Community partnerships allow schools and districts to empower and engage a broad range of English learners and their families in culturally responsive ways to support student learning and socio-emotional development. This article serves as an introduction to this issue of "Voices in Urban Education." This issue focuses on out-of-school programs that engage students who are newcomers, refugees, immigrants, and children of immigrants, often labeled as "English learners." This article begins with the author sharing her experience as an English language learner.