Aquinas Literacy Center Expands Community Support with Upcoming Immigrant Rights Training

By Socialhood News · Il/Chicago/Mckinley Park · November 22, 2025

McKinley Park residents will have an opportunity to strengthen their knowledge of immigrant rights at a special training session hosted by the Aquinas Literacy Center on Tuesday, November 18, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. This free community event, led by Program Director Patrick Santoro, continues the center's expanded programming that now includes immigrant rights education alongside its traditional literacy services.

The training session is part of the center's broader 'Resiliency Initiative' launched earlier this fall, which focuses on building stronger connections between immigrant residents and the McKinley Park community. Located at 1751 W. 35th Street, the Aquinas Literacy Center has been serving the neighborhood since 1996, providing free English language instruction and other educational resources to thousands of adult learners.

"Resiliency is about more than surviving," Santoro shared in a recent community update about the initiative. "It's about finding strength in each other." Community members interested in attending this valuable educational opportunity can simply drop in at the scheduled time or contact the center at (773) 927-0512 for more information. No registration is required for this event that aims to empower and inform neighborhood residents.

Sources:
1. https://mckinleypark.news/events/featured-events/event/26794-immigrant-rights-training
2. https://mckinleypark.news/news/7476-resiliency-initiative-connects-immigrants-and-neighborhood