Our Blog

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 town. Things were difficult for him and his family, as their hometown had poor infrastructure, limited opportunities for a formal education, and no electricity until the 1980s. So when an uncle who was living in Texas reached out, Nicolas decided to follow and made it to Houston in 1995. The tran

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 from Mexico to Texas in 2016 and is now looking towards getting U.S. citizenship. Legal permanent residents must live in the U.S. for five years before applying for citizenship, and Brenda is excited to begin that process now that she has reached that benchmark. Although she is

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