Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Ortiz.
Hi Luis, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Luis Ortiz, and my journey has been anything but traditional. I was born in Venezuela and later made my way to Miami, a city that ultimately became the place where I rebuilt my life and discovered my purpose. Like many immigrants, I arrived carrying more hopes than resources, and my story has been shaped by resilience, reinvention, and a deep desire to serve others.
Throughout my life, I’ve worn many hats—athlete, coach, radio host, mentor, caregiver, and now nonprofit founder—but the common thread has always been the desire to help people who are often overlooked. While teaching Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu years ago, I began meeting individuals with disabilities who wanted to participate, to learn, to grow, but who constantly found doors closed to them. I saw incredible talent, creativity, and strength in them, yet society frequently underestimated what they were capable of. That experience planted a seed in me.
That seed eventually became Seed Of Light Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to empowering people with disabilities through accessible education, radio, sports, arts, and technology. We started from absolutely nothing—no funding, no equipment, just the determination to create opportunities where none existed. I built the first version of Seed Of Light Radio in my living room using a small microphone and an enormous dream: to give a voice to people who had been silenced or ignored their entire lives.
The response was immediate and overwhelming. People who were blind, people with autism, people with mobility challenges—they all wanted to speak, to create, to learn, to be heard. Our programs grew quickly, from adaptive radio workshops to braille classes, from inclusion events to tactile painting lessons. Every person who joined us brought a story, a talent, and a light of their own.
Today, Seed Of Light Radio broadcasts programs entirely created and performed by individuals with disabilities, and our community continues to expand. We recently opened a second branch in Virginia, and the demand for accessible media and creative opportunities has been greater than anything I imagined.
Looking back, nothing about this path was easy. But everything makes sense now. Every challenge, every reinvention, every moment of uncertainty prepared me to build something that wasn’t just mine—it belongs to all of us.
Seed Of Light exists to remind people that disability does not mean inability, that talent has no limits, and that when you give someone the tools to shine, they often shine brighter than anyone expected.
And that’s how I got here—by following a calling that turned into a mission, and a mission that turned into a community.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. In fact, almost nothing about my journey has been easy. I come from a background where starting over was not an option—it was a necessity. Leaving Venezuela and rebuilding my life in a new country meant facing uncertainty, financial instability, cultural adaptation, and moments where the future felt completely unclear.
When I founded Seed Of Light, the vision was big, but the resources were almost nonexistent. We didn’t have funding, equipment, or a space. Many times, I questioned whether people would even believe in what I was trying to build. There were days when I had to choose between paying a bill or buying one microphone so someone with a disability could record their first radio segment.
One of the hardest challenges was fighting misconceptions about disabilities. Many people don’t realize how much talent and potential exist within this community. Early on, there were individuals who didn’t take our mission seriously, who didn’t understand why a radio program for blind or disabled individuals mattered, or why inclusion needed to be more than a slogan.
Another obstacle was emotional. When you work with people who have lived through rejection, isolation, or lack of opportunity, you carry their stories with you. I’ve seen people arrive with fear, distrust, or low confidence because society had constantly pushed them aside. Helping rebuild that confidence takes time, patience, and heart.
And yet, every struggle made the mission stronger. We learned to do a lot with very little.
We learned to build community before we ever had stability.
We learned that people don’t need perfection—they need opportunity.
Over time, doors began to open. People believed in us. Donations arrived. Partnerships formed. And the same individuals who once felt ignored became the voices of programs, educators, creators, and leaders within Seed Of Light.
The road was not smooth, but the obstacles shaped our identity. They taught us resilience, creativity, and humility. And today, every challenge makes sense, because each one led to someone discovering their voice, their talent, or their purpose.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work centers around building Seed Of Light, a nonprofit organization and inclusive radio station created to empower people with disabilities—especially individuals who are blind or visually impaired. What started as a small idea has now become a 24/7 digital platform, a community space, and a movement dedicated to giving a voice to those who are often unheard.
I specialize in creating accessible media and adaptive educational programs. Through Seed Of Light Radio, we produce original radio shows voiced by people with disabilities, workshops on audio editing for blind students, adaptive Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu classes, and creative arts programs led by our own members. My focus has always been on showing people not what they lack, but what they are capable of becoming when they are supported, respected, and believed in.
I am known for two things:
(1) building opportunities from zero, even when resources are scarce, and
(2) believing in people long before they learn to believe in themselves.
What makes me most proud is seeing our members—many of whom came to us shy, isolated, or discouraged—now teaching others, speaking on the radio, creating art, practicing jiu-jitsu, or leading community activities. Watching them grow into leaders has been the greatest accomplishment of my career.
What sets me apart from others is that my work is not theoretical or distant—it is deeply personal. As an immigrant from Venezuela who had to start over multiple times, I know what it feels like to lose everything and rebuild from scratch. That experience taught me empathy, resilience, and the commitment to create spaces where people are seen for their potential, not their limitations.
Seed Of Light is more than a project; it is a promise:
that every person, no matter their disability or their circumstances, deserves a place to shine.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Yes — just one thing that matters to me deeply.
People often look at disability through the lens of limitations, but at Seed Of Light we see something very different: talent, dignity, and potential waiting for the right opportunity. Every day, I witness individuals who are blind learning to produce radio shows, people with autism discovering their creative voice, and families finding hope through community.
What I want readers to know is that inclusion is not charity — it is collaboration. When you give someone the tools they need to participate, they don’t just improve their own life; they elevate the entire community. That is the true power of accessible media, adaptive sports, and supportive environments.
Seed Of Light was built with almost no resources, but with immense love, resilience, and faith. And today it stands as proof that you don’t need perfect conditions to make an impact — you just need to start.
I invite readers to stay connected, support inclusive initiatives in their cities, and remember that every person shines brighter when someone believes in them. That is the heart of what we do, and the reason Seed Of Light exists.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://solflorida.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seed_of_light_inc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seedoflightradio
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Seedoflightinc
- Other: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/seed-of-light-radio/id6743487845
Image Credits
Image Credits
Luis R. Ortiz
Seed Of Light Inc.
