About El Centro
EL CENTRO COMUNITARIO
Linking Hispanic Families With Countless Resources
Being the only non-profit where a Spanish speaker always answers the phone lends us the unique ability to connect our families to the broader community, while we work to increase English language literacy and equity in Transylvania County.
- Recently renovated building provides the perfect installations for our students
- Homework Club, Bilingual Club, and Club Accion programs promote education in Transylvania County
Growing up in poverty, children face many challenges: hunger and health problems, limited access to education
OUR STORIES
In their own words
"I did not speak any English when I first got to Brevard, only Spanish"
"After a year and a half I was able to adapt to a new skill and new language; homework club helped me a lot during this time"
El Centro supports Latino children, families and the community at large, in order to foster the integration of Latino and non-Latino residents of Transylvania County.
- Weekly homework assistance, support, and follow up
- Steady progression allowing to learn new language skills and adapt to new culture
Let us work together to make a difference
Find out how you can collaborate with El Centro and support our various programs, providing countless resources to the community!
Our Staff
Yesica Rosales Miranda
Soy la Directora Ejecutiva de El Centro Comunitario Hispano-Americano, donde tengo el honor de liderar programas que apoyan a familias hispanas en Transylvania County. Soy inmigrante de México y llegué a los Estados Unidos a los 11 años. Desde entonces, he trabajado con dedicación para crear oportunidades y apoyar a mi comunidad.
Cuento con más de una década de experiencia en el sistema escolar local, incluyendo mi trabajo como asistente de ESL, donde tuve la oportunidad de apoyar a estudiantes y familias que enfrentan barreras lingüísticas y culturales. Mi pasión por la educación, la equidad y el bienestar comunitario me llevó a asumir este rol de liderazgo, desde el cual he trabajado para fortalecer programas enfocados en el éxito académico, la salud mental y la integración cultural.
Actualmente, soy estudiante universitaria y estoy trabajando para obtener un título en Servicios Humanos, con el objetivo de seguir ampliando mi impacto en la comunidad.
En mi tiempo libre, disfruto viajar, escuchar audiolibros y apoyar a mis hijos en sus actividades deportivas.
I am the Executive Director of the Hispanic-American Community Center, where I have the honor of leading programs that support Hispanic families in Transylvania County. I am an immigrant from Mexico and arrived in the United States at the age of 11. Since then, I have worked with dedication to create opportunities and support my community.
I have over a decade of experience in the local school system, including my work as an ESL assistant, where I had the opportunity to support students and families facing linguistic and cultural barriers. My passion for education, equity, and community well-being led me to assume this leadership role, where I have worked to strengthen programs focused on academic success, mental health, and cultural integration.
Currently, I am a university student working toward a degree in Human Services, with the goal of continuing to expand my impact within the community.
In my free time, I enjoy traveling, listening to audiobooks, and supporting my children in their sports activities.
Sofía González
Mi nombre es Sofie. Soy de California y llevo 14 años viviendo en Brevard. Mis hobbies son la música, leer, y hacer creatividades. Tengo 3 mascotas que amo mucho, una perrita y dos gatitos. Soy la supervisora de la oficina y ayudó a los clientes que entran o llaman al Centro. Me gusta aprender cosas nuevas y mi posición de trabajo me ha ayudado aprender mucho de mi comunidad. Mi meta es que todos los que entren al Centro se sientan en confianza.
My name is Sofie. I am from California and have been living in Brevard for 14 years. My hobbies include music, reading, and creative activities. I have three pets that I love very much: a little dog and two kittens. I serve as the Office Manager and assist clients who visit or call El Centro. I enjoy learning new things, and my position has helped me learn a great deal about my community. My goal is for everyone who enters El Centro to feel at ease.
Sofía González
Julia Lopez (Yuli)
Mi puesto es en alcance comunitario, y es algo que disfruto mucho. Cada día aprendo cosas nuevas. Convivir con la comunidad y conocer a nuevas personas que hablan mi idioma es algo maravilloso. Poder apoyarlos y recibir su cariño y afecto es algo que nunca imaginé que podría experimentar.
Uno de mis pasatiempos favoritos es andar en bicicleta, aunque lo he dejado un poco por un tiempo, me encanta hacerlo. Me casé en el año 2005 y ahora tengo tres hermosos hijos.
I am from El Refugio, San Luis Potosí, Mexico.
My role is Community Outreach, and I enjoy it very much. Every day, I learn new things. Interacting with the community and meeting new people who speak my language is something wonderful. Being able to support them—and receiving their warmth and affection in return—is something I never imagined I would get to experience.
One of my favorite hobbies is riding my bicycle; although I’ve taken a bit of a break from it lately, I absolutely love doing it. I got married in 2005, and I now have three beautiful children.
Kiersten Wilber
Crecí en Alaska y obtuve mi licenciatura en Ciencias Ambientales en la Northern Arizona University en 2013. Descubrí mi pasión por trabajar con niños mientras me desempeñaba como educador ambiental en el oeste de los Estados Unidos. Luego, como voluntario del Cuerpo de Paz, trabajé junto a guardaparques peruanos en el desarrollo de un programa de "Guardaparques Junior" dirigido a los jóvenes peruanos.
Al regresar a los Estados Unidos en 2016, trabajé como instructor de educación ambiental en Carolina del Norte, enseñando sobre la naturaleza y la ciencia a través de experiencias al aire libre. En 2021, obtuve mi certificado de posgrado en Educación Primaria en la UNC Charlotte. Fui maestra de primaria por cuatro años y, posteriormente, me incorporé al equipo de El Centro en 2025. Me encanta poder utilizar mis conocimientos de español y la educación para ayudar a los jóvenes hispanos a alcanzar el éxito. En mi tiempo libre, me encanta bailar, practicar escalada y navegar en canoa.
I grew up in Alaska, and earned my bachelor’s degree in environmental science from Northern Arizona University in 2013. I discovered my passion for working with children when I was working as an environmental educator in the western US. As a Peace Corps volunteer, I worked with Peruvian park rangers to develop a Junior Rangers program for Peruvian youth.
After returning to the United States in 2016, I worked as a field instructor in North Carolina, teaching about nature and science through hands-on outdoors experiences. In 2021, I earned my graduate certificate in elementary education from UNC Charlotte. I taught elementary school for four years, and then joined the El Centro team in 2025. I love being able to use my Spanish and education background to help Hispanic youth succeed. In my free time, I love to dance, rock climb, and canoe.
