JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Camila Ruiz first joined a language exchange group during the days when she called Nashville, Tennessee, home.
Years later, after moving to Jacksonville, she wanted others from different cultures to experience that same sense of connection through the power of language. Unable to find a group similar to the one that helped her build friendships and community, Camila decided to create it herself ― becoming the founder of Jacksonville Spanish-English Conversation Group.
On the season three premiere episode of Voices of the 904, Camila shares how the group grew from just five people in 2019 into a steadily expanding community, why consistency, creativity and collaboration have been key to its growth, and how language has become a tool for bringing people together.
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For Camila, each meet-up, volunteer event or community collaboration is about more than just practicing Spanish or English.
It’s about building confidence, making connections and creating a space where people feel like they belong.
“Jacksonville is growing,” Camila acknowledged. “Jacksonville is becoming a very diverse city. So, spaces like these are important because they promote that diversity and people can belong to a community that is more diverse.”
At the heart of it all is her belief that language can be more than a barrier ― it can be a bridge that brings people closer together.
Learn more about Jacksonville Spanish-English on Instagram or Facebook.
Catch more episodes of Voices of the 904 below:
