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A familiar face to BIIN and a distinct voice to locals. Almost every Saturday between the hours of 2 p.m – 4 p.m. A man with the name tag that reads Tony sits patiently adorned with a welcoming smile and warm words, waiting to help anyone who walks into the doors of Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network. But Tony is more than just a longtime volunteer with a familiar face to BIIN. He is one of the 8 founding members of Brazos Interfaith Immigration Network, and one of the two

FALL 2022 As BIIN wraps up this past academic year, there are some updates and accomplishments we had throughout the year we would like to share. After a few years of the pandemic affecting our programs, in the Fall of 2022, BIIN welcomed two new Americorp members who would manage and coordinate two of our main programs: the Information, Referral, and Assistance program managed by Tania Barrios, and the ESL program managed by Viviana Castillo. Tania and Viviana, both Texas A&

Bernardino Najera with his certificate of Citizenship. Aside from learning in class, Bernardino likes to have social events with all the other students at BIIN since it’s a place where people can be comfortable expressing themselves. It is a place where people make friends and build community. In his English class, level 4, they have gotten together as a group to have a tamale event in which students from Spain, Thailand, China, and many other countries unite to showcase a si

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 of his life. In Mexico, he was able to go to college and obtain a bachelor’s degree in Administration. Although he had a calm life surrounded by friends and a good job, at 26 years old, he left Mexico in March of 2022 to join his family in the United States, specifically the Bryan/College Sta

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 most of her life. In Queretaro, the majority of Rocio’s family lives there. In 2016, Rocio’s family arrived in the United States after a planned visit to see her husband’s family. What was planned as a quick visit, turned into a permanent stay. Rocio didn’t get the opportunity to say goodbye to

Meet Zaily Meza, known as “Zaelita” by friends and loved ones. Zaily and her family are from Honduras, and she looks back at her time growing up with nostalgic joy. Her childhood and adolescence spent in Honduras were filled with great memories and opportunities, such as going to college. She later moved to the United States with her family in October 2006, at age 17. After 16 years in the United States continuing to establish opportunities for herself and her family, Zaily c

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 with a growing love for soccer. Yesdel described how he decorated his room with Portugal team accessories, and Cristiano Ronaldo posters, who happens to be his favorite soccer player. Normally in Cuba, Yesdel would gather with friends and family to watch soccer. However, now he watches soccer in his free

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 established for herself, her concern with security in Juarez was the deciding factor in Sanjuana’s decision to move to the United States with her husband and her 4 children in April 2010, when she was 34 years old. Sanjuana remembers a recurring feeling of uncertainty when she moved to the Uni

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 life.” She grew up taking care of her father’s cattle by taking them to the paddock and feeding them, tasks that she would still occasionally do as an adult. Otherwise, once she was married and had children, her days centered around family: sending her kids to school, cleaning and doing household chores th