About LeAnn Genesis Flores
Founder & CEO, The Vecina Cafe Empowerment Center
"she will be known by the boldness of her faith"Educator at Heart
Teaching Beyond the Classroom
Education has always been at the center of my work.
As a teacher and youth mentor, I have had the privilege of supporting students academically, emotionally, and creatively. My time in education deepened my belief that young people thrive when they are challenged, encouraged, and given access to opportunity.
That belief continues through programs like Pathway to Success, where we prepare students for leadership, career exposure, and life beyond graduation.
Focus Areas:
Youth Development
Mentorship
College & Career Readiness
Workforce Exposure
Empowerment Programming
Community Builder. Educator. Filmmaker. Visionary.
LeAnn Flores is the Founder and CEO of The Vecina Cafe Empowerment Center, Inc., a nonprofit rooted in empowerment, opportunity, and community transformation. Her work sits at the intersection of education, storytelling, wellness, and social impact.
Driven by a passion to create spaces where people feel seen, supported, and equipped to thrive, LeAnn founded The Vecina Cafe as more than an organization — but a movement.
My Story
As a first-generation college student, educator, filmmaker, and nonprofit founder, my journey has been shaped by resilience, creativity, and service.
Every chapter of my story — from classrooms to film sets to community organizing — has prepared me to build something bigger than myself: a place where people can access resources, purpose, and belonging.
The Vecina Cafe was born from that vision.
Using Story to Inspire Change
Storytelling has always been one of my greatest tools for impact.
As a filmmaker and creative collaborator, I have used media to elevate voices, spark dialogue, and tell stories that matter. From community projects to short films and public service collaborations, I believe stories can heal, educate, and move people to action.
My background in film continues to shape how I lead, communicate, and build mission-driven experiences.
Assistant Director | Blink (2023)
As Assistant Director for the short film Blink, LeAnn Flores helped bring to life a powerful story confronting youth gun violence, prevention, and community responsibility. Drawn to the project through personal loss after losing her uncle in a firearm accident, LeAnn brought both lived experience and deep purpose to the film. Shot largely in her childhood neighborhood and featuring members of her own family as actors and extras, the project was deeply personal and community-rooted. Today, she continues this work through partnerships that promote positive education around gun safety, prevention, and youth empowerment, including collaboration with self-defense coach and tactical educator Durand Capers.
Our StoryNonprofit Founder & Community Builder
Building The Vecina Cafe
The Vecina Cafe Empowerment Center was created to serve as a cornerstone of support for the community through:
Workforce development
Youth leadership programming
Wellness initiatives
Family-centered events
Resource connection
Community empowerment
Through initiatives like Dadz in Motion, Pathway to Success, and wellness-centered programming, our goal is simple:
Help people move from survival to possibility.
“Vecina” means neighbor.
That word represents everything this work stands for:
Community
Belonging
Support
Connection
Showing up for one another
The Vecina Cafe is built on the idea that transformation begins in community.
Why “Vecina”?
Personal Note From LeAnn
I believe purpose grows when people are given support, exposure, and community.
Everything I build is rooted in that belief.
Whether through education, storytelling, or nonprofit work, my mission is to help people recognize their value and step into possibility.