Immigrants and Mental Health At BIIN, we strive to serve the immigrant community. Mental health challenges are often overlooked in immigrant communities and have hindering effects on individuals as well as their children. One of Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Bernardino Najera Bernardino “Berna” Najera is from San Luis Potosi, Mexico where he worked in agriculture, growing onions and tomatoes in his garden. Bernardino completed an Agriculture degree at Universidad Autonoma De San Read more…
Volunteer Spotlight: Christopher Bui This month BIIN felt that a spotlight needed to be shined on our volunteers who everyday are the first point of contact for our students when they are in class. For Read more…
Looking for a new ESL Coordinator Americorp Member! We are hiring! Click here to view the full job description. Email info@brazosimmigration.com to learn how to apply for the position with the subject “Americorp Position”
Interns reflect on their time at BIIN As the Spring semester of 2023 comes to an end, our interns are also coming to their final days and weeks at BIIN. We asked the interns for Read more…
Volunteer Spotlight: Angela Rios One of the most important parts of BIIN’s IRA program are the clinics. Every Saturday from 2-4 PM BIIN opens its doors for people who might need help from our Information, Read more…
Volunteer Spotlight: Dipesh Balakrishnan This month we would like to showcase our volunteers here at BIIN. One consistent volunteer for English classes is Dipesh Balakrishnan. Dipesh Balakrishnan shared some of his personal life and gave Read more…
Looking for Summer and Fall Interns! Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network seeks unpaid interns each semester to help us run our programs. We are a local nonprofit with a mission to promote the human dignity and Read more…
An English Class Event: Promoting Resources The ESL program at BIIN is the largest program, serving more than 70 students each week. English classes are a safe space where the community can gather and share Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Alejandro Vasquez Alejandro Vasquez with his diploma in Bachelor’s Administration. Meet Alejandro Vazquez, the second oldest in a family of four. He was born in San Luis Potosi, Mexico where he lived most Read more…
Brazos County Nonprofit Mixer The Brazos County Nonprofit Mixer was an event hosted by the First Baptist Bryan Outreach Team for many of the nonprofits in the community to come table in hopes of sharing Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Rocio Mosqueda Rocio and her family enjoying the Christmas season. Rocio Mosqueda was born in Guanajuato, Mexico, but moved early on in her childhood to Queretaro, Mexico where she was raised for the Read more…
First Friday: February 3, 2023 February is the month that kickstarted Outreach Events for the semester. In this month we have begun to plan Sip & Learns, First Fridays and reaching out to many organizations Read more…
BIIN at the Public Service Networking Mixer event This time, Grace Graham and Nena Walton, our outreach interns, took the leadership role. Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network was one of the organizations participating in the Spring Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Zaily Mesa Zaily likes to spend time with her two children Meet Zaily Meza, known as “Zaelita” by friends and loved ones. Zaily and her family are from Honduras, and she looks back Read more…
Interns Spring 2023 Lead On From left to right: Freddy, José, Minha, Christian, Grace, Nena, and Alyssa at the Spring Intern Orientation. It’s a new year, and with that comes a new class of interns Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Yesdel Benitez Yesdel Benitez was born in a small town called San Nicolas in Cuba, where most of his family resides today. Growing up, Yesdel had a normal childhood surrounded by family and Read more…
BIIN’s AmeriCorps Members Lead On BIIN has traditionally operated with a small staff, including a rotating cast of unpaid interns, and long relied on volunteers to serve not only on its governing board but also Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Sanjuana Rodriguez Meet Sanjuana Rodriguez, or “Jenny” as her friends and family call her. Sanjuana was born and raised in Juarez, Mexico. Despite being surrounded by her family, friends, and the life she Read more…
BIINtern sequels: Gloria McIntush, teaching ESL As her final semester as an undergraduate at Texas A&M drew to a close, Gloria McIntush knew what awaited her: the many questions from well-meaning family and friends about Read more…
Introducing BIIN’s new Director, Vannessa Rivera To pursue its mission, BIIN relies on the skills and gifts of many people: staff, board, volunteers, donors, community partners and clients. Having benefited for many years from the Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Elizabeth Monarrez Maria Elizabeth Monarrez was born in a little town in Durango, Mexico which is where most of her family still lives today. In Mexico, she had what she considered “a simple Read more…
Partners in adult formation: BIIN and Region 6 ESC English classes for adult learners are one of the most popular programs that BIIN provides. Even as other programs’ enrollments dipped during the worst months of Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Juanita Garza Meet Juanita Garza. She is from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. After being raised in, getting married and starting a family in Nuevo Laredo, Juanita did not expect to come to the United Read more…
Shared stories: colleagues reflect on overlapping periods of service to BIIN You know the lyrics, “There is a season, turn, turn, turn…” BIIN is turning a page this season, and as the organization adapts to Read more…
A tribute to Jaimi Washburn, BIIN Director Extraordinaire Non-profit organizations rely on the involvement, support and leadership of many people. But when someone who has served the organization in a key role for many years Read more…
New Intern Position: Case Management Assistant The IRA team is looking for a case management assistant. Check out the job description here. If you have questions, please email Tania Barrios, tania@brazosimmigration.com.
BIIN is excited to participate in Brazos Valley Gives with a dollar for dollar matching gift up to $5,000 thanks to the generosity of The Joyce Nies and Peter Witt Foundation. Our goal is to Read more…
Want to join a committee? Want to help BIIN achieve its 2022 goals? We need action-minded individuals to help on our committees! If you have interest in planning, fundraising, publicity, organizing, grant writing, or other Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Yazmín García Meet Yazmín García, known by friends and family as Yaz. She and her family are from Monterrey, Mexico, where she worked as a chemist in a food lab for seven years Read more…
New BIIN Board Assumes Leadership Members of the 2022-23 BIIN Board of Directors gather in September 2022. From left to right: Susan Dennis, Angela Rios, Judith Briseno, Maria Martinez, Nancy Plankey-Videla, Michelle Esparza, and Tere Read more…
Transitions: BIIN’s Staff for Fall 2022 BIIN Director Jaimi Washburn consults with colleagues Janet Morford and Adriana Stowe, and board chair Amy Klinkovsky, in September 2021. At the start of every semester, BIIN welcomes new Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Joel Nava Joel Nava, who was born in 1959 in Mexico City, Mexico, grew up in a big family with 10 siblings. Joel attended the Instituto Politecnico Nacional, where he earned a degree Read more…
Congratulations to Angela Suarez, U.S. Citizen! Angela Suarez had given up much to move to the United States in 2014. As a young educated professional in her native Colombia, she had a thriving practice as Read more…
BIIN and Santa Teresa Catholic Church Co-host Guatemalan Mobile Consulate BIIN and Santa Teresa Catholic Church have a long history of cooperation, as both are deeply committed to serving immigrants across the Brazos Valley. In Read more…
¿Tiene una cita con el consulado móvil en Bryan? Aquí tiene la información que necesita saber.
Faces of BIIN: Clotilde Pichon Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network was established in the fall of 2010 by a small circle of committed residents who saw the lack of resources available to immigrants in the Brazos Read more…
BIIN Helps Bring Guatemalan Mobile Consulate to Bryan Any person who lives outside of their country of origin may need the services of a consulate, an office with the authority to issue governmental identity cards, Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Nara Vera Nara (right) working with a fellow student to learn new vocabulary and the verb “to be” during an early summer 2022 Conversational English class at BIIN. Every Wednesday night, student Nara Read more…
New AmeriCorps Member Positions! We currently have two AmeriCorps member positions open. One is for our English classes and the other position is for the Information, Referral, and Assistance program. Check out the job descriptions to Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Isabel Noriega Meet Isabel Noriega. She has five children, one son and four daughters, all adults now. She and her family are from the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, where she worked for 20 Read more…
IRA Refers Newcomers to Needed Resources Moving to a new city is one of the most difficult things you can do, especially when you are on your own. Not knowing where the nearest grocery store Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Anarela Mitchell Meet Anarela Mitchell. Originally from Caracas, Venezuela, Anarela has been traveling back and forth for the last 30 years, but has been living in the United States for the past five Read more…
IRA Offers Assurances through Power of Attorney If you are anticipating being in a situation where you may not be able to act or make decisions on your own, you can establish what is called Read more…
BIINvestment: Renewed Community Support for BIIN! As a small non-profit organization, BIIN takes pride in being able to do a great deal on a fairly limited budget. Part of BIIN’s approach is to rely on Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Mariana Fierro Olivares Mariana Fierro Olivares was born and spent much of her early life in Mexico City. She enjoyed living there, and recalls walking on the main avenue in the city, going Read more…
BIINtern Sequels: José Morales, humanitarian aid In the summer of 2019, José Morales was half way through his junior year at Texas A&M. A sociology major from Victoria, Mexico, he knew he wanted to do Read more…
IRA Helps Neighbors Find Local Resources The process of seeking asylum is a hardship that many immigrants face when attempting to come to the United States for a better and safer life. Having a support Read more…
Q & A with Conversational English teacher, Julia Lynch BIIN is fortunate to have a strong corps of volunteers serving as English teachers this spring. One of them, Julia Lynch, has designed her class so Read more…
NEW Resource! College Guide for Undocumented High School Students in Texas Are you or someone you know thinking about college, but worried that being undocumented will make it hard to attend or afford college? Take Read more…
¿Tiene preguntas sobre el pago de impuestos?
Conversational English teaching team springs forward Conversational English classes have been an important and increasingly popular part of BIIN’s programs for several years, even when they had to move online in response to the coronavirus Read more…
IRA gives guidance to vulnerable workers Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network received a call from an immigrant neighbor; he had been injured while he was working at his job. Due to his injury, he was demoted Read more…
Welcome to one of our newest citizens! BIIN celebrates every milestone, big or small, knowing that sometimes the biggest ones come in small packages. One such milestone happened on March 13, 2022, when Miguel Eduardo Read more…
Immigrant stories: Yris Rodriguez Originally from Venezuela, Yris Rodriguez came to the United States 6 years ago, more specifically, in September 2015. During those years, Venezuela had been going through political changes that caused social Read more…
IRA Provides Peace of Mind © Stacy Sodolak for The New York Times A woman who is not a U.S. citizen came to the IRA clinic held at Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network, to ask if Read more…
Immigrant stories: Alma Hernandez Before immigrating to the United States, Alma Hernandez lived in San Luis Potosi, Mexico. She remembers it as a place of limited opportunities. Not only was the city an unsafe place Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Nereida Lopez Nereida Lopez attended college in Mexico, but was unable to find work in her field. Like many people who have come to the U.S. in search of greater opportunities, Nereida quickly Read more…
Update on BIIN Programs for Spring 2022 BIIN is jumping into 2022 with a full slate of programs. Despite the many challenges posed by the on-going coronavirus pandemic, BIIN volunteers are working hard to maintain Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Maria Ruiz On November 16, 2021 Maria Ruiz successfully completed the most daunting and difficult part of the American citizenship process: the USCIS naturalization test. Fresh from passing her naturalization test, Maria was Read more…
Immigrant stories: Josefa Contreras Cuevas Josefa Contreras Cuevas is one of the students in the Level 2 Conversational English classes at BIIN, but her story is quite unique and sets her apart from other students. Read more…
El Maestro Receives “Remarkable” Recognition For many people across the Brazos Valley, BIIN is synonymous with “El Maestro,” its long-time volunteer and community advocate, José Antonio Caraballo. It is through Tony Caraballo’s work in many Read more…
Partner Spotlight: St. Thomas Episcopal Church Many of BIIN’s community partners over the years have been faith-based organizations. BIIN itself was created by people who had witnessed the frequency with which low-income immigrant neighbors appealed Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Rafael Sepulveda Rafael Sepulveda is one the faithful few that have been attending the level 3 conversational English classes at BIIN this fall, and his hard work and determination extend beyond the realm Read more…
BIIN Gives Thanks! It’s the time of year when everywhere we turn, we are invited to express our gratitude. Here are some of the people and things that we at BIIN are grateful for, as Read more…
Partner Spotlight: St. Thomas Episcopal Church BIIN has long relied on allied organizations, known as “community partners,” to support its mission in various ways: by providing space for offices or special events, funding or in-kind Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Nicolas Aguirre Nicolas Aguirre shared his story with Carolina Kane, a BIIN intern in the summer of 2021, who wrote this profile. Originally from Guerrera, Mexico, Nicolas Aguirre grew up in a small Read more…
Faces of BIIN: Mollie Fitzpatrick If you moved across the country to a new town, how would you find like-minded people? What if meeting folks through work was not an option, since the organization you Read more…
October Fundraising Efforts October has been a busy month for BIIN staff, interns and volunteers, due to two sequential fundraising efforts: the local Brazos Valley Gives campaign and a Covid-conscious version of BIIN’s annual Light Read more…
A Tribute to Rhoda Segur When Rhoda Segur passed away on August 3, 2021, BIIN — along with other organizations and people — lost a remarkable advocate and friend. We take this opportunity to recall Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Brenda Maldonado A relatively new student to the BIIN community, Brenda has worked to take advantage of the resources BIIN provides. In January 2021, she began attending BIIN’s online citizenship classes. Brenda moved Read more…
Brazos Valley Gives Campaign: Now through October 19, 2021 In order to provide quality services at no cost to immigrant neighbors in need, BIIN must raise funds. We work to do so in many ways: Read more…
BIIN is offering a full slate of programs for fall 2021. Despite the many challenges posed by the on-going coronavirus pandemic, BIIN volunteers are working hard to maintain Read more…
BIIN achieves SECC approval We are thrilled to announce that as of September 1, 2021 Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network is an approved State Employee Charitable Campaign (SECC) organization. This means that if you work for Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Leidy Lopez Originally from Colombia, Leidy Lopez moved to the Bryan/College Station area in October 2018. She moved here after her husband came to earn a doctorate at Texas A&M University. Adjusting to Read more…
Haga clic aquí para obtener los recursos de COVID-19! -------- Click here to get COVID-19 resources!
Partner Spotlight: St. Andrew’s BIIN has long relied on allied organizations, known as “community partners,” to support its mission in various ways: by providing space for offices or special events, funding or in-kind donations, specialized Read more…
Summer Superstars! It’s summer in central Texas: hot, humid, sunny one minute, rainy the next. The crepe myrtles are blooming gloriously, the mosquitoes are buzzing, and the grass keeps growing so fast it’s hard to Read more…
Summer Superstars: The Conversational English Team Learning a second language, as an adult, takes time, practice and a patient community of people who use the language and support you in your efforts to develop your Read more…
Faces of BIIN: Vivian Bronsoler As a major university, Texas A&M brings many people and resources to the Brazos Valley. But there is also a flip side: the patterns of connection and movement that universities Read more…
BIIN on the move! In response to a request from Grace Bible Church, BIIN has moved from its original office to a new location on the church campus. Since the church will be using the Read more…
Allies Spring into Action Many people are familiar with BIIN’s long-standing citizenship and Conversational English classes and the Information/Referral/Assistance (IRA) program. But there’s another program, known as “Allies in Action,” that has been added to Read more…
CMSA and ComUnidad 2021 BIIN benefits in countless ways from operating in a community that Texas A&M University also calls home. From the wide and diverse realm of TAMU-related people, BIIN regularly recruits much of Read more…
Behind the Scenes at Citizenship Classes BIIN has been offering citizenship classes in one form or another for years: the program is designed to help prospective applicants understand the process of applying for US citizenship Read more…
Immigrant Stories: Melissa Dávila Adults who study English as a second language, at BIIN and elsewhere, do so for many different reasons. Some are preparing for the naturalization exam. Some want to speak better English to improve Read more…
Citizenship Classes Continue Strong If you follow the news, you likely know that one of the measures taken by the Trump administration during its final weeks in power was to decree changes to the civics Read more…
Recommended Reading BIIN’s mission is to promote the dignity and well-being of all immigrants in our community, and to advocate for and facilitate better access to legal, educational and social services. While our organization acts Read more…
Volunteer Spotlight: Darci Kole, Website Specialist Darci Kole has much in common with other BIIN volunteers. She identifies with BIIN’s mission “to promote the dignity and well-being of immigrants” as vital parts of our communities. Read more…
Update on BIIN CARES Fund In early February 2021, we announced the Board’s decision to extend the BIIN CARES Fund, in order to provide financial assistance to immigrant-led households still reeling from the effects of Read more…
Vaccination Education and Registration Campaign The push to vaccinate people against the coronavirus has brought energy and hope to communities across the country and around the world. In the United States, who can get vaccinated, Read more…
Have you been thinking about the new year and the experiences you want to have in 2021? Are you looking for safe ways to connect with and help others, as the pandemic continues? Here’s a Read more…
If you have participated in BIIN’s English conversation classes at any time over the past few years, you’ve probably met Zoë Schneider. A Texas A&M senior graduating in May 2021, Zoë has been a key Read more…
Yesenia Aguilar is a U.S. citizen, for she was born and began her life in Beaumont, Texas. But when she was still a baby, her parents separated, and her mother took Yesenia back to Mexico, Read more…
Like non-profit organizations across the country, 2020 has been a challenging year for BIIN when it comes to fundraising. The pandemic has made it unwise to pursue plans for in-person fundraising events, such as the Read more…
This year, give your friends and family gifts of kindness that help local immigrants. Your gift receipt will receive a specially designed e-greeting card of your choice and the joy of knowing that, because of them, immigrants will have access to...
As 2020 draws to a close and the U.S. anticipates new leadership from the White House, many people have been wondering what this may mean for immigration law, policy and regulations. For those interested in learning Read more…
For a decade now, BIIN has served the Brazos Valley: promoting the human dignity and well-being of all immigrants in our community, by offering classes and programs that meet a variety of needs, advocating for Read more…
Ten years ago, when BIIN was formed and began as an organization to offer services to immigrants in the Brazos Valley, its “charter” program was IRA: Information, Referral and Assistance. For years, IRA’s trained volunteers have hosted Read more…
The coronavirus pandemic has changed and complicated many things we once took for granted. For parents, helping children succeed in school is one of many daily tasks that the public health crisis has transformed. Whether children attend Read more…
What would BIIN be without its volunteers? An empty shell, a driverless car, a promise waiting to be fulfilled. All of BIIN’s programs and services are planned and run by volunteers – people who share Read more…
Immigrating to the U.S. is a long, hard process, requiring years of effort, patience and persistence. Angela Suarez knows, for she and her family have been taking the steps required to immigrate and become citizens Read more…
In people’s lives, birthdays and anniversaries mark the passage of time. In the life of an organization, taking stock of what has been and thinking about what is to come often happen at the annual Read more…
It was January 2013. Mary Campbell was looking for a good way to help her A&M undergrads understand the relevance of readings and lectures about race and ethnicity in American society. As an associate professor Read more…
Jesús Alberto Pérez Delgado had a rich and interesting life in Venezuela. He had a good education and a rewarding career as a manager, administrator and executive, specializing in financial management and human resources. For some thirty years, he worked for firms in various industries, including...
The news media continue to provide much food for thought, regarding: evidence of disparities in the ways that the coronavirus pandemic has impacted different segments of the population, debates over the nature of any future Read more…
Calls have been coming in to Línea Amiga, the local Spanish-language helpline that was created to provide a way for people to ask questions and get information related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was launched Read more…
How does a non-profit “pivot” in a pandemic? For BIIN, this has meant keeping our focus on the needs of immigrants in our community, while practicing social distancing, to ensure that we do not contribute Read more…
BIIN is hosting a virtual Sip and Learn event via Zoom on Saturday, June 27, at 3 pm. We will have a lively discussion and a chance to hear not only about the families that received Read more…
A new Spanish-language helpline, Línea Amiga, has just been launched to provide information for people impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Staffed by trained volunteers, and supported jointly by BIIN, Friends Congregational Church, and the First Read more…
College Station, Texas has been home for Darcey Rydl for all of her life. As a native of the region attending Texas A&M University, it would have been easy for her to stay in her Read more…
Rosa Lopez grew up in Durango, Mexico and has many happy memories of life there. But her life took an unexpected turn when her husband moved to central Texas, joining members of an extended family Read more…
Dear friends, Wow! ¡Carramba! Ouf! We did it! Thanks to your generosity, we have reached our goal in the BIIN CARES campaign: raising $50,000 to support our neighbors impacted by COVID-19 and the economic downturn. In particular, Read more…
Article written by Yvonne Reyes (KYR Intern) Mrs. Teresa Gonzalez is originally from Pachuca Hidalgo, Mexico. She arrived in the United States in 1998, looking for a way to support herself. She first lived in El Paso, Texas, working for Read more…
Article written by Ana Balderas (IRA Intern) Recently, a man who works in construction came to BIIN, to ask for help recovering wages for a job he had done. To make it easier to tell Read more…