He was born in Puerto Rico, grew up in New York City and served in the U.S. Air Force. He is currently working with the Binghamton Youth Bureau and Broome County Gang Prevention on helping students at risk, and formed the school’s Brother to Brother program. “Mister D” was one of the organizers of Broome County’s first Youth Summit in November, 2007. Students from grades 6-12 were invited to speak out in an afternoon-long party atmosphere about personal and community problems, home and school life. There was also a dramatic reading of sections of “Spirit of the Gang”.