The International Youth Association (TIYA)

I grew up on an island off the coast of Honduras, and I came to America on a banana boat when I was very young. I’m the superintendent for some of the apartme...nt buildings around here. I always try to collect the clothing and junk that the tenants throw away, and every couple of months, I pack it into barrels and send it back to Honduras. I especially try to find medical equipment. If a crippled man in Honduras has nothing but a stick, a crutch will change his life. See more

I look up to my father more than anyone else. He taught me the value of hard work. He came over from India, and used all his savings to start a small clothing ...business. Then he took the money from the clothing business and opened up his own gas station. But when the economy got bad, his gas station went out of business. So he had to start driving a cab to pay the bills. Did he seem embarrassed to drive a cab after owning his own business? I don’t think so. I certainly wasn’t embarrassed to call him my dad. See more

What has been your proudest accomplishment? Surviving in America. I’ll be honest-- I crossed the border about eight years ago. I had no job, no money, no pla...ce to live. I spoke zero English. I started as a dishwasher, then eventually got a job working behind the bar. I taught myself English. Now things are going pretty well. I want to open up my own coffee shop one day. I just want my son to have it easier than I did. Were you scared when you were crossing the border? No. I had nothing back then. And it’s hard to be scared when you have nothing to lose. See more