A Note from Berta Colón, Riverside's Executive Director

Dear Riverside Community,

How do you build a life in New York when the ground beneath you keeps shifting?

At a time when immigrants are facing fewer protections, greater fear, and new obstacles to building that life, having a place that sees the whole person matters.

For the immigrants we serve, learning English, finding work, understanding a rapidly changing immigration system, getting comfortable with technology, caring for a family, and simply being able to afford the trip to class are not separate challenges. They are all part of trying to build a stable life in a new country.

That's why in FY26, Riverside didn't pull back as the environment grew more difficult. We leaned into the full picture. We expanded workforce opportunities, strengthened our legal and community partnerships, helped more participants address everyday barriers, brought leaders together for our first State of the Field Summit, and, for the first time, extended our programming into the summer.

We also continued to learn. The immigrant community we serve today looks different from the one we served even a few years ago. People's goals and challenges are changing, and Riverside has to be ready to change with them.

You can see what that work means in the people we serve. In this newsletter, you will meet Deicy, a Riverside alum bringing her talent, experience, and determination to building a life, a family, and a business in New York.

We are also proud to share that Riverside has been named a 2026 NYC Imagine Awards finalist for this year's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility Award, recognition that affirms the importance of this work and the many people who make it possible.

As we begin FY27, we know the ground will continue to shift. Riverside's commitment is to shift with it - to meet people where they are, respond to what they need, and make sure they have the tools, opportunities, and support to keep moving forward.

That is the promise of Riverside, and your partnership makes it possible.

In solidarity,

Berta Colón, Executive Director