Orlando Woman Helps English-Learners Reduce Accents - News 13 Orlando

ORLANDO, Fla — A Central Florida woman made it her business to help English learning Hispanics to lose their accent.

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What You Need To Know

• Voice actress Cindi Huppel is using her talents to help others


• Huppel first started her accent reduction class back in 2006


• She got the idea for her business based on experience living in Latin America

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Central Florida leaders have shared with us that many English learning Hispanics feel embarrassed by their accent because of the way some stereotyped them.

Cindi Huppel first started to her accent reduction class back in 2006. Since then, she has helped hundreds of people.

The voice actress said she got the idea for her business based on her experience living in Latin America.

"I wished so badly that I had, all those years I was there learning Spanish, was somebody who spoke English in my ear saying 'the reason it's done like this is because 'blah blah blah blah'," Huppel said.

Currently, two of her students are a married couple, Brenda Perez, a real estate agent, and Sergio, her husband.

Perez said most of her work involves calling potential clients over the phone.

Like many English learners, she felt people would look down on her because of her accent. Perez said many people see her as uneducated because of her accent.

"Sometimes unfortunately, I felt, I felt like people were stereotyping [me] because of my accent," she said.

Huppel said every student learns at their own pace but within a few short months she sees a difference.

"The more confident they start feeling, the more they start pushing themselves and getting out there to talk more," Huppel said.

After three months working with Huppel, Brenda feels more comfortable speaking English, especially when she gives her clients tours of homes.

"Honestly, you know, in this job I always have to speak with my clients so, the confidence I feel with taking a couple of classes with Cindi, it has helped me a lot," she said.

For Huppel, nothing makes her smile more than watching the progress her student's like Brenda and Sergio make every week.

"It makes the whole thing worthwhile," she said.