Transformative Practices in Portuguese Lower-division Classes in Northern California: Student Engagement and Community Contributions

Based on practical reflections on the role of language educators and Portuguese language learners in diasporic communities in the state of California, this short-form article shares academic contributions from the Luso-Brazilian Studies Program at the University of California, Davis, to underrepresented groups in Lusophone communities amidst the pandemic, observing Dynamic usage-based theories, Differentiation, and Community-based teaching as pillars for social justice in language development. The discussion includes a brief history of the diversity of Lusophone immigrant communities in California, how government policies and the pandemic have affected undocumented immigrants, and analogous encounters that Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) face in the United States of America and Latin America. Lastly, classroom projects present how to promote awareness among students so that they can improve the quality of life in communities that face structural discrimination, find their voices, and advocate through transformative language learning.