Victim advocate’s goal is to make grieving families feel safe, supported

CEDAR RAPIDS — Renan Machado says his job as a victim advocate can be many things at one time based on whatever a family needs as they navigate the court process and learn that delays and frustrating motions to suppress evidence are part of the justice system.

“Sometimes, they lash out … I serve as a punching bag,” Machado said. “It’s not anything I have done, but it might be what they need.”

Machado, 34, a victim advocate for the Survivors’ Program with Waypoint Services, doesn’t pretend to understand what people are going through when they lose a loved one to a vehicular homicide or murder. But he does understand grief, which everyone experiences at some point in life.

He said he uses his “laid-back, easy going” manner to start building a relationship, “making them feel secure and knowing they are safe. I’m there for support.”

From Mexico to Iowa

Machado came to Iowa from Mexico. He grew up on the Gulf of Mexico in Veracruz. He went to the University of Veracruz and graduated with a degree in psychology. He started out pursuing medicine like his father and attended two years of medical school, but decided it wasn’t right for him.

He remembers growing up how his dad was working all the time. It seemed like an all-consuming profession, and he came to realize he wanted more personal time and time to spend with family.

Machado then took an internship in Veracruz with a government agency that provided attorneys, social services and mental health care to victims of crime, and Machado assisted the victims. He also did some volunteer work for the agency following his internship.

A childhood friend from Mexico lived in North Liberty and persuaded him to come to Iowa. Machado’s mother, after a divorce from his father, moved to New York and was a book editor, so he was able to have dual citizenship. He first lived in North Liberty and then his girlfriend in Mexico came to Iowa. They married and eventually moved to Cedar Rapids.

Machado started out taking odd jobs and doing temporary work. He wanted to try something new and needed to make money, so he went to work at Frontier Co-op in North Liberty. Then he worked in Frontier’s Urbana and Norway facilities, doing production, quality tech and operator duties.

‘He gives 150 percent’

In 2021, the Survivors’ Program was looking for a bilingual advocate who could help Spanish speaking victims and their families, program director Penny Galvin said.

The program supports and advocates for family and friends of those who have been killed in homicides and vehicular homicides. They also help victims of other violent crimes such as robbery, kidnapping and attempted murder.

Galvin said their mission is to give people a voice, and advocates “walk beside someone and give support.”

She said Machado ended up being a good fit for that role, in addition to being bilingual.

“Renan brings a wealth of knowledge and compassion to the Survivors’ program and to the clients he serves,” Galvin said. “He gives 150 percent.”

Preparing for setbacks

Machado said he enjoyed helping victims in Mexico and always wanted to get back to advocacy work in the United States. In Mexico, he said he often was helping families and victims deal with kidnappings by drug cartels. He would have clients from different socioeconomic situations — from wealthy to impoverished. He said he gained valuable experience working with people from diverse cultural, religious and socioeconomic backgrounds.

With the job here, a big adjustment for Machado has been learning how the court system works. He said the legal process can be confusing, and he has to know a lot about it to help his clients.

“It’s slow (court process) and everything is true until it isn’t,” Machado said. “I always tell them don’t trust dates I tell you.”

That’s his advice because of changing versions of events by witnesses or defendants, ever-changing trial dates and sometimes, pleas. He tries to prepare the clients for setbacks. The most difficult thing for a victim’s family to learn is the system favors the defendant, he noted.

Despite the challenges, Machado said the work suits him in part because he has always been a curious person — interested in how people think and react and deal with circumstances in their lives. Every perspective or point of view is different, he said, and it’s usually based on how they grew up or financial means.

‘Takes a lot of strength’

Another reason he chose this work, Machado said, is because he can handle the trauma and not carry it over to his personal life.

“It takes a lot of strength, and I have the confidence to help,” he said.

His outlet is video games, which he plays online with his friends in Mexico. His favorite is the Halo series, a military science fiction genre. He also likes to get lost in a good science fiction or thriller book — usually a Stephen King tale. Machado’s mother had a huge collection of books that influenced his reading.

He also loves to spend time with his wife and 3-year-old son. He added that he enjoys cooking — when his son and dog aren’t underfoot.

At times, work life and home life can blend together when clients become like part of the family.

“It’s rewarding work,” Machado said. “Sometimes, I get hugs. You might work with families a year or more and become part of their lives” long after the court dates end.

Comments: (319) 398-8318; trish.mehaffey@thegazette.com