Profiles from the Pack: Alejandro Riano

As a journalist, teacher and community organizer, Alejandro Nilson Riano is passionate about connecting with people. He’s instrumental in working with the Latino community and helping students at the Goodman South Campus. 

You are well-known for helping people. You were honored with the Believe and Succeed award at last year’s La Movida Hispanic Heritage Luncheon. Why is your work at Madison College Goodman South so important?
It doesn’t matter what kind of person is in front of you; they are all our neighbors. We are here to serve people, understand their needs, and help them solve their problems, and when we do that, we have a better community.

Madison College Goodman South campus is a special place for students because we talk to them in their language, and they feel loved. When you care about a person's feelings, they feel you are a friend instead of a stranger.

You emigrated from Colombia. How does that help you relate to others?
When immigrants come to Madison College, they may not know anything about resources, jobs, or the economy. I always try to inject hope because they may have fears of a new culture, language and life. My priority is to alleviate some of their fears and let them know of opportunities to have a better life. We provide customer service and understand what they need: resources, advice, and help in understanding the culture.

Describe your homeland.
The Colombian people are happy. We live in a country that has suffered for a long time with war, but we understand that we must survive. We move forward in two ways: with music and happiness in everything we do. Colombia has a diversity of cultures in one country. 

What’s your favorite Colombian food?
Food is essential in my culture. My favorite is the bandeja paisa. It's a plate that combines all different flavors: beef, eggs, sweet plantains, chorizo, ground beef, avocado, and arepa.

What are your super skills?
Making connections with people and having empathy are essential. I also see the positive, no matter what happens. People ask me if I ever feel sad, and I sometimes say yes, but when you feel sad, look at why you feel sad, and then you learn things, and you learn that you need to be happy because it is part of the process in life.

What did you dream of becoming as a child?
When I was young, my dad told me I could become a good lawyer, and I told him I would like it, too. But six months before I started at the university, I met a person who was a journalist, and I liked how she worked with different kinds of people. I told him I wanted to be a journalist instead of a lawyer. I worked as a journalist in various ways. When I came to Madison in 2002, we didn’t have Spanish-language media, so I started a Spanish radio show at WORT. I built the program because if people don’t know about resources and their rights, they will suffer. I also created MIWISCONSIN.ORG, a non-profit Spanish-language news organization, to provide underserved populations with the knowledge necessary to engage in in-depth analysis and become advocates for good government, human rights, community, education, and social progress in Wisconsin.

What’s on your future Madison College work wish list?
We want to develop a newsletter to provide all the resources for immigrants, food pantries, mental health services, and dental cleanings because they usually don’t have this information.