Case Study 1
Overview
When the first wave of Haitian migration to Chile began in the early 2010s, many migrants—especially those with limited literacy or prior education—faced deep emotional, cultural, and linguistic barriers.
I started as a volunteer youth leader with the Red Cross, using music and games to support newly arrived youth. Later, I became the Language Program Coordinator for Migrant Communities within the Municipality of Quilicura (Government of Chile), where I co-led a Spanish learning program that transformed into a community-driven, intercultural learning space.
We didn’t just teach Spanish—we co-created experiences of dignity, grief healing, and mutual cultural exchange.
The Problem
Traditional Spanish courses didn’t address the real emotional, cultural, or educational needs of migrant learners
Most participants felt shame, fear, or disconnection in formal settings
Classes were originally designed only for adults, ignoring family learning dynamics
Most teachers were volunteering neighbors—with no formal education background, only a heart to help—leading to inconsistencies in delivery
Existing materials failed to acknowledge learners' lived realities and cultural richness
My Role
Volunteer Teacher & Cultural Facilitator (Red Cross)
Government Program Coordinator
UX Researcher & Observer
Curriculum Designer
Teacher Support System Builder
Community Co-Creation Facilitator
Objectives
Create emotionally safe, culturally humble, and accessible learning spaces
Adapt teaching materials and rhythms to low-literacy, high-context environments
Support and train volunteer teachers with dynamic and flexible tools
Rebuild confidence, community, and voice through shared learning experiences
Process
1. Immersion & Listening
I began by learning Kreyòl and French to understand the emotional tone and structure of learners’ worlds. This opened the door to deeper trust, and showed me what felt safe or overwhelming.
2. Co-Creation & Curriculum Design
I designed a modular, multi-sensory curriculum using music, storytelling, visual tools, and national games from both Chile and Haiti. Lessons were adaptable depending on energy, mood, and who showed up that day.
3. Teacher Support & System Design
I developed templates, internal communication structures, and resource-sharing methods across 15 teachers, helping them shift from good intentions to impactful facilitation.
4. Emotional Feedback & Iteration
We ended sessions with emoji rounds and verbal reflections, adapting content weekly to learner feedback. The curriculum became a living system, shaped by joy, grief, and trust.
Tools I Used
Observation Logs · WhatsApp · Printed Visual Cards · Music & Storytelling Exercises
Key Insights
Emotional safety precedes cognitive learning—always
When designed with dignity, language becomes a tool for healing and community building
Teachers thrive when they’re treated as learners too
A curriculum is not a template—it’s a living system co-shaped by its users
Culture is not a barrier—it’s an entry point
Impact
What began as a class for adults evolved into a multi-generational, family-based community space, where students brought siblings, children, and extended relatives.
As the migration continued, learners invited their loved ones—not just to “learn Spanish,” but to feel welcome.
We cooked Haitian food, sang traditional songs, and shared landscapes and cosmovisions. We also navigated migratory grief together, making space for silence, laughter, and belonging.
Volunteer teachers—originally neighbors without training—felt empowered to study education and develop their own group dynamics and play-based methods.
Learners began speaking publicly, reported feeling less afraid, and expressed connection—not just with the language, but with the place they now called home.
Reflection
This project showed me that UX is not confined to screens—it happens wherever people feel seen, heard, and empowered.
It taught me that curriculum can be designed like a service, and language like a bridge woven from emotion, context, and culture.
As a UX researcher, I don’t just study behavior—I listen to what makes someone feel safe, and design from that place.
Design is how we show people they belong.
Experience 2011-2018
Santiago