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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 some of the skills and sensitivities that made Rhoda Segur such a tremendous asset to BIIN over the years. To understand what Rhoda brought to BIIN, it’s helpful to know more about her background and experiences before she became a BIIN volunteer and supporter.  Rhoda Danielle Segur was born in 1940 in De

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 expertise, help in recruiting volunteers, and other kinds of support. Many of BIIN’s founders were leaders from various local congregations who saw providing support for immigrants as a natural extension of their faith.  As a result, many of our community partners over

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 life in Texas was challenging for Leidy, due both to culture shock and to the fact that she did not speak much English. Back in Colombia, Leidy had family, a job she adored working in human resources, and the streets were filled with music and friendly faces. In the U.S. Leidy found it i

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 their job prospects or to be able to help their children with schoolwork.  Many realize that they and their families will have better opportunities if they can communicate in more than one language.  Regardless of their motivations, each adult learner brings something unique to th

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, to live close to extended family.  She grew up speaking Spanish and has warm memories of her childhood and youth, surrounded by family, in San Luis de Potosi. Her mother remarried, and Yesenia was able to finish high school. But when it came time to think about next steps, her options in M

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 of the U.S. for decades.  Their story reveals many of the challenges and obstacles that immigrants face, as they follow the process required by U.S. laws. For Angela’s family, the story began in Colombia, the country that their family had always considered home. 

Jesús Alberto regularly attended Conversation Partners classes when they were held in person at the BIIN office, and he was among the first to join when the class moved online in response to the pandemic.  “I prefer in-person classes,” he notes, “But when the teacher drives Zoom, it’s no problem!”  Whether classes are online or in person, Jesús Alberto is eager to learn and quick to participate.  He volunteers often, listens carefully and responds thoughtfully to what instruc

Mary writing checks for BIIN CARES 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 of sociology, Mary knew she wanted her students to have personal contact with people from other backgrounds, to talk and work with them in ways that would help them understand others’ experiences and question their own assumptions. 

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 network who had lived and worked in the region for decades. Deciding that she would rather follow him than live apart, Rosa arrived in Bryan in 2001. After the first of their two sons was born, Rosa realized that her family would have access to better healthcare, education and econ