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Maria Velasco is a program director at Intercambio de Communidades, a program that offers volunteer-taught English classes for adult immigrants, classes and workshops on life skills and citizenship, and cultural trainings and events for all community members. Maria is responsible for organizing Boulder English classes, coordinating resource workshops, and planning intercultural events in Boulder and Lafayette. She was born and raised in Salamanca, Spain, and has a BA in business administration from the University of Salamanca. Before working for Intercambio, she managed the Language and Cultural Services Department at a hospital in Washington state, where she spoke to patients about healthcare and was an interpreter. She has also lived in Mexico and in the Dominican Republic. She talks about ethnic identity and the challenges involved in adapting to a new country's culture as an immigrant. She discusses how people often are judged based on their accent, yet notes that for obtaining a job in the United States these days, being able to speak Spanish is considered an important job skill. She offers her thoughts about immigration reform and the positive impact it could have for Latinos.