Marielle is a third-year student at Northeastern who is planning to create a dual major in Spanish and Linguistics. She is currently on co-op at the Irish International Immigrant Center, where she is an intern in the nonprofit organization’s Wellness Center. Currently, Marielle’s work is mainly focused on the IIIC’s “Together for Hope” walk, a suicide prevention awareness event that will take place on Saturday, October 17 at Pope John Paul II Park in Dorchester. Click here for more information, to sign up for the walk or to make a donation.
How did you become involved with the Irish International Immigrant Center?
I’m really interested in immigration law and the state of immigration policy in general, so I was looking for a co-op related to that. I applied for a position in another department, but ended up getting a position in the Wellness Center. Another thing I’m very passionate about is mental health, so it’s been very cool to be able to work in two of my greatest passions.
What kinds of services does the IIIC Wellness Center provide?
We offer assistance to people all over the world in both mental and physical health, focusing on mental health mainly through workshops. We have some counseling services, but mainly we do a lot of case management. We try to help people find different resources that they can access within their means, and it’s been eye-opening to see how difficult it is for immigrants to access mental health treatments.
Why is there a particular stigma against mental health for immigrants?
Mental health is already something that’s not treated with compassion or well understood. Immigration is another thing that people look down on when they shouldn’t. When you put both those things on top of one another – I can’t imagine being in that situation.
Can you talk about the “Together for Hope” walk? What is the purpose of this event?
The reason we’re having the walk is to raise awareness of the issue of suicide, especially in the immigrant population. We also hope to raise funds for our organization so that we can offer more services. Suicide is a huge issue, but I think it attacks the immigrant community even more than the general population. There are so many factors that can contribute to making the experience of immigration so challenging, and I don’t think that’s something that’s addressed or visible in the general population. So that’s why we’re having the walk.
How has the experience of promoting the walk been?
Before I started working on this, I would get constant emails and flyers from nonprofits asking for my support. Before I would think, “It’s too much. I can’t participate in everything.” But I never really understood what it was like on the other side, where it’s hard to see the numbers staying so low. This job has given me an understanding of people who are always on the street asking for donations, because now I know what that feels like, and it’s hard. That being said, anytime anyone that signs up or contributes, it means the world to me and the rest of the organization. It’s incredible what one person can do. Today I saw another person had registered and it made my day 100 times better.
What does it mean to you to be a part of this project?
Mental health is something I am very passionate about, and that’s one of the main reasons I chose the IIIC for my co-op. It’s something I’ve dealt with and my friends have dealt with, but it’s something I’m afraid to say I’ve dealt with. And it shouldn’t be. It should be viewed the same way as any other illness. Because it’s so stigmatized, people don’t go to get help, and if you don’t treat it, just like if you don’t treat any other serious illness, it gets worse. And for some people it can be fatal. The way I look at it, mental health is almost like cancer of the soul. It’s a legitimate illness, and people shouldn’t be ashamed of the fact that they deal with it.
Why do you think people, especially college students, should participate?
This is one way to express compassion and support for people who are suffering from mental illness or have lost someone to suicide. Every 40 seconds, someone in the world commits suicide, and someone in the U.S. commits suicide every 13 minutes. It’s easy to feel powerless when you look at those numbers. It’s easy to say, “What can I do? What’s the point?” But if everyone says that, it’s never going to change. If people want to lower that number, this is one way to show your support. Maybe it’s just one person who is saved from suicide as a result of your participation – I don’t know about anybody else, but I think that’s worth it.
What are some other things that students can do to help?
Besides actually walking or donating, you can share the link on social media and spread the word to your friends and family. And there’s always work to do at a nonprofit – if you love to cook and want to bring treats to give away at the event, that’s wonderful. There are so many ways to get involved. You just have to give us a call (617-542-7654 – my extension is x13), or feel free to shoot me an email at mriveros@iiicenter.org.