Growing up in a Spanish-speaking immigrant home, I had limited resources for learning English. My parents arrived from war-torn Nicaragua in the 1980s out of necessity. My father, a construction worker, only knew enough English to manage daily tasks. My mother, a former teacher, focused on teaching me to read and write in Spanish. While my older brother picked up more English playing with neighborhood kids, it wasn’t enough for my full language development. Fortunately, our television offered abundant English-language programming, including our local PBS station.

Through PBS, I watched children’s shows such as Sesame Street, Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood, and Reading Rainbow. These programs instilled values of respect, kindness, a love of learning, and the English language. Additionally, bilingual shows like Saludos (featuring puppets and people) and ¿Qué Pasa, USA? (a sitcom about a Cuban-American family) not only taught me English but also provided cultural representation similar to my own household. As a result, I was fully bilingual by kindergarten, and these shows helped me feel less isolated in my bilingual, bicultural upbringing.

My experience is not unique. Numerous immigrant families have learned English through their local PBS channels. Ana Regalado, a popular Mexican food content creator, immigrated to the U.S. at age six and recalls watching PBS with her sister, especially when it was too hot to play outside.

“Programs like Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, and Villa Allegre taught us basic math and English words,” Regalado states. “We didn’t understand at first, but I feel it was a big help.”

Elizabeth Salazar, author of , also quickly acquired English largely due to PBS programming.

“The pacing, framework, and structure of Sesame Street, combined with its adorable characters, made it very easy for me as a child to engage in learning a second language,” Salazar explains.

Paulette Erato, Founder of , mentions that PBS was a constant presence for her and her brother. Her mother, who spoke little English, was informed by Paulette’s kindergarten teacher that she spoke and understood English perfectly well.

Educational and bilingual programming continues on PBS stations nationwide, supporting young immigrant children in learning English through shows like and . Similarly, English-speaking children are exposed to Spanish and multiculturalism. I share these same shows with my bicultural son. However, current national leaders seem uninterested in fostering empathetic generations or helping immigrant children and families feel secure and welcomed in their new country.

In recent months, the president signed a bill , claiming government funding for news media is “outdated” and “unnecessary.” This directly led to the elimination of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) as the primary funding source for PBS.

While PBS as a national entity won’t cease operations soon, it has lost its largest financial supporter. This loss primarily affects local stations, which viewers rely on. Beyond reaching over half of all U.S. household televisions, these stations also .

These affected households resemble my own upbringing. While channels like Disney and Nickelodeon were occasional treats later on, PBS was consistently available and free for everyone. My local PBS station provided the educational shows I cherished. The ripple effects of potential local PBS station shutdowns will undoubtedly be deeply felt within lower-income immigrant communities, especially among young Latine children and families striving to learn the language and customs of a country that already .

Fortunately, efforts are underway to . Philanthropic organizations, including the , are collaborating for this cause.

Maribel Pérez Wadsworth, President & CEO of the Knight Foundation, expressed deep concern: “While PBS as a national institution is not going away, we are deeply concerned about local access, especially in rural communities where a local station may be the only source for trusted news, emergency information, and educational programming. That access is now under threat as many stations face potential closure or severe cutbacks.”

Pérez Wadsworth noted that the Knight Foundation hopes the bridge fund will stabilize the system and ensure service continuity, and they are seeking additional funders who understand the critical stakes.

Although I would likely have learned English eventually in school, I was fortunate to have PBS programming available to jumpstart my education. The puppets on Saludos and Sesame Street provided lessons in English reading, writing, and counting. Characters like Luis and Maria offered a glimpse of happy, thriving Latinos in a kind neighborhood. This was at a time when children like me didn’t fear ICE agents taking them or their families away; .

Many of us remain profoundly grateful to PBS for offering a space for learning and acceptance. Providing immigrant children and families this essential source of education and comfort is the least we can do.