Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade helping children soar to new heights
MIAMI - The Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade serves thousands of children each year, many of them with Hispanic roots.
And the man in charge traces his own roots back to Cuba.
"I've been here at the Boys and Girls Club for a little over 25 years, and in this position as president for 20 years," said Alexander Rodriguez-Roig. "It's been a fantastic journey. It's been amazing to help so many kids."
Rodriguez-Roig's personal journey began in Cuba.
He moved to Miami when he was just shy of 5 years old.
"My heritage and where I came from is who I am, period. Everything I am is part of that because that's where my parents came from. My culture, everything revolved around the Hispanic heritage," he said.
He wants to provide children with hope, freedom and opportunities-- all things he says he received when moving to the United States.
"It gives you different perspectives on different things. When people come from different countries, you can understand what they're going through. It helps particularly here at the Boys and Girls Club create programs that make them feel at home and consider the Boys and Girls Club as their home," he said.
He's a hands-on leader. Whether helping with homework or shooting hoops with kids, Rodriguez-Roig oversees six clubs in Miami-Dade that annually serve more than 6,000 children from all different backgrounds-- a melting pot of cultures he says we should all be proud of.
"Whether you're Hispanic or whatever part of the world, it's you. You can't change that. You should know it, be proud and celebrate it," he said. "Use it to build your character and who you are and become a better person."
Click here for more information about the various programs the Boys and Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade has to offer.