This article is part of an ongoing series to chronicle the work of the 30 organizations involved in KHF’s Building Power and Equity Partnership (BPEP) initiative. To learn more about BPEP, click here.

Exponential growth is a thing in Emporia, Kansas, where an already healthy dose of Spanish spoken among its inhabitants has expanded into new communities, thanks to the aptly named Emporia Spanish Speakers. The nonprofit was launched in late 2017 by LeLan Dains out of a modest desire. He wanted to sharpen his Spanish-speaking skills, which had rusted after returning to his hometown following years of world travel. He knew the best way to do that was through immersive conversations.

But that initial impulse was only a beginning. Since its launch, Emporia Spanish Speakers has rocketed into a regional provider of wide-ranging services and thriving collaborations with people in education, business, healthcare, and more throughout Emporia — and beyond.

“We started with youth programming, since our elementary schools no longer had their dual-language programs,” Dains said. “We then added a customer service course for adults. Today, we offer language courses for all ages and abilities, health programs, and direct support for immigrants to obtain permission, documentation, health insurance, whatever they need.”

And it’s still growing. The mission of Emporia Spanish Speakers “to increase equity and bridge language and cultural barriers by providing essential resources, education, and advocacy” reflects its larger goals and programs.

More Than Learning a Language

The organization “has evolved into so much more than just a Spanish language learning hub,” said Jessica Gutierrez, vice chair of the Emporia Spanish Speakers board and bilingual case manager for Crosswinds Counseling and Wellness.

She said she became involved with Emporia Spanish Speakers after a friend and former board member approached her, “recognizing my passion for volunteering and supporting the Emporia community that I have called home since childhood.”

Gutierrez said that, initially, “Emporia Spanish Speakers’ mission was to provide a space for individuals to participate in Spanish language classes and apply their skills in various settings. Given my background in mental health, I was enthusiastic about the chance to contribute my expertise and understanding of empathy to better meet the needs of the organization’s constituents.”

Since then, Emporia Spanish Speakers “has blossomed into an organization that provides an open, safe space for the community to be seen, heard, and empowered to voice their wants and needs.”

Among particularly successful core offerings are:

• Vamos a Explorar, introducing community members to natural spaces in the region;
• A monthly Language Exchange;
• Los Puentes, a youth program showcasing the Spanish language through the local community; and
• Se Habla Español, helping organizations connect with Spanish-speaking community members.

“Emporia Spanish Speakers has served, and continues to serve, underserved members of our community in a way that no other organization or agency serves them,” said Viridiana Reyes Coria, a member of the board and therapist and program manager with Crosswinds.

“I have known LeLan Dains for a very long time, and when he first started Emporia Spanish Speakers back in 2017, he asked if I would be interested in attending his classes,” said Patricia Sáenz-Reyes, who is the USD 253 Migrant Student and Family Resource Specialist, a member of Hispanics of Today and Tomorrow, and a frequent collaborator on Emporia Spanish Speakers’ programs.

“Patricia was one of the first Latino community members that came to my group when we started as a social language club,” Dains said, “and we have been working together ever since!”

Sáenz-Reyes noted Dains’ desire to provide English speakers, particularly business owners, with enough skills to converse with non-English speakers, even if only minimally. “His intent was, and continues to be, that he would like Emporia Spanish Speakers to feel welcome and inclusive. His group started very small, and over the years it has grown very successfully.”

The organization’s board membership highlights Dains’ intentions, with members from the Chamber of Commerce, ESB Financial banking, Hope House (a residential ministry for women and children), Crosswinds, and the City of Emporia.

“We have an extraordinary board,” Dains said. “Of the seven members, four are foreign-born immigrants, and all board members are under the age of 35. It’s a diverse group ethnically and racially. And they are rock stars.”

As to the organization itself, which currently includes two staff, two contractors, and several volunteers, Dains boasted, “We are proud to say most of our programming has been a hit. Our outdoor exploration series, Vamos a Explorar (Let’s Explore), was a massive hit. We served 70-plus individuals — families of all ages and nationalities — with three events over the summer of 2024. We enroll 15­ to 20 people each time we offer our Se Habla Español course for adults. Our free monthly Language Exchange brings 20 to 25 people every month, almost always an even split between Spanish and English speakers. We have served hundreds of Latino community members with advocacy and support.”

Sáenz-Reyes cited Vamos a Pescar (Let’s Go Fishing) as a positive collaboration that she’s especially proud of. Emporia Spanish Speakers has been a partner for the past three of the annual USD 253 program’s eight years.

“Helping each other out to promote the benefits of being outdoors is priceless,” she said. “Not only does this program promote the benefits that being outdoors brings, but it also brings together our diverse communities.”

Dains also cites Vamos a Pescar as a success story, along with the healthy cooking classes program, another collaboration among Emporia Spanish Speakers, USD 253, and Emporia Migrant Education. “We came together to create a series of healthy cooking classes that also provided the students a one-half high school credit, which helped them work toward obtaining their high school diploma.”

Dains noted that making lifestyle changes that result in noticeable changes — particularly around diet and exercise — can take time. “That said, we have seen an immediate impact with both. Our Vamos a Explorar events helped more than 70 people get more than 60 minutes of outdoor exercise. Our healthy cooking class helped educate participants on how to make affordable and healthy meals.

“And one of our biggest efforts has been helping community members obtain health insurance,” he said, noting that since April 2024 they had successfully done so for 40 people under the age of 65.

“We’re not a health care organization or provider,” Dains noted. “Our work is about addressing the social determinants of health, and we believe that’s extremely important. If a person isn’t gainfully employed, they’re not likely to be in good health. If they’re not sound financially, they’re not likely to be in good health. If they have language barriers, no health insurance — all those things, while not directly health related, certainly have an effect on a person’s health.”

Gutierrez also cited the importance of the health services — particularly regarding mental health — offered by Emporia Spanish Speakers. “We continue to tackle the stigma surrounding mental health by encouraging community members to participate in initiatives like the Para Tu Salud Health Fair and Vamos a Explorar, which have grown to benefit not only participants but the broader community as well,” she said. “Through these programs, organizers have identified a clear and pressing need for Spanish language materials and support to be readily available, ensuring equitable access to vital health and wellness services.

“This multifaceted approach has been instrumental in lowering barriers, fostering trust, and empowering members of the Spanish-speaking community to take proactive steps in addressing their mental health and overall well-being. I look forward to expanding and growing as an organization.”

The benefits have extended into organizations and populations beyond Emporia Spanish Speakers. Both Gutierrez and Reyes Coria cite improvements in their work at Crossroads resulting from their involvement with Emporia Spanish Speakers.

“Over the past two years as vice chair,” Gutierrez said, “this experience has been invaluable in enhancing my work as a case manager. It has given me a broader perspective on decision-making, teamwork, and leadership skills that have proven instrumental in my day-to-day responsibilities. Moreover, the networking opportunities afforded by my board involvement have been incredibly valuable.”

“Being on the ESS board “has enhanced my work as a therapist,” said Reyes Coria. Because of her involvement in the Para tu Salud program as a board member, for example, Crosswinds was able to learn about and reach community members who otherwise would not be aware of the therapy and other services available to them through Crosswinds.

Enter the Kansas Health Foundation

Despite the steady growth of Emporia Spanish Speakers in its first five-plus years, it was its partnership with the Kansas Health Foundation in early 2024 that allowed the organization to skyrocket forward.

“I have seen significant growth at Emporia Spanish Speakers around health care needs within this past year,” said Reyes Coria. “Emporia Spanish Speakers has identified health care needs as one of the most significant in the population served. By providing and encouraging attendance at community events, decreasing barriers to health care, providing referrals, simplifying health care information, and assisting community members with accessing health care insurance, Emporia Spanish Speakers has improved health care access for our community.”

“I am beyond grateful that the Kansas Health Foundation understood the importance of our work, gave us this opportunity,” Dains said. “The partnerships that the Kansas Health Foundation established are unprecedented, and they require a certain amount of trust between them and their partners. I admire them, and Ed O’Malley, Kansas Health Foundation president and CEO, for putting their faith into the 30 organizations they selected.”

Dains observed that Emporia Spanish Speakers was “a brand new nonprofit” when they applied for the Kansas Health Foundation Building Power and Equity Partnership initiative. “There’s no masking the fact that we needed financial support to enact the work we envisioned doing. The partnership provides for that component, of course.

“But it is so much more than that. I didn’t anticipate the mentorship and additional resources. The Kansas Health Foundation has helped us identify needed policies for our organization, fundraising strategies, and more. We are excited to have their guidance, and to learn from their knowledge, as much as their financial support.

“Our goals haven’t changed,” he continued. “We always had a vision for growth beyond Emporia. The partnership is simply allowing us to achieve that.”

Dains said that the funding from the Kansas Health Foundation in 2024 made it possible to start hiring staff, beginning with himself. He had been working at Emporia Spanish Speakers while also serving as director of Visit Emporia. As of January 2025, he is the full-time executive director of Emporia Spanish Speakers.

And in early 2024, thanks to this partnership, Dains created and filled a new position.

Expanding the Reach

“Our advocacy for the Latino community has significantly grown this year with the hiring of our full-time Community Outreach Coordinator, Luisana Chaida,” Dains said. “She has played a pivotal role in helping Spanish speakers gain access to critical programs and services in our community and beyond.”

Of his new staff member, Dains said, “Luisana is inspiring. She is an immigrant herself. And now she is helping other immigrants.”

Self-directed help for others — all while teaching herself English — is in fact what led Chaida to Emporia Spanish Speakers. Chaida immigrated to the U.S. from Venezuela.

“I was doing work on my own,” she said, “helping other friends with information about procedures that I had already completed, such as paperwork on my asylum, work permit, Social Security, health insurance, and other information.”

Dains learned of Chaida’s activities through her husband, whom Dains had met through a mutual friend. Dains approached her, and since she joined Emporia Spanish Speakers, it has grown both qualitatively and quantitatively. “Luisana Chaida has assisted multiple individuals to access health care insurance,” said Reyes Coria. “She has helped more individuals through Emporia Spanish Speakers than other agencies in the community.”

As for her own perspective on changes at Emporia Spanish Speakers since she joined the organization, Chaida raved about how it has improved her own life. “Yes, of course — for the better! I am more connected to the community, and we can help as a team to have a better Emporia.”

Although she works directly with the Latino-Latina population, “My biggest challenge has been the language,” Chaida said.

“However, I am overcoming that barrier — and that brings me to what I like most about my job,” she continued. “I like people. I love helping. And Emporia Spanish Speakers gives me tools to achieve the goals of hundreds of families in Emporia.”

Chaida called the partnership with the Kansas Health Foundation “vital for us — in fact specifically for me.” She noted that it made possible her current position. “More than a job, it is a 24/7 lifestyle,” she said. “We are always willing and available for whoever needs it.”

Whoever Needs It

Demographic numbers underscore that need. Between the most recent census periods of 2010 and 2020, Emporia lost about 3 percent of its overall population, which followed a declining trend since 2000. By contrast, during that same decade, the Latino/Hispanic population nearly doubled, growing from 14.5 percent to 28 percent.

And, as Dains noted, “It’s always important to note that the Latino community is also often under-reported on the census due to documentation status. Some folks choose not to participate.”

Since then, he said, estimates indicate a leveling out of, and perhaps even a slight increase in, Emporia’s overall population, with Latinos continuing to “have an outsized effect on our population.

“This is a narrative shared in communities throughout Kansas, the Midwest, and the entire U.S.,” he said. “Latinos are projected to continue increasing their share of the population for the foreseeable future. This means communities that embrace and invest in quick integration will see quicker positive results of that population growth.”

Much of those positive results have been reflected in health-related initiatives. “Primary objectives have targeted health outcomes as identified by the Kansas Health Institute’s County Health Rankings,” Dains said, citing issues such as uninsured adults, obesity, diet, and exercise.

“But we often say the question isn’t what do we offer, but rather what do you need? We assist individuals with nearly any problem they are facing in order to help them better integrate and lead healthy, happy, and prosperous lives here in our community. The whole community becomes healthier — both physically and economically — through the work we are doing.”

The Future

That “community” is growing throughout Kansas.

“We actually incorporated as Kansas Spanish Speakers,” Dains said. “We have every intention of beginning to serve all of Kansas and beyond with our programming and support.”

Dains noted the need for communities to grow or at least maintain their populations. “Yet, the vast majority of rural Kansas communities are dwindling,” he said. “This causes all kinds of problems, particularly with the public coffers needed to maintain and grow communities.

“Our work is about investing in those who strongly desire to be residents of our communities. Barriers currently exist, many of which are centered around language. Therefore, we strive to help individuals on both sides overcome those barriers. We see a future for Kansas that is diverse, integrated, and thriving.”

Dains repeatedly points to the value to both non-English speakers and English speakers in breaking barriers in language and cultural understanding. “We continue to focus on the entire community,” he said.

“Our organization aims to be a bridge — and that can only work if we are firmly rooted on both banks.”

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