The Church's mission transcends politics, addressing the need for free communication, among individuals that share common positive purpose.
City Suffers from a Language Gap
Today, the population of Hazleton is approximately one third Hispanic and Spanish-speaking. The remaining population is not, for the most part, bilingual. This language gap impedes basic communication and more nuanced speech. In order to address this fundamental human issue, in February of 2010, Pastor Lawfer spearheaded the creation of a free E.S.L. program, meeting four times a week, in the church, located on Diamond Avenue and Locust Streets.
The program is volunteer, grant-driven, and not-for-profit. Its mission is to help unify the city linguistically, creating a haven that transcends politics and stereotypes. According to Pastor Lawfer, who was interviewed by email,"We (the church) realized that this was something we could do that would help our neighbors, and perhaps, make them more a part of the community."
City Faces an Overwhelming Need for English Language Instruction
Pastor Lawfer emphasizes that these classes are open to all members of the community in need of basic English remediation. All instruction is taking place in English, per standard second language acquisition pedagogy. Wouldbe students who read, write, and speak substandard English can also benefit from this program, while at the same time participating in the creation of uplifting attitudes.
Pastor Lawfer noted that the program will have to address a diverse set of educational needs. Some students wish to acquire skills that will help them navigate the citizenship process. Others simply want to build fluency through systematic English practice. The program is in its embryonic stage but hopes to grow as the Church isolates additional needs.
City of Change
Hazleton began to see an influx in immigration during the 1990s. Nearby industrial parks and low real estate prices lured many from the New York area into the isolated coal region. Due to a lack of white collar jobs, Hazleton has endured a "brain drain," since the 1960s. The exodus of those who grew up in the city but could not find work there, led to a population drop and a vacuum that immigrants filled.
Pastor Lawfer began her work at Diamond thirteen years ago and describes the changes in the Church's environs, "The neighborhood around the Church was made up of primarily long-term residents, mostly Caucasian, and many older adults. As those people left the city, either because of age, or to move to other places, their houses were sold to a variety of other people coming into the area, often because Hazleton was a safer and more economical place to raise their families. They came to find a better life, bringing with them their own customs, languages, and lifestyles."
Over that period of time, the City has also experienced a different kind of immigration, that of gangs. In working to create a linguistically unified city, the Church hopes to unite people who wish to restore the city to more peaceful days. That can only happen when people of like mind can actually communicate with each other.
Need for Program Duplication
The Diamond United Methodist Church's E.S.L., while still in its infant stages, represents an educational paradigm worthy of duplication throughout the United States. As a grassroots project, it encourages community members to fix their own city, while using second language development to create friendship and lasting fellowship.
Source: Email interview with Carol Lawfer, Pastor of Diamond United Methodist Church, Hazleton, Pennsylvania, February 1, 2010.
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