A Note from Riverside’s Executive Director

Dear Riverside Community,

For many immigrant families, daily life has become harder in ways both visible and invisible. As legal pathways to permanent residency and family reunification become more challenging, and as protections once offered by sanctuary cities feel increasingly uncertain, many of the people we serve are carrying not only the pressures of work, school, and supporting their families, but also the fear and isolation that can come with feeling unwelcome.

That is why community matters so deeply.

At Riverside, we see every day how connection can restore confidence, dignity, and hope. We see it in students showing up after long workdays to learn new skills and support one another. We've seen it in stories like the Mercado sisters', who first joined Riverside virtually from the Dominican Republic and are now building lives and careers here together. And in this issue, we see it in the story of Josue, who is beginning his career as a graphic designer less than a year after arriving in New York.

We also see the power of community in the ways people stay connected to where they come from, through language, memory, tradition, and food.

That spirit is at the heart of our International Food Festival. Sharing a meal becomes a way to reconnect with home, to celebrate identity, and to create belonging across cultures and experiences.

The stories in this issue are, in many ways, stories about connection — about the importance of being seen, supported, and welcomed, especially during difficult times.

In solidarity,
Berta Colón