about us

Who we are

Vecino Center for Language and Culture is a social hub that hosts classes and events centered around languages and cultural traditions from around the world. Through Vecino Center, people from all walks of life can gather without the borders and limitations that typically separate us. We’re here to support and strengthen the international communities that thrive in North Carolina, so join us in celebrating our global diversity!

Group of women dancing outdoors in colorful traditional dresses with floral patterns and high heels, performing a Mexican folkloric dance at Vecino Center's International Dance Showcase.
Three women standing outside on a cloudy day, holding Spanish graduation certificates and smiling at the camera.

Why we do it

There is an amazing wealth of global knowledge in our local community, and we’re here to celebrate it. Problem is… it can be difficult to access languages and cultures that differ from your own. We’re on a mission to ensure that everyone with an interest in global languages and traditions can thoughtfully explore and experiment without having to book that expensive ticket abroad or scavenge the internet, only to find misleading information. The world is already right here, in your backyard.

And we get it, meeting cool people is a challenge. We’re here to fix that. To meet your new best friends, we recommend chatting in Italian over a cappuccino, twirling the night away after a salsa lesson, and rolling up your sleeves for a chimichurri-making workshop while speaking Spanish the entire time. There’s nothing better than a shared experience to connect you with other interesting and curious people who love world languages and cultures as much as you do.

You may call us old school because we focus on in-person classes and events. We know that intercultural education is as much about who you are with as what you are learning. Our in-person classes offer that incomparable sense of camaraderie that helps us to break down barriers in our community and really get to know each other.

What we offer

For individuals looking to learn a language:

We offer group language classes and private lessons in Spanish, Italian, French, Arabic, and German, with an emphasis on practical communication and real-world speaking skills.

Our conversation hours give you an opportunity to practice speaking outside of class. We have hosted conversation hours in more than 12 languages, including Tagalog, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese, Dutch, and more!

For businesses looking to improve their internal or external communication:

We provide personalized language training for your employees, volunteers, and clients, offered online or in person. Our programs include workplace Spanish (medical, culinary, construction, banking, etc.), customer service in multilingual communities, and corporate communication across languages. Our clients have included Chick-fil-A, First Horizon Bank, and The Shalom Project.

Three Italian speakers sitting at a wooden table in a restaurant, toasting with glasses, smiling and enjoying their time together, with a sign that says 'ITALIAN' on the table.
A group of people attending a presentation in a bright, airy room with large windows and decorated with plants and artwork.

It’s very important to know the neighbor next door and the people down the street and the people in another race.

Maya Angelou