Welcome to the Alumni Corner

Cohort 15

Earned her Juris Doctor degree at Emory University School of Law.  She served as an intern for federal Judge Nina Gershon in the Eastern District of New York.  Lin shares, “I am super excited because this exactly what I wanted to do, as I have developed a strong interest in litigation. During my interview, I was asked about WRI and my role in the organization. She was impressed with WRI's mission and the fact that WRI is making a difference in the local community. What can I say? I am a proud WRI alumna.”

Cohort 19

Graduated with honors from Columbia University School of Social Work.  Chireau plans to pursue a career as a foster care social worker in a managerial position.  She plans to conduct research on the effectiveness of welfare programs and children services to help policy advocates change laws that are negatively affecting children and families in New York City.

Cohort 15

Beloved WRI alum and Hunter graduate who is making quite a name for herself in academic circles.  
Last week, Hirah was recognized with two honors from the University of Albany, where she currently is a doctoral student and adjunct professor. Her commitment to excellence and leadership is inspiring! 

Cohort 18

Recently took part in the Ivy Plus Symposium held in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was honored with other student leaders selected to participate in this special educational and networking opportunity attended by faculty, program directors, and graduate admissions officers.

Cohort 09

Is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in Florida and New York. In addition to managing Yes Sister Friend! Inc., she works as a school counselor at a Brooklyn middle school and is joyfully raising her 9yrs, old son, Michael. Ms. Serrano received her Master's Degree from Barry University and her Bachelor's Degree from Hunter College, CUNY.  Alina was born in Puerto Rico and raised in Brooklyn, NY. Alina has cultivated an organic and intellectual community-based career within the US. You will often hear Alina say, "We go step by step and do our best!" and "We are not surviving, we ARE thriving!"

Cohort 21

Is Nuyorican, born and raised in Bushwick, Brooklyn, but has found a new love for Queens. She watched her parents achieve social mobility through education. In search of a "successful" path, she wandered through undergrad, searching for a career path that would make her parents proud.  During her senior year, she stumbled upon an opportunity to enroll in WRI. No stranger to stereotypes as a Puerto Rican woman from a low-income neighborhood, she wanted to learn more about the culture of poverty and understand why her family remained stagnant no matter how hard they worked. Kristel began understanding systematic oppression and how white supremacy dug into everyday life. Embracing her love for advocacy, she began to work for Safe Horizon, a nonprofit organization that assists victims of crime. Over the past six years, she has explored client work, advocacy, organizational operations, legal work, and fundraising. Kristel decided to dive into public administration and was accepted into Baruch. While studying, she and the rest of the world was hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. In the winter of 2020, she lost her mother and her father a few weeks apart. She almost gave up on everything but remembered how far she'd come. She learned to take her time and live forward through the communities she works on behalf of. In May 2023, she will be graduating with a Master of Public Administration (MPA) from the Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs at Baruch College and plans to explore a career that will continue to allow her to connect with communities in underserved areas. The journey is not over, and there will be many more turns, but Kristel has found a "successful" path that not only her parents would be proud of but, more importantly, she is proud of. 

Cohort 16

I am the daughter of Dominican immigrants who left their home country in search of opportunity and a better life. I come from a humble upbringing where financial insecurity was a part of our daily lives. As such, my family received public assistance and lived in NYCHA housing. From a young age, my parents instilled in me the value of education to ensure stability, security, and better outcomes. My mother was a home attendant.  She earned a GED at age 45 with hopes of also going to college, like her daughters, and elevate her family out of poverty.  Upon my graduation from Hunter, I knew I wanted to continue my educational journey.  I enrolled in the Silberman School of Social Work at Hunter College to earn a Masters of Social Work (MSW). While I pursued my master’s degree, I remained connected to my WRI family and served as a Teaching Assistant for subsequent cohorts. Today, I serve as an Early Childhood School Social Worker for the Division of Early Childhood at the Department of Education. I am proud of myself for overcoming the barriers I faced and feel at ease knowing that my parents’ sacrifices were not in vain. I continue to apply the valuable skills I learned during my time in WRI’s Community Leadership Training Program. WRI’s mission and vision have always been aligned with my own values and they are the embodiment of “We rise by lifting others.” 

Cohort 07

As a young child, I lived the immigrant experience when my family arrived in this country from the Caribbean.  As the only one to learn English, I became the ears and eyes for my family as I assisted with situations they could not understand and helped them navigate the process of acculturation.  It was during those years that it became obvious to me how poverty, oppression, and discrimination could affect people, families and whole communities.  My early experiences shaped me into who I am today, but most importantly, it put my desire to help others into perspective.  I now find myself with a deep yearning to learn how to help those in need find viable solutions and to better understand how to improve the quality of life for everyone in our society. It was in college that I blossomed, and it was in college that I discovered that I had a learning disability. The diagnosis explains why I struggled in my formative years of schooling. The support and tools I received from the AccessAbility office helped me continue on my academic journey, especially during hard times; but most importantly, helped me to start the healing process to understand and appreciate my true learning abilities.  For many years, I thought my disability was my weakness.  Now, I know it is my strength.  I was able to graduate from Hunter with a sociology degree, and then Silberman with my Master of Social Work. 

Cohort 03

I am a long-time social justice advocate and third-generation Nuyorican Brooklynite. I am also a proud alumna of WRI's third cohort and a graduate of Hunter College. For nearly 20 years, my background in research, policy, organizing and advocacy, has afforded me the privilege to educate, empower and serve diverse communities in NYC. I work to ensure that individuals, just like me, have the same access to opportunities that can help sustain a quality of life in New York City. My journey began at Hunter College as a young mother and work-study student for Welfare Rights Initiative, (WRI). I had personal experience growing up as a dependent on my mother’s public assistance budget. I was determined to pursue a higher education degree to provide a different life for my young son Rayvin. I eventually went on to enroll in WRI’s Community Leadership course and eventually became a part of the staff. I coordinated the WRI’s Legal Advocacy and Organizing program in collaboration with the City University of New York School of Law.  

Cohort 18

I am a scholar-activist who grew up in Queens— particularly in NYCHA. I started my academic trajectory as one of the first participants in the Accelerated Studies in Associate Programs (ASAP) at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) of the City University of New York (CUNY). After receiving my Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, I continued my studies at Hunter College, CUNY as a double major in Psychology and Sociology with a minor in Political Science. I have always been interested in the relationship between individuals and society, how they both shape each other, and the politics behind it.

Cohort 09

 I am Yoselyn Fernandez, a Dominican young woman who became the first person in her family to graduate from college. I come from a humble upbringing of an immigrant family that taught me the value of education. Growing up, financial security was not there, and my mother had to go on public assistance for some time. Through training and educating herself, she gained her Child Care Provider License and opened up her daycare, which she has operated for many years. 

Cohort 24

He was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, where he lives with his mother and 12-year-old sister. From an early age, Gideon has had a strong impulse to help people in any way possible. Gideon attended Macaulay Honors College at Hunter, where he received a bachelor’s degree in Political Science, with a certificate in Public Policy and minor in Human Rights. Gideon interned for WRI in the 2018-2019 school year and joined on as an employee afterwards. He has helped run Legal Advocacy Organizing for the past several years, including through the pandemic, and helped revamp the Know Your Rights trainings for the digital era. Gideon’s interests and career trajectory have been heavily influenced by WRI. He has learned a lot about the importance of law and advocacy in improving people’s lives. He will be attending New York Law School starting in fall 2024. He plans to pursue a career in public interest law, related to public assistance or work and government.

Chohort 26

Is a dynamic force at the intersection of social work and business administration, driven by a passion for enacting meaningful change in her community. She successfully completed the Fall 2000-Spring 2021 Community Leadership Program. Graduating from Hunter College in 2021 with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Dance, she embarked on a journey of academic and professional excellence. In May 2024, she attained a dual Master’s Degree in Social Work and Business Administration from Howard University, specializing in Macro (Community, Administration, and Policy) Practice Social Work with a focus on mental health. She was awarded the Eva M. Stewart Exemplar Award in recognition of excellent service and dedication in Agency-Based Education.