Organization: La Esperanza
Ancestral Country of Origin: Peru
Share a brief story about how or why your ancestors came to the U.S.:
My name is Susana Diehl. I am originally from Lima, Peru. I immigrated to the USA 20 years ago — at 15 years old — with my mom. Just the two of us left all our family behind for a better future. Since then, we have had an interesting journey full of good and bad experiences along the way. I graduated high school at 17 years old and attended Delaware Tech for three years, followed by two more years at Wilmington University, and graduated with a bachelor’s in behavioral science. I was married at a young age and, sadly, lost my husband in a motorcycle accident at the age of 25. For years I worked in the technology field until life gave me the opportunity to move back closer to my parents, now with a beautiful son. Circumstances caused me to leave my technology job and gave me the opportunity to start again now back in a field for which I have a passion. I now have a beautiful blended family, I am closer to my parents, and I am in a job that I am very passionate about because I get to help people every day and I am able to give back to my own community. Every experience I’ve had the past 20 years is currently helping me help others, and I am grateful for the opportunity.