Stephen De Leon Abreu

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One of my deep longest dreams was to pass it forward and bring positive influence to children in Latin American, and now I can do so with Niños Del Futuro.  I am a first-generation Dominican American born and raised in New York City, my father migrated to The United States of American in the 60’s as a 13 years old child with the help of his sisters husband. My mother migrated here in the 80’s after my father fell in love with my mother in Dominican Republic while he was on vacation, and they eventually got married 6 months later. 

My father like many migrants did not have an easy life in his home country of Dominican Republic. Like many children in Latin America, at the age of 8 years old my father took the role of a father in his household after his own dad left his home. Instead of going to school my father had to trade his books for a wooden box and take the role as a shoeshine boy, what we call in Dominican Republic “Limpa Botas”. He provided for his sister and mother until he was given the opportunity to come to New York working odd jobs and finally building a profession in the affluent garment industry in New York City. 

During a trip to Medellin, Colombia I met the President and founder of Niños Del Futuro who shared a similar vison of mine and was already on the ground building the Foundation by inspiring one child at a time. Yino Diaz would walk the Comuna’s talking and providing resources for families in areas that not even Police would patrol. Yino and I decided to bring awareness to his cause in New York City where many migrates share the similar story of my father. We trust in these migrate who have left their home country seeking a better life style to  help out these children through a simple donation that can inspire and change the future. 

I am proud and excited to be the Director of this movement and to bring awareness to this cause so we can be the light and hope for the future. Not everyone is as lucky to be able to come to the United States of American to achieve our piece of the American dream, but we can at least share the resources to be able to inspire the future of the world.

"Understand the process to understand the people"