A career of Service

Dafne’s career in community advocacy began within the Mexican Foreign Service, where she served for more than a decade at the Consulates of Mexico in Los Angeles and Fresno, California.

During this time, she held several key leadership and service roles including:

• Coordinator of the Mexican Communities Abroad.
• Consular Officer in Legal Affairs and Protection.
• Coordinator of the Health Program.
• Consular officer assisting victims of crime and domestic violence.

This work allowed her to witness firsthand the realities and challenges immigrant families face, while also understanding the power of trusted institutions, community partnerships, and culturally responsive support.

Continuing the Mission in Washington State

In 2018, Dafne relocated to Washington State after marrying her husband, a proud Washingtonian. Like many immigrants and newcomers to the region, she experienced firsthand the cultural adjustment and challenges that come with starting over in a new place — building community, navigating unfamiliar systems, and creating a sense of belonging in an unfamiliar environment.

This personal experience gave her a deeper understanding of what many immigrant families face when they arrive in a new community: the uncertainty, the search for trusted information, and the need for guidance and connection.

Determined to continue serving and supporting others, Dafne became actively involved in community work across the region. She worked with the Department of Diversity and Equity at Everett Community College and later collaborated with the Mukilteo School District, helping students and families access educational opportunities, resources, and essential community support.

Through this work, Dafne focused on strengthening the bridge between institutions and families — ensuring that information, opportunity, and support reach those who need them most.

But as she continued working closely with families, it became clear that the need for culturally responsive support and trusted community spaces was even greater than she had imagined.

That realization would soon lead to the creation of something much bigger.

Just two years later, in the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, that vision would become Keep Dreams Alive Foundation.

Founder of Keep Dreams Alive Foundation

In 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dafne founded Keep Dreams Alive Foundation as a grassroots response to the urgent needs of the Latino community.

What began as a small effort to provide accurate information and access to resources during a time of crisis quickly evolved into a trusted nonprofit organization serving families across the region.

Today, the foundation provides programs focused on:

• Education and leadership development
• Legal information and advocacy
• Community resource navigation
• Food distribution and family support
• Workshops that strengthen community resilience

In 2022, Keep Dreams Alive Foundation received its first official recognition as Nonprofit of the Year by the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce, honoring the organization’s impact and commitment to the community.

Why I Founded Keep Dreams Alive

Turning Experience into Opportunity for Others

Keep Dreams Alive Foundation was born from a simple but powerful truth: access to information can change the trajectory of a life.

For more than 15 years, I worked in diplomacy and community service, supporting individuals and families navigating complex systems—immigration, legal protection, education, and social services. I witnessed resilience every day. But I also saw a recurring barrier:

Not a lack of talent.
Not a lack of determination.
But a lack of access.

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In 2018, I moved to Washington State after marrying my husband, a proud Washingtonian.
And for the first time in many years, I found myself in the same position as the families I had long supported.

Starting over in a new place—
learning new systems, navigating unfamiliar resources—
It felt overwhelming.

It reminded me that even the strongest individuals can feel lost without guidance.

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Then came 2020.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed and deepened the gaps that already existed.
Families in our Latino and immigrant communities were left without clear information, without access, and often without a trusted place to turn.

What began as a small effort to share resources quickly became something more—
a response rooted in trust, culture, and community.

That response became the Keep Dreams Alive Foundation.

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Today, Keep Dreams Alive is more than a nonprofit.
It is a bridge—between families and opportunity, between systems and understanding, between challenges and hope.

Leadership Philosophy

Dafne believes that lasting change begins with trust, access to information, and community collaboration.

Her leadership is rooted in compassion, cultural understanding, and the conviction that every family deserves the opportunity to thrive regardless of background, language, or immigration status.

She leads with a guiding belief:

“When communities are informed, empowered, and connected, dreams become possibilities — and possibilities become reality.”

Impact Highlights

• Founder of Keep Dreams Alive Foundation
• Over 20 years of service supporting immigrant communities
• Former Mexican Foreign Service official
• Advocate for education access and family empowerment
• Builder of partnerships between schools, institutions, and immigrant families

Beyond the Work

Beyond her professional roles, Dafne is a wife, mother, educator, interpreter, and community mentor.

Her life’s mission is deeply connected to the families she serves. Through her leadership, she continues to create spaces where communities feel seen, supported, and inspired to pursue their dreams.

Because when communities come together, dreams stay alive.