Lyn Dominguez, Safe Passage Volunteer of the Week

Safe Passage, August 17, 2015


20150714_104006_resized_1By: Xixi Liu

Lyn Dominguez, a professional Spanish translator, utilizes her skills to help Safe Passage and the Safe Passage children. Ever since Lyn read about the Surge Docket in the New York Times, she has been actively searching for an opportunity to assist unaccompanied immigrant children.  Since December of 2014, Lyn has been regularly attending Safe Passage screenings at the Immigration Court and assisting our pro bono attorneys and staff in communicating with the children.

As a daughter of a Mexican immigrant, Lyn can relate to the hardships our Safe Passage children and families are facing. She not only is a volunteer for Safe Passage, but also has many other experiences in which she has utilized her Spanish-language skills to create change in other people’s lives.

Lyn graduated from the University of Michigan where she majored in political science. Later she attended graduate school at New York University’s Stern Business School and received her MBA. She was working in the business field for a few years before she decided to become a teacher in a Bronx high school. Lyn worked as a bilingual social studies teacher for 12 and a half years. For 8 years of those years, she taught social studies in Spanish, as required by the bilingual program at that time.. She later was a part of UVEA (Unidad de voluntarios para la educacion para adultos) where she taught GED Social Studies in Spanish. After teaching for 12 and a half years, Lyn decided to go back to school again. She took courses at NYU and received her certificate in translation.  She also attended CUNY School of Professional Studies where she received an Advanced Certificate in Immigration Law Studies. Lyn actively uses her Spanish speaking ability to assist people in any way she can. She is a volunteer not only for Safe Passage, but also for KIND and CUNY Citizenship Now, all organizations that assist immigrants with adjusting their status and helping them to find a way to stay in the United States legally. Lyn believes that it is a privilege to be able to be a part of this new aspect of immigration and to meet these incredible individuals. She is very grateful to have this ability to help children and to be able to hear their fascinating but sad stories about their journey and experience.