This weekend, I worked at an event for Cultura Plenera called Puerto Rico in Savage. Cultura Plenera is a nonprofit organization dedicated to community building through the celebration of Puerto Rican traditions and artistic expressions in the diaspora. This event brought people together through Puerto Rican food, drink, music, and art, creating a sense of home, culture, and belonging outside the island.

These gatherings are always special to me as someone who grew up away from the place where I was born and where my family still calls home. However, this one was even more meaningful since it was my first time attending as part of LUPA Talks. Coming in with my language-focused lens, I felt so proud to see people doing exactly what I hope for as someone who advocates for language learning and risk-taking. But I was surprised at the simplicity of the skills people were using to do so and wanted to share two strategies that I saw be very helpful in taking language risks, especially when in public with new friends.

📷 by Myriam Comito (Cultura Plenera at Puerto Rico in Savage; left to right Garwin , Jose, me, my niece, Leslynette, my dad)

Context

One of my favorite things to witness is people bravely using their language in moments that may feel uncomfortable. This weekend, two interactions stood out so much that I wanted to share them because both highlighted strategies that helped the speakers push through their nerves and, honestly, helped me as a listener, too.

The first was a woman who (I believed) was doing a brilliant job speaking with me in Spanish. At one point, I asked for her name to write on the bag she purchased. She mentioned it had an “E” in it, but I wanted to clarify, Spanish “I” or English “E”—since I’ve personally had plenty of bilingual mix-ups like that. Even though she was communicating beautifully, I could tell the question threw her off. She admitted it had been a while since she spoke Spanish. I reassured her she was doing great, and she kept going, en español.

The second was a young man who ordered a drink in Spanish, also beautifully. But when I offered him all the flavor options (at full speed, in Spanish), he admitted it was a lot at once and he wasn’t sure what I had asked. Again—been there! So I slowed down, and together, we continued in Spanish.

Practice

Both moments filled me with pride—for them, as speakers, and for me, as a listener. We worked together to stay in the language they were committed to practicing. And that’s the heart of it: communication isn’t one-sided. It’s a partnership.

Here are my takeaways:
✨ For speakers: If you’re nervous, overstimulated, or confused, say so. Communication—actually, effective communication—is a two-way street. Give your listener a chance to help.
✨ One English word or a missed conjugation won’t topple everything. Keep going.

Conclusion

I’m always grateful when people feel safe enough to take language risks. I know how hard it can be. That’s why I do my best to support communication with active listening, visual cues, and encouragement. Because when we commit to staying in the language—together—that’s when the real magic happens.