By Rami Mansi
The Immigrant Student Success Office (ISSO) celebrated its fifth anniversary on Oct. 8 with meaningful remarks from its various leaders and those in the Brooklyn College community. The celebration was marked with awards of recognition delivered to dedicated collaborators who have supported ISSO’s mission of supporting immigrant students from the start.
ISSO opened in 2019 to “recruit, enroll, and retain students, with an emphasis on new immigrants […] by providing the necessary academic and non-academic support to ensure graduation,” according to their official mission statement. For the past five years, ISSO has provided legal, mental health, and academic support to immigrant students at BC. ISSO faculty emphasize that it is their goal to empower the students who come to the office, making sure that they have a say in their education and beyond.
“We have the students take ownership of their voices,” said Jesus Perez, director of ISSO. “We’re there to give them a platform.”
Leslie Ramirez Carbajal, program coordinator at ISSO, named the external partners that helped ISSO achieve its mission and extend the office’s reach past BC, which include Common Point Queens, Exhale to Inhale, the Brooklyn Public Library, the Brave House, and Volunteers Of Legal Services (VOLS).
A frequent collaborator with ISSO, the BC Dream Team club focuses on “[supporting] undocumented students and their families by providing them with available information, resources, and emotional support,” according to their official mission statement. Speakers at the celebration shared their personal experiences with ISSO and how it has been crucial for their educational journey.
“More than anything the office has offered a special place for me to work, learn, and grow in a community of students with similar backgrounds and experiences. I have been embraced by this community with so much love, compassion, and respect,” said Brenda Bravo, president of the Dream Team.
The anniversary comes at a time when many immigrant and undocumented students face difficulties continuing their education. Currently, the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which protects children of undocumented immigrants from being deported, is being contested in a federal appeals court based on a lawsuit claiming some of its contents are unlawful, according to CBS News. For ISSO and the Dream Team, it is of the utmost importance to continue to support the community regardless of whether or not DACA is struck down.
“Over the course of five years, ISSO has been working towards closing the gap for undocumented and immigrant students by empowering students and providing resources,” said Diana Reyes, vice president of the Dream Team and the Program and Community Building Federman Fellow at ISSO. “This 5th-year anniversary celebration marks the efforts that have been made to further the mission of creating a safe space for undocumented, immigrant, and first-generation students.”
At the celebration, speakers explained the impact ISSO has had, not just in terms of academic success for every student, but personal success as well.
“The office being open five years already means it’s been around for more than one student’s journey. It’s helped more than one student feel seen, empowered, and valued in a space that is often hard to navigate,” said Bravo. “The office has made an impact on so many lives, I don’t doubt that when I see how people show up to events like the graduation ceremony or the anniversary celebration. I see the impact it has.”
ISSO hopes to continue its mission of providing a safe space for immigrant and undocumented students on campus so that they can all feel welcomed and empowered as they go about their college lives.
“People gravitate towards this space because of how warm and welcoming it feels,” said Bravo. “And it’s truly a beacon of light to those who find their way to this space.”
Students interested in learning more about ISSO can visit their Instagram @issobc or visit their website https://www.brooklyn.edu/dosa/student-support-services/isso/