Mitchell Feuer is a WLC reading volunteer who recently retired from his government affairs firm - a business he ran for 19 years after practicing law, serving as an adjunct law professor and an in-house lobbyist, and working on Capitol Hill for the Senate Banking Committee. It’s no surprise that Mitchell has been hugely successful in helping our adult learners achieve their goals. Specifically, he’s been working with Dr. Robin Barr’s learners who are immigrants learning to read and write in English – many of whom faced educational challenges in their native countries. We had a chat with Mitchell and here’s what he shared:

WLC: What brought you to WLC, and how long have you been supporting our mission as a tutor?

Mitchell: I’ve been tutoring for about a year. My transition to retirement largely (and coincidentally) coincided with the pandemic, so I was ready and able to explore more volunteer opportunities. The timing was not planned, of course! Just worked out that way. So it was a crash course in slowing down and finding meaningful things to do, not just going to the office out of habit! I was aware of WLC both because I know (CEO & President) Jimmie Williams, and I have a friend who volunteered there years ago. But I think it clicked for me because it came up when I was investigating volunteer opportunities online — possibly through VolunteerMatch.

WLC: I understand you’ve had great success working with Fatma, can you share your tutoring experiences with her, and the progress she has made?

Mitchell: I think Fatma is making steady progress, which is very rewarding. Many of the words and even concepts are new — think how young American children are when they hear “Constitution” for the first time! — but she understands “liberty” and is excited to discuss it. She has made progress answering the questions about the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and three branches of government.

WLC: Mitchell, what initiated your passion for literacy and helping others learn how to read?

Mitchell: My parents valued education — they sacrificed so my sister and I could pursue higher education. And to me, reading is the essential first step to education. My mother came to this country at the age of 12, not speaking a word of English. So, helping immigrants learn to read English and become citizens is a small way of paying forward what the United States gave to my family.

WLC: Do you have a favorite author, book, genre?

Mitchell: I read more history and biography than anything else. Recently read Ross King’s “The Judgment of Paris,” about the birth of Impressionism, and really enjoyed it. The book I’ve read more times than any other is “The Great Gatsby” — but that’s a short book!