When Farah Reynoso, GSS ‘23, came to the United States nine years ago, she didn’t have a voice. She was 14 years-old, from the Dominican Republic, and didn’t know much English.
It was Reynoso’s school social worker who showed her the support she needed to know she could make it in the US.
“To have someone that really believed in me, that said, yes, you can—that really inspired me,” said Reynoso, who will start her MSW program as an advanced standing student this month. “She was a Latina social worker, and to really see someone that looks like me get there—it inspired me to think, if she can do it, so can I.”
And now, as she begins her Master of Social Work degree at Fordham GSS, Reynoso has also been selected to serve as a 2022-2023 board member for the National Association of Social Workers’ New York City Chapter (NASW-NYC). She will hold the position of MSW Member-at-Large among a committee of social work professionals, and the idea inspired a bit of nervous excitement.
“I am excited, but I’m also nervous,” Reynoso said. “Some of the people that got elected, they are really experienced social workers—and I’m a new social worker just getting my masters. It’s nerve-wracking, to be honest with you.”
Setting the Example
Reynoso currently works as a parent coordinator at a public school for international students. In her role, she helps English language learners through the enrollment process as they transition into the NYC school system.
Reynoso told the story of one recent student, who enrolled in the school just two days after arriving in the US. The student was crying, confused, and homesick.
“She only had like two days in the country, and she was already enrolled in school,” Reynoso said. “She was just so sad. It really touched my heart.”
As she thought of ways to comfort the crying student, Reynoso saw herself — 14, new to a strange country, and unsure about what came next. So, she used that experience to relate to the student, meet her where she was, and give her a person who says yes, you can do it.
“I cannot wait for when she has a year or two in the country, and I can see her progression,” Reynoso said. “It is really rewarding.”
A Unique Perspective
It’s this kind of awareness that Reynoso hopes to bring to the NASW-NYC board in her new role. Not only does she have the experience of a woman of color, but also that of a US immigrant. Through this intersectional lens, Reynoso can offer insight into what people within these vulnerable populations of society are going through, and what they need to not only survive, but thrive in their new, unknown world.
“Working with a population is one thing, but being part of that population is another,” she said. “I’m always going to be part of the immigrant population, so I feel like I can bring new ideas [to the board’s discussions]— how we think, what are some fears that we may have, what are some things that we as social workers can take into consideration?”
This relatability and experience factors in on even the most basic — but inherently crucial — items, such as language.
“As social workers, one of our values is that we have to give the client or the person that we’re working with independence,” Reynoso said. “Well, how can I [as a client]have independence, if I don’t even understand what you’re saying?”
At any level, Reynoso said, being a leader is about staying connected with those you serve. It does not matter how high up on the career ladder one goes, they always need to stay grounded in order to be effective.
“Sometimes, when we advance in life, we forget where we came from, and the people we are serving,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how high you are in your position. You have to always be connected to the people we are servicing.”
A Personal Process
Reynoso comes to Fordham as the first member in her family to receive a graduate degree in the US. She’s proud to be a Ram, and thanks Fordham’s admissions team for guiding her throughout the application process — something for which she had no basis to refer.
“From the get-go, Fordham’s admissions team was checking in with me,” she said. “I received monthly calls asking about how I was going through the application process, and how they could help me. I felt the personal touch throughout the process.”
As if she doesn’t have enough on her plate, Reynoso also just completed her training to become a certified yoga instructor. She hopes to one day combine what she learns from her clinical coursework at GSS with her wellness practice to bring more of a spiritual side to well-being.
“Especially as a person of color, we have our traditions,” she said. “I want to find out how we can merge and honor the traditions that we have from our countries with clinical social work.”
Most importantly, Reynoso wants to keep others from feeling like they don’t have a say in their futures.
“I am a social worker because I want to empower voices.”
