Eric Diaz is a life long resident of Lower East Side Manhattan, whose family has roots in the neighborhood spanning 60 years. His grandparents moved from Puerto Rico and established several bodegas. Eric grew up in Baruch Housing & now lives on Loisaida Avenue, still living in his hometown.He graduated with honors in both elementary and Junior High School. He received his high school diploma in 2006 from Murry Bergtraum HS for Business Careers and in 2010 earned a BS in Organizational Management and Leadership at NYACK University.Eric has always been involved in his community. In 2006 he volunteered at Loisaida, Inc. to educate local youth on STD prevention, abstinence and teen pregnancy, and when later Loisaida faced possible closure, Eric Diaz banded together youth from the neighborhood to attend the community board meeting to help save the organization. Every year since 2009, Eric has actively organized and participated in the Lower East Side’s annual Loisaida Festival.Eric has worked with youth in the LES community for 8 years as an after school and summer group leader for org's like Henry Street Settlement, The University Settlement, and Vision Urbana Inc. While Eric was getting paid to work with youth in after school programs, he would end his days volunteering at a boy’s mentorship program called Royal Rangers, and a youth development program called DESTINY, where he still volunteers to this day.Beginning February 2013, and on the heels of the tragic violent murder of 16 year old Sadonte Ward, Eric undertook the challenge of creating a model one-to-one and group mentorship program for LES that honors Sadonte’s memory. With the help of his community friends, a 501 C3 nonprofit organization, and national team of mentorship leaders, Eric Diaz helped establish The Empire Mentorship Initiative. He is currently the Director of this initiative that provides over 135 youngsters with mentorship services, and youth leadership development programming.