Bianca Zwerlein

I was born and raised in Haiti by my grandparents, neither of whom attended school. My grandfather, however, taught me how to read, knowing that literacy could open doors he had never been able to walk through. That simple but powerful gift shaped my path and made me want to understand how language works and why it matters so much in people’s lives. I earned an Associate in Arts in Linguistics and Literacy from Borough of Manhattan Community College and will be transferring to NYU in the fall to study Communicative Sciences and Disorders. My goal is to become a speech-language pathologist, working with children in immigrant and low-income communities who often go without the language and literacy support they need.

As a certified medical and court interpreter, I’ve witnessed how easily people can be misunderstood or overlooked when they don’t speak the main language or don’t know how to express their needs. I also feel a deep calling to help older adults and stroke survivors regain their voices, something that became personal after losing my grandfather to a stroke. In the countryside of Haiti, we didn’t have access to the resources that could have helped him recover, particularly with speech therapy and rehabilitation. His struggle and the helplessness we felt left a lasting impression on me, and it’s one of the reasons I chose this field.

Outside of school and work, I often think about how to make reading and communication feel more natural and less intimidating, especially for families who feel left out of traditional systems. Whether I’m encouraging my goddaughter to spend time with books or speaking in Haiti about the importance of our native language, Haitian Creole, I’ve learned that small efforts can lead to real change. I’m looking forward to continuing my education, learning from others, and doing work that can make a difference in people’s everyday lives.