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Committed to our Community

Our Mission

All Saints Literacy Center enables adult learners to meet the challenges of today by improving their reading, writing, math and English speaking skills. Qualified tutors provide an individualized learning plan tailored to the goals and objectives of the learner in a welcoming environment.

Our Sisters

Recognizing the need for adult literacy services in Southwest Detroit, Sister Mary Hemmen, OP established All Saints Literacy Center as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and opened its doors, with Roger Frank, in July of 2015. Since then, ASLC has welcomed over 200 learners and over 100 volunteer tutors.

Sr. Mary remained a champion for adult literacy until her death in 2018.  She is remembered as remarkable, a gem, pragmatic, and a faithful servant.  We are honored to continue her vision and grateful to be one of seven literacy centers that is a Sponsored Institution of the Adrian Dominican Sisters.

Our Staff

Génesis Mancheren Ab’äj , Digital Literacy Instructor

Génesis Mancheren Ab’äj has been working as a filmmaker in the independent film and art world for the past ten years, primarily as a producer, actor and film editor. Their work, both inside and outside of film, is informed by Queer and Indigenous media practices, both taught and created with(in) their Maya Kaqchikel and Central American communities. They also bring a background in journalism and creative writing from Columbia’s Graduate School of Journalism and New York University, respectively.
Their written, produced and edited work has shown at Toronto Film Festival, Tribeca Film Festival, VR Arles Festival, Icaro Film Festival, Rooftop Films, as well as Open Society Foundation, Leslie Lohman Museum, Centro Corona and more.
In the fall of 2024, Génesis was an independent researcher and short-term fellow at the Newberry Library, working on their interdisciplinary project called Re Re’ Mayab. As of October 2024, they are the Digital Media Literacy instructor of Detroit’s All Saints Literacy Center.

Angelique Diéguez, Data Coordinator

Angelique Diéguez has over 6 years experience working in K-12 schools, specifically Title 1 schools serving underprivileged youth, including English language learners and students with disabilities. Prior to working in education, she worked with Congressman John Conyers Jr., specializing in veteran and immigration affairs for his Detroit constituents. Helping people (and animals) in need has always been a passion for Angelique.
She received her bachelor’s degree from Wayne State University and is currently working on her Masters in Counseling from there as well. Angelique has the privilege of both learning from Wayne State University as well as currently working full-time with graduate studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Angelique is a first generation American with immigrant parents and is proud to be a first generation graduate. She is excited to continue her passion for helping people with All Saints Literacy and hopes to expand the resources and knowledge for our learners and the community. As of  July 2024, she is the Data Coordinator of Detroit’s All Saints Literacy Center.

Alex Loughead, ESL/ELL Instructor

 Alex Loughead has been teaching English in almost every context imaginable for over 13 years now. He has a Bachelor’s Degree of Arts in Philosophy and German. He is TEFL Certified and is currently working toward his Standard Teaching Certificate in English with the State of Michigan.  He has experience teaching English Language Arts (ELA), and classical and American literature.  He has had students from a variety of different backgrounds, countries and ethnicities.
He has experience teaching a diverse range of students, including adults, children, business professionals, as well as high school and college students.  Currently he is teaching ESL in a K-5 school in Warren, MI. Alex believes one of the most important aspects to an effective learning environment is for students to feel comfortable and have fun while working toward their goal/objective.  This is central to his approach as a teacher. He believes the learning process should always be enjoyable but goals should still be measurable and attainable.
In his free time Alex enjoys playing guitar, practice martial arts like Kung Fu and study foreign languages. He is fluent in German and at the beginner/intermediate level in a few other languages such as Spanish, Portuguese and Albanian – currently trying to learn more Russian.  As of  July 2024, he is the ESL/ELL Instructor of Detroit’s All Saints Literacy Center.

Elizabeth Nanas, M.Ed., Executive Director

Elizabeth Nanas is an educator, designer, and organizational strategist specializing in collaborative learning, cross-cultural communication, multi-method evaluation, and social impact storytelling. She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree and has more than 20 years of professional experience in K-12, post-secondary, nonprofit, automotive, biomedical learning, and economically informal communities. As of 2023, she is the Executive Director of Detroit’s All Saints Literacy Center.

Elizabeth has taught and conducted research for the Wayne State University Department of Anthropology and College of Engineering Management Master’s Program. She has held a King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship at Wayne State University and a Dow Chemical Hong Kong Research Fellowship at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and has advanced study in medical and organizational anthropology with a focus on identity, collaboration, innovation, and scientific breakthrough acceleration. Her work has been published in Anthropology News, Anthropology of Work, SAGE Reference Series on Green Society, Society for Applied Anthropology, and United Nations Division for the Advancement of Women, and she has served as a grant reader for the Michigan Department of Education.

Elizabeth earned a social impact storytelling certificate from Georgetown University in 2020 and is using what she learned to help people harness the power of effective storytelling for the strategic benefit of organizations and society as a whole. Most recently, Elizabeth was honored to be a Fellow of the 2023 Detroit Workforce Leadership Academy. The Academy — launched in partnership by the Corporation for a Skilled Workforce and the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program — brought leaders from across the Detroit workforce ecosystem together for a year-long series of retreats, workshops, and action learning projects.

Isabel Pardo, Program Manager

Isabel has 8 years of experience working in community services and previously served the community as an ERSEA associate (Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance) for Matrix Human Services. In that role she provided support for a diverse population of students, including students with disabilities and English language learners.

Isabel believes in the importance of mental health advocacy and awareness. As a first-generation immigrant she understands the importance of breaking language barriers and obtaining a higher education. She has a strong passion for family, community services, and believes in providing wrap-around support and resources within the community to overcome barriers families may encounter throughout their educational journey. As of  April 2022, she is the Program Manager of Detroit’s All Saints Literacy Center.