Irene de León: A Journey of Resilience and Community Support 

Originally from Guatemala, Irene de León’s journey to the United States was a challenging one, and illustrates her incredible resilience. Her success building a life here in Marin is further proof of her tenacity and perseverance, though Irene is quick to credit the support of Canal Alliance and her community with her success.  

Trained and working as an accountant at a bank in Guatemala, in 2019 Irene was forced to flee to the U.S. with her daughter, Emily, for their safety. At that time, circumstances forced her to leave her two sons, Luis and Lester, and her nephew, Alex, behind in the care of her sister.  
 
After arriving in the U.S., both Irene and Emily encountered many challenges, including food insecurity and housing insecurity. In telling her story, Irene is quick to add that their situation began to improve after their first visit to Canal Alliance’s food pantry, a visit that marked the beginning of a robust and supportive relationship. 

Canal Alliance first offered Irene and Emily financial aid for rent. Shortly after that, staff at Canal Alliance invited Irene to join a leadership training workshop, enabling her to emerge as an engaged community leader. During the pandemic, Irene began actively participating in outreach initiatives, offering vital COVID-19 information and support to her neighbors. 
 
In 2021, Irene’s sons and nephew were finally able to join her and Emily here in San Rafael. Canal Alliance’s Immigration Legal Services (ILS) and Social Services teams played crucial roles in supporting Irene as the children’s legal sponsor, working with her to satisfy state and federal immigration requirements. Canal Alliance also facilitated the legal and social services needed for their reunion, including access to a social worker and therapists.   
 
Today, Irene’s children are thriving.  Luis, Lester and Alex are excelling academically and working in their community as music instructors at Torogoz con Voz Music Academy, and Emily has made significant strides in her education and community involvement in the years they have lived here in San Rafael. And while the children’s progress has been tremendous, the challenges that came before — including their separation from their mother and hardships endured in Guatemala — have had lasting impacts. Irene credits Canal Alliance with aiding her children’s recovery process, offering vital mental health support over the years.   

Irene is now a vocal resident of the Canal neighborhood, and a member of Voces del Canal, which has empowered her to advocate for her community and address critical issues such as housing insecurity. She says her involvement is driven by gratitude and a desire to give back to this community, which has been her lifeline since she first arrived. 

“Having Canal Alliance in my life has been like having a family. Like having a parent that supports me, that provides resources and necessities,” says Irene. “Canal Alliance has been like an understanding mother to me, a mother that sees what I am going through, what is happening in my life. The support Canal Alliance has provided has helped me to carry on, to not give up.” 
 
Looking ahead, Irene has set her sights on continuing to advance her English proficiency and pursuing further education to secure a better job. Her children aspire to attend college, diligently working towards this goal.  

“I know I can achieve my goals,” says Irene. “For me, that is Canal Alliance.”