Beyond is proud to announce the promotion of long-time staff member, Bindhu Vijayan, to Co-Director, alongside founder Lam Nguyen Ho. Bindhu came to Beyond with over 10 years of immigration experience, immediately making her an invaluable member of the team. Prior to law school, she did grassroots work in Chicago with the South Asian community. During and after law school, Bindhu provided comprehensive legal services to immigrant families, focusing on deportation defense in New York. When she decided to come back to Chicago, she made the conscious decision to use her skills for good and with an organization that aligned with her core values. When she discovered Beyond (CALA at the time), she realized it was the perfect fit because it fulfilled the passion for which she was looking.
Bindhu joined the CALA team in October 2017 as an immigration supervisor. It was her first time in her legal practice working alongside organizers and activists. This required a lot of learning, and especially unlearning. Next, she became the Director of Immigrant Empowerment & Activism. In this role, she learned forward thinking from an organizational leadership point of view. In 2019, she became Co-Deputy Director – overseeing the legal staff, and two years later, the sole Deputy Director. “There have been years of learning to get to this point, and Lam has been the person steadfast in my learning,” said Bindhu.
In response to the promotion, Bindhu said, “collaborating with Lam and his vision over the years has created a harmony between us, so we have been able to learn what was best for Beyond’s future together. Co-directorship is aligned with Beyond’s ethos, in that each person brings their own strengths to the table. His mentorship has readied me for this position.” Lam, excited about this next step for his long-time colleague and friend, said, “For several years, Bindhu has been the heart and soul of Beyond. Her leadership has overseen Beyond’s success; the title just confirms what has been true for quite a while.” President of the Beyond Board of Directors, LeMinh Hoang, also supported this decision, saying, “Congratulations Bindhu! The Board and I are thrilled and grateful for your dedication and contributions to Beyond. You and Lam co-leading Beyond will benefit the organization in many ways - from providing broader and deeper expertise to continuing meaningful relationships with our community partners and supporters. Thank you for advancing Beyond to continue changing legal aid!”
With Beyond’s 10th anniversary next year, Bindhu’s promotion is a critical step to ensuring strong capacity and infrastructure for Beyond’s fast organizational growth. We are humbled to have come so far, and enormously thankful for all the contributions Bindhu made to that achievement. We hope we continue to have your support as we grow further as an organization, under Bindhu’s co-leadership.