Today is my 31st birthday, and I feel incredibly blessed to be where I am. I was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and came to the United States for a better education and opportunities. I’ve been fortunate enough to accomplish so much, but one thing has always stayed at the forefront: education should be accessible to everyone.

When my sister and I were in college, we started a retreat in our hometown of Luperón, Puerto Plata, where we gathered youth leaders to inspire and empower them. What began as a simple retreat in 2014 evolved into something much larger, and in 2020, we formally established a non-profit organization. Since then, we’ve been able to open two offices, one in Santiago and one in Luperón, and have onboarded youth leaders, starting in high school, to our foundation.

All the students in our foundation come from low-income families. We provide access to academic supplies, medical and vision exams, and year-round programming ranging from financial literacy to entrepreneurship. Last year, as we celebrated our first graduating class, we decided to expand our vision even further: we decided to fund full academic scholarships for our youth leaders.

Last year, we had two leaders enrolled in college full-time. This year, we have 11.

For my birthday this year, I ask that you consider donating to our cause. We’re a small foundation that primarily operates through the generosity of friends, family, and supporters. Your contribution will help us continue sending youth leaders to college, keep our offices open, and provide a safe space for students in the Dominican Republic.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting this mission and for sharing this journey with us.

With love and gratitude,