Diego F. Maya
CEO & Founder, Latino Spirit Media | Executive Director, United States Latino Affairs Initiatives
Building Bridges of Information, Culture, and Justice
CEO & Founder, Latino Spirit Media | Executive Director, United States Latino Affairs Initiatives
Building Bridges of Information, Culture, and Justice
Born in Cali, Colombia, Diego F. Maya—widely known as Don Diego Sixty Eight—is a visionary social entrepreneur, media innovator, and community builder dedicated to empowering Latino communities through communication, culture, and civic action.
At age ten, Diego emigrated alone to the United States with the support of his mother and was adopted by his uncle, a U.S. Army serviceman. Raised on military bases in Texas, Germany, and Georgia, Diego developed the discipline, adaptability, and integrity that have defined his leadership. By sixteen, he was living independently in New Jersey, graduating from Princeton High School and later earning his B.A. in Computer Information Systems from Rider University with honors (GPA 3.9).
While at Rider, he worked 30-hour weeks to fund his education, pioneered the university’s first online courses, and helped broadcast Rider’s graduation ceremony—the first live online commencement in New Jersey. He also developed Princeton’s McCarter Theatre’s first database-driven website and later contributed to early digital innovation at Covance Inc. and ThinkCentric.
In 2001, Diego founded I See Digital Media (MayaSolutionz) and launched Hablamos Español™, the first Spanish-language Yellow Pages in Central New Jersey. The directory grew from 10 to 300 pages, serving 120 clients, including Fortune 500 companies. After moving to South America, Diego advanced his multimedia career—producing educational and cultural content in indigenous regions and collaborating with prominent journalists—laying the foundation for his signature platform, The Latino Spirit.
Upon returning to the U.S. in 2018, Diego expanded The Latino Spirit Media into a statewide storytelling and civic media network. That same year, he founded the United States Latino Affairs Initiatives (USLAI), a nonprofit organization that champions Latino inclusion, civic engagement, and community development.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Diego became the first Latino broadcaster in the U.S. to simultaneously interpret and stream a governor’s daily briefings in Spanish, reaching 1.7 million viewers. He also led food distribution programs delivering over 310,000 pounds of food, secured $350,000 in energy-assistance grants (2022–2024), and currently oversees a $2 million lead-remediation program serving New Jersey families (2025–2026).
Visionary Initiatives
- The Latino Index: The first digital hub connecting Latinos to nonprofits, services, and elected officials.
- Top Latinos of New Jersey: Annual statewide recognition of Latino leaders with national visibility.
- Estamos con Diego F. Maya y Angie: A weekly live broadcast featuring influential New Jersey leaders.
- Hope for Girls – Weaving Dreams: Empowering victims of abuse in Colombia and El Salvador through sewing and entrepreneurship.
- STEM & Coding for Youth: Partnered with Google engineers to teach coding to students across Latin America.
- Food on Tables & A Toy for a Smile Programs: Delivering food and toys to families across the Americas.
Legacy & Mission
From Princeton to Pereira, from Newark to San Salvador, Diego F. Maya continues to build bridges of information, culture, and justice—working with governments, schools, and nonprofits to amplify Latino voices and strengthen community leadership. His mission remains clear: to turn communication into empowerment and culture into progress.
@TheLatinoSpirit
