Immigrant Voices Archives | Page 2 of 3 | Immigration Institute of the Bay Area

IIBA Client: Amelia Hernandez

“IIBA staff always kept me updated on the status of my case and made me feel secure,” says Amelia Hernandez. She appreciates that sense of security more than ever after her nightmarish journey to the U.S.

Protecting and Serving his Community

Javier is the first member of his family to graduate from college, with a degree in criminal justice from San Jose State University, and plans of becoming a police officer one day. His aspirations of protecting and serving his community stem from the many struggles he faced growing up.

Client: Yoseline Chavez

I was already motivated to become a U.S. citizen, and my academic dreams only encouraged me more. I began the citizenship process by getting in contact with International Institute of the Bay Area. Having a U.S. passport feels like having a key to the world.

Volunteer: Betty Labastida

I started volunteering with the International Institute of the Bay Area (IIBA) over three years ago. I attended IIBA’s orientation and began helping individuals complete their citizenship applications. The flexible commitment really spoke to me. I have been volunteering about once a month since then.

Engineering His Dream: Moises Bautista

We first introduced you to Moises in the winter of 2013. An ambitious and enthusiastic college student, Moises had come to the U.S. as a teenager to escape the growing dangers in his hometown in Mexico. While Moises was taking classes at Cañada Community College, IIBA helped him apply for U- Visa status.

IIBA Lead Citizenship Instructor: Anthony Moss

“I’ve always had a love for language. I’ve always liked working with people from different cultures and backgrounds,” says Anthony Moss. In his 11 years as IIBA’s lead citizenship instructor, Anthony has done exactly that, teaching an average of 400 citizenship students a year.

Citizenship Student: Shodi H.

“As a taxi driver, every day I pick up customers from different countries, who share their stories with me. This is very similar to my experience as a student in IIBA’s citizenship classes. I look at my classmates from Ukraine, Mexico, and China, and think, ‘Wow this is the United States,’” says Shodi.

Volunteer: Ariana Hoyt

Ariana Hoyt first began to work with the immigrant community while attending Stanford. “In college, I worked for a tutoring program for Stanford janitors. It opened my eyes to see the janitor I worked with go through so much, yet still make an effort to improve his English.” This experience solidified her desire to work…

Volunteer: James Phelps

When high school student James Phelps began volunteering at IIBA, he knew his work would help others, but he had no idea the impact that volunteering would have on his own worldview.

Staff Profile: Hangama Asefi

Community Outreach Coordinator of IIBA’s Fremont office, Hangama Asefi has intimate knowledge of the traumas many immigrants face.

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