Helping children of Asian immigrants

‘‘Sometimes they try to act a certain way, but when you’re with them you realize they just want the attention that they’re not getting at home.”

Many parents would love to take their children to restaurants, museums or on other outings, but they must work all the time, said Perez, who lives in Hyattsville. About 20 Asian American LEAD mentors fill in the gaps by providing fun or educational opportunities for young people and assisting with homework.

These volunteers assist the students at least six hours each month for one year.

Founded in 1998, Asian American LEAD assists Vietnamese, Amerasian and Chinese immigrant and refugee communities. As one of its primary goals, the organization aims to increase opportunities and abilities of low-income Asian-American children.

Perez prepares mentors by providing a training workshop, a handbook, case studies and more. Mentors must be at least 21 years old and complete an interview and a background check. Once they’re assigned to the students, the mentors keep track of their outings and the changes they’ve noticed in the participants.

‘‘Some students become more extroverted,” Perez said. ‘‘They learn to speak up about what they like and what they want in life. Others gain confidence to find more friends because their mentors show them how to become more popular.”

The additional academic support improves the youngsters’ study skills as well, he added.

Perez encourages mentors to work with students for a maximum of three years. Once the students move on to high school, the organization can track their progress by contacting their parents.

‘‘For the parents, it’s a new idea culturally,” Perez said. ‘‘It’s not something they experienced growing up. We explain that it’s like a big sister⁄big brother type of program. They know their kids need guidance. They wish they could be more involved with their children, but they have to work.”

Asian American LEAD also offers a family strengthening program that assists parents with various issues. Further, staff members can provide referrals.

In addition to training mentors, Perez tutors some of the youth in Spanish. He draws on his former experience as a Prince George’s County middle school teacher to connect with students.

‘‘The vernacular they use is different, but the young people are still the same,” he said. ‘‘I keep them grounded and they keep me young.”

Perez says he can understand the culture shock that the mentored students often experience. Although he was born in the United States, his mother was from Nicaragua.

‘‘We would look at TV and see the ‘American family’ lifestyle, but those things didn’t happen in our household,” Perez said.

Navigating two different worlds — in addition to the physical, social and emotional aspects of middle school — can present quite a challenge for today’s youth, he said.

‘‘They don’t know themselves,” he said. ‘‘They tend to be followers. They don’t want to stand out, and their self-image is important.”

Mentors, said Perez, can teach these young people how to find themselves and prepare for high school and the future.

‘‘Mentors benefit from having a relationship with youth that can grow,” he said. ‘‘You become part of someone’s life in a positive way.”

Yamir Perez

How he makes a difference: Perez trains volunteer mentors for Asian American LEAD, a local nonprofit that provides services for low-income youth and families. The organization seeks tutors to assist with homework or provide supplemental instruction. Call Phuc Nguyen at 301-942-9333.