Growing up in the Dominican Republic, I experienced firsthand the struggle of not knowing when there would be a next meal on the table, when I’d be able to have new school supplies, or even where to look for guidance and motivation to strive for more. If it wasn’t for the organizations that helped my family and me push forward and get the help we needed, I don’t know where I’d be today. Experiencing that support showed me how meaningful it is when people come together to make a difference. Now, as the Technical Lead & Web Developer for Corazones Libres, I’m proud to use my skills to help expand that same kind of impact. To give back to those from my community and empower the upcoming generation to be able to strive for more than I ever did.

I immigrated to the United States when I was seven years old and was fortunate to have a generous and well-educated upbringing in New York. Unfortunately, I know many friends and family in the Dominican Republic who did not have the same opportunities and resources I did. Additionally, my dad would recount stories of his horrific childhood, which instilled in me the knowledge that something had to be done about the lack of opportunity in the DR. So when my founder proposed starting this nonprofit with me, I leapt at the idea of making real, sustainable change in our home. I’m fully confident that my team and I can change our native country’s status and positively impact its future, enabling it to soar above its current position in the world.

I still remember the harrowing feeling I felt as I watched two 8-year-old boys with clothes way too big to be theirs, all ripped up, as they sold brooms they had made out of sticks to try to get some spare change to buy food. “Are you in school?” I asked, “No, we have to work to eat”, they replied. It was in that instant that I knew I had to be a part of the change I wanted to see in my country. That same year, I started a mission, “Viene Santa”, where my mother and I would prepare bags with clothes, toys, school supplies, and drive around impoverished neighborhoods giving them to the kids we saw on the street. Today, I aim to amplify that and reach the needs of more children with targeted support to encourage education and push the upcoming generation towards a better tomorrow. 

My name is Justin Brito. I am Dominican and grew up in the South Bronx. I am currently a student in the B.S./M.D. program at the CUNY School of Medicine, where I am pursuing my long-standing commitment to a career in medicine and community health. Corazones Libres was founded to restore voice, strength, and opportunity to disenfranchised communities in the Dominican Republic. My mission is to use evidence-based approaches to promote health, education, and empowerment within the same communities that have shaped so much of my identity. I am committed not only to sharing knowledge but also to listening and learning from these communities, in hopes of working alongside them and supporting sustainable progress.

As a child, I vividly remember counting down the days to the yearly church event that organizations would host to give out brand-new backpacks, school supplies, and clothes for the upcoming school year. It felt like Christmas every time. Growing up in a small barrio in San Pedro, Dominican Republic, my family and I didn’t come from much, and I witnessed the struggles my mother went through. Now I look forward to not just helping provide food or resources, but to creating opportunities for education, growth, and lasting change.