Vivian Brates

Bio

Vivian Brates is an Advanced Lecturer in the Stanford Language Center, where she teaches Spanish language and culture courses with a particular emphasis on community-engaged learning. Since 2011, she has designed and taught a portfolio of courses that integrate advanced language learning with issues of migration, access to health care, and human rights through long-term partnerships with community organizations.

She believes that learning another language is ultimately about building understanding across cultures and seeing the world through other people's experiences and perspectives. In her community-engaged courses, students strengthen their language proficiency, intercultural competence, and communication skills by engaging directly with Spanish-speaking communities. Along the way, they gain a deeper understanding of the linguistic, cultural, and structural barriers that shape people's opportunities and experiences. Whether they pursue careers in medicine, law, education, engineering, business, research, or public service, her goal is to help students communicate thoughtfully across cultures and engage with others with empathy, humility, and respect.

Over the years, her courses have partnered with organizations including the International Institute of the Bay Area, the CARA Pro Bono Project, Al Otro Lado, Freedom for Immigrants, One Life (Una Vida) Counseling Services, UG2 campus service workers at Stanford, Sequoia High School's Newcomer Program, and Community Legal Services in East Palo Alto (CLSEPA).

Before joining Stanford, Vivian worked as a Human Rights Observer and Election Monitor with the United Nations and the Organization of American States in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, and Guatemala, and later as an advocate and lobbyist in Washington, D.C. Those experiences continue to shape her teaching and her commitment to connecting academic learning with meaningful community engagement.

Originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, Vivian attended the University of Buenos Aires before earning an M.A. in Spanish and Latin American Literatures from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an M.A. in Latin American Studies with a concentration in Economic Development from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.

Academic Appointments

• Advanced Lecturer, Stanford Language Center

Honors & Awards

• Global Engagement Initiative Award, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) (2023)
• Friends of Haas Award, Haas Center for Public Service (2022)
• Terman Fellow Mentorship Award, School of Engineering, Stanford University (2021)
• Global Studies Course Innovation Grant, Stanford University (2018)
• Stanford Partnership Award, Stanford Office of Public Service (2016)
• Global Engagement Initiative Award, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) (2016)
• Certificate of Recognition, State of California Senate (2016)

Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations

• Awards Selection Committee Member (Teaching of Culture & DEI Excellence Awards), American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) (2026 - Present)
• Board Member, One Life (Una Vida) Counseling Services (2023 - Present)
• Global Engagement Initiative Award Committee Member, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) (2018 - 2020)

Additional Program Affiliations

• Center for Human Rights and International Justice
• Center for Latin American Studies

Professional Education

• M.A., Georgetown University, Latin American Economic Development, School of Foreign Service
• M.A., University of California, Santa Barbara, Spanish & Latin American Literatures