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Founders
Rev.
Richard Del Rio
Jeremy R. Del Rio
The
Youth
A
team of twelve young people co-founded Generation X-cel™ in 1996.
Nine of them are now enrolled in area colleges and universities. (Dates
of birth are in parentheses within description)
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Rev.
Richard Del Rio
founded Abounding Grace Ministries in 1982 and Aboundng Grace Church
in 1992, where he is senior pastor. He is a co-founder of Community
Solutions, Inc., and also serves as an NYPD Police-Clergy Liaison,
a member of the NYC Clergy Committee for Justice, and a featured
conference speaker. He works part-time as a director of Sportron
International. He and his wife have provided a home to as many as
seven neighborhood children at a time, and his three sons and two
daughters-in law work alongside him in public service.
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Jeremy
R. Del Rio Esq., co-founded Community Solutions, Inc. in
1994 and Generation X-cel in February 1996 at the age of 21. In
1995, Jeremy received a B.A. in history (with honors) from New York
University, which named him Standard Bearer of his class. He graduated
from the NYU School of Law in 1999, where he was a Root-Tilden-Kern
Scholar, a Harvey Fellow, a member of the National Moot Court Team,
and received the Bender Prize for Public Service. In October 2000,
the Fund for the City of New York awarded him, along with Rev. Richard
Del Rio, the Union Square Award for their work pioneering Community
Solutions. He is a member of the New York Bar (since May 2000) and
an attorney part-time at Dewey Ballantine LLP.
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The
Youth
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Arturo Quinones is a
senior at Nyack College majoring in psychology. A life-long resident
of Sunset Park, Brooklyn, Arturo left a prominent New York law firm
to volunteer alongside co-founder Jonathan Del Rio and Alisa Girard
as X-cel's original program co-directors. In addition to his work
with X-cel, Arturo volunteers throughout his home community. (5.8.76)
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Carl ("Rollie")
Barnes is a senior at Nyack College majoring in business
administration. Jeremy first met Rollie by offering him and several
friends free hot dogs and inviting them to a block party in July
1994. Since then, he has graduated high school, enrolled in college,
co-founded a rap group, become active in a local church, and married
Mari Barnes on September 30, 2000. (4.8.75)
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Celeste ("Celle")
Lopez is a sophomore at Nyack College majoring in elementary
education. The daughter of an army specialist, Celeste has lived
throughout the world, but the Lower East Side has always been home.
Despite exposure to the ravages of drug addiction her entire life,
Celeste has remained untainted. (5.26.79)
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Dennis ("D") Ruiz graduated high school in May
2000 and anticipates college in January 2001. Charming and fun,
Dennis is recognized as a leader among his family and friends and
throughout the neighborhood. A gifted dancer, singer, and athlete,
Dennis was X-cel's youngest co-founder at the age of fourteen. (7.28.81)
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Diana ("Di")
Del Rio worked alongside Jeremy to co-found X-cel and won
his heart in the process, ... marrying him in June 1997. She gave
birth to their first child, Judah Jeremy, on January 2, 2001. Diana
co-directs youth programs at Abounding Grace Church and is acclaimed
for her uncanny knack for communicating with toddlers. (10.27.76)
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Jamie Del Rio
is a senior on scholarship at NYU's Stern School of Business double
majoring in management and marketing. Jamie first tasted public
service at the age of three and has consistently helped others throughout
his lifetime. A percussionist with the Latin Jam Band, Jamie declined
opportunities to play basketball for NYU in order to volunteer at
X-cel. (12.10.79)
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Jonathan Del Rio is
a senior at Nyack College majoring in business administration. Married
in August 1999, Jonathan volunteered as X-cel's first program co-director
from August 1996-April 2000, and has served as a consultant for
the Fund for the Children of New York for two years. Known for his
sense of humor and loyalty, Jonathan hopes to be remembered as "Pastor
Simple." (7.11.76)
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Joseph Rodriguez returned
to California in October 2000 to help his brother pioneer a church
after ten years of service in the Lower East Side. While in New
York, Joseph not only co-founded X-cel but also worked as the office
manager and audio engineer at Abounding Grace Ministries, a case
worker at Pueblo Nuevo Housing Development Agency, and volunteer
"IT Guy" for numerous service agencies in the community.
(11.22.73)
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Kristi Brattli embodies X-cel's core values. Her kidneys
failed at the age of five, leading to three failed transplants,
prolonged hospital visits, and countless hours of dialysis for nearly
twenty years. Yet through it all, Kristi has maintained a selfless
commitment to serving people. For her faithfulness, Generation X-cel
named its annual award for outstanding staff member the Kristi Brattli
Prize when she relocated to New Jersey in 1999. (1.20.74)
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Ling-Mei Garcia
is a sophomore pre-med student at Hunter College. Born in the Lower
East Side, Ling-Mei and her sister, X-cel co-founder Mei-Ling, endured
years living in an abandoned building and with foster families as
far away as Puerto Rico, before their mother passed away just months
after X-cel began. Despite the hardships, Ling-Mei received three
scholarships and aspires to serve one day as a health professional.
(6.29.80)
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Luis ("Lou-Box") Velez is a junior at Nyack College
majoring in business administration. Born and raised in the projects,
Luis overcame an abusive childhood, his father's suicide at the
age of twelve, and rebellious teen years as founder of "Sex,
Booze, and Money" to help pioneer X-cel. Luis has volunteered
as X-cel's program director since September 1999. (4.17.78)
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Mei-Ling Garcia is
a junior at Hunter College majoring in education. In addition to
her work with X-cel and her courageous childhood, Mei-Ling volunteers
regularly for a local church and worked along with X-cel co-founders
Celeste and Ling-Mei, as the co-captain and choreographer for a
hip hop dance troupe called A.W.O.L. (Allied Warriors of Light)
for three years. (1.14.79)
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Related Stories
X-cel
co-founder invited to represent hispanic clergy at White House. On
May 22, 2001, Rev. Richard Del Rio joined
130 hispanic clergy who met with President George Bush concerning the
President's faith-based and community initiative. For more on the white
house gathering, read the report of our dear friend and colleague, Rudy
Carrasco, here.
New
York Times acknowledges Rev. Richard Del Rio. In
an article concerning New Yotk mayoral candidate Fernando Ferrer, the
New York Times called X-cel co-founder Rev. Richard Del Rio "eclectic-looking"
and described him as "a pastor from the Lower East Side who wore
a black leather vest, black jeans and gold hoop earrings." Fair enough.
For the full story, go here.
X-cel
co-founder Jeremy Del Rio publishes article in The Love Express.
The
article offers Jeremy's thoughts about "faith-based" youth outreach
strategies, and tells the story of how he first met co-founders Rollie
Barnes and Luis Velez. To read the article,
go here.
Speak-out:
Generation X-cel (Reprinted
with permission from YouthWalk, 10/99).
Hiding
in my bed under the covers, with only my eyes exposed, I saw him pass
by my room with a kitchen knife in his hand and heard his violent death
threats. Yet another alcohol and drug-induced rage had come to torment
our home. ** "STOP IT DADDY," I kept repeating to myself silently
under my breath. — By Luis Velez, X-cel co-founder Read
Luis'entire testimonial here.
X-cel
Co-founders Receive Union Square Award.
Generation X-cel cofounders Rev. Richard and Jeremy Del Rio received the
2000 Union Square Award on November 16, 2000, for their grassroots contributions
to New York City. They are the first father/son tandem so honored. The
award brought a $46,000 organizational grant for Generation X-cel. Visit
the Union Square Awards website here.
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