Kansas Spanish Speakers was surprised with a We Kan! Award from the Kansas Sampler Foundation on Thursday, November 5 for its work bringing people together, building connections across cultures, and helping more Kansans feel like they belong. The name of the award was for Creando un lugar para todos, or Creating a place for everyone.
The award recognizes founder LeLan Dains and team members Luisana Chaida, Ashley Escorcia, and Tatiana Espinoza, who have helped turn a small Spanish-learning club into an organization with some pretty big dreams for Kansas. Special thanks go to the Kansas Spanish Speakers Board of Directors for helping plan the surprise and for the important role they play in bringing the organization's mission to life.
Dains shared his surprise at receiving the recognition, saying, "I've seen these awards given out over the years and always thought, 'That would be cool someday.' I just didn't think someday would be so soon!"
And knowing Dains, there's plenty more to come. His vision for Kansas Spanish Speakers keeps growing, and so does the circle of people he's bringing along to help make it happen. Kansas Spanish Speakers started in 2017 with a shared interest in learning Spanish. What began as a small club has grown into a nonprofit that does a whole lot more than practice vocabulary. Through language exchanges, exploring Kansas, cultural experiences, and community connections, they're helping people get to know their neighbors, find common ground, and feel at home. The organization officially became a nonprofit in 2023.
"LeLan had an idea, but the magic is that he didn't keep it to himself. He kept bringing people along," said Simone Elder of the Kansas Sampler Foundation. "Now there's a whole team helping make that vision bigger. Kansas Spanish Speakers reminds us that building strong communities starts with people that feel like they belong."
Whether it's helping someone practice a new language, explore a new place, or work through a new or challenging situation, Kansas Spanish Speakers is proving that community development sometimes starts with a conversation. In English, Spanish, or a little of both.
The Kansas Sampler Foundation, an Inman-based nonprofit, has been choosing We Kan! Award recipients every year since 1993 to show appreciation for dedicated work in helping preserve and sustain rural culture. KSF's We Kan! Network is made up of community leaders, do-ers, entrepreneurs, volunteers, and rural advocates who want to help rural communities be the best they can be at being themselves.
To see a list of previous We Kan! Award winners, visit kansassampler.org.