Meet Brenda González, Deputy Director, New Routes

Find out a little about our own Brenda González in the National Program Office who, when she first came to the U.S. landed in Sheboygan, a small community in Wisconsin.

1. If you are an immigrant, tell us what it means to be an immigrant in the United States. If you are not an immigrant, tell us how the immigrant issue touches you on personal level.

I left Mexico City to study Linguistics in the U.S. Only months after my arrival in Sheboygan, Wisconsin I was able to help Spanish speaking parents at an elementary school communicate with their children’s teachers. A year later, I volunteered for a few organizations that provided health and social services. I soon realized that I had made this country my home and that I had become a link between new comers and the established local community.  

Fifteen years later I coordinated the interpreter services for a health care provider, breaking down linguistic and cultural barriers between doctors and patients. Now, I am extremely proud of being part of the New Routes effort. I know the road that immigrants walk on; I find I have always been a bridge that connects two worlds.

2. Tell us about an interesting or wise practice from another culture that you wish people in the United States would adopt.

I love dance and music because they provide ways that everyone can connect with one another. There are no barriers, people are happy to be together and if you look closely it is where many personal and community stories are told. I danced traditional Mexican folk dances for many years and, if I could, I would travel around the world learning form others and sharing my story through the beautiful costumes and footwork that makes many fall in love with Mexico.

Topics: Building Community, Capacity Building, Immigrant Integration, Immigrants, Language, New Routes Leaders