Blog
Gabriela Araceli Guiterrez and Filemon Para Hernandez: U.S. citizens and new voters
Posted: September 21, 2022
In this interview, Gabriela and Filemon detail their incredible journey, ongoing pursuit of educational opportunities, and what citizenship means to their family.
Local Business Spotlight: Surisadai Cuervo of L&M and S&H Cleaners
Posted: June 3, 2022
Surisadai Cuervo, who goes by Suri, is a successful businesswoman who kept L&M cleaners afloat through the pandemic and despite a competitive market by focusing on customer service and at-home delivery, S&H Cleaners.
Andrea Rivas Iraheta connects with newly arrived immigrant youth
Posted: April 12, 2022
A case worker helps young people connect to education and employment, build community, and pursue their goals.
A young person’s path to citizenship
Posted: February 15, 2022
Timoteo Vasquez-Mendez left his home in Guatemala, fleeing difficult conditions in his country, and traveled to the United States in search of a better future. He was stopped by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as he tried to cross the border then sent to a detention center in New York, then released to stay with his uncle Jesus Vasquez in San Rafael. He was 17 years old.
Meet Francisco Gomez: entrepreneur and successful small business owner
Posted: November 4, 2021
What does it take to launch a successful small business during a pandemic? For Francisco Gomez, it required hard work, careful planning, and the application of practical skills acquired through the Workforce Program. We caught up with this busy entrepreneur to learn about his journey, over eight years in the United States, and his plans to grow F.G. Window Cleaning.
Workforce Development graduate builds a career in construction
Posted: July 22, 2021
Jhovanny, a Workforce Development graduate says he “advanced five years in my career by taking the three-month Construction Classes”
Overcoming entrepreneurial obstacles during the pandemic
Posted: May 12, 2021
Nadia Montoya learned about Canal Alliance’s Construyendo Mi Negocio (“Building My Business”) class from friends. “It was the perfect place to receive support to start my own business,” Nadia remarked. She is now one year into the development of Nadia’s Dessert, a bakery offering organic, wheat-free, and vegan products with minimal sugar.
Now, she plans to open her own bakery with the knowledge she acquired through Canal Alliance.
A friendship forged in construction class
Posted: February 4, 2021
Starting over in a new country is tough, especially without the support and camaraderie of friendship. Besides being in a wholly different place with unfamiliar food, customs, and culture, it can feel lonely without someone to share these new experiences with. Read the story of two friends who deepened their friendship through participating in our Workforce Development Program’s construction certification course.
Providing financial relief
Posted: January 20, 2021
In Spring 2020, Canal Alliance established a Financial Assistance program as part of our organizational response to the pandemic and its devastating impact on Marin’s Latino immigrant community. Since the start of the program, more than $2.5 million has been raised from individual donors, foundations, and corporations, all of which has been distributed as direct cash assistance to over 4,000 individuals and families.
Gelvin’s Story: Learning a New Trade
Posted: November 6, 2020
When Gelvin learned about the Workforce Development program, he connected with Regina Vindel, Workforce Development Career Navigator. Regina helped him enroll in our Construction Certification course.