Colombian artist gets results with Disney for children at homeless shelter

Leo Gomez, 32, created mural encouraging big dreams

ORLANDO, Fla. – For Leo Gomez, 32, art is more than just using paint and a brush.

“Believe it or not, when I first heard about this project, I didn’t think it was going to be such an impactful project,” he said.

Gomez was invited to come to the Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida where he created a mural that reads “follow your dreams” outside the area where children get to play every day.

“To me it’s beautiful to be able to create something that they are going to be able to grow up and get inspired, inspired them to follow their dreams,” Gomez said.

Nelson Placa with Walt Disney World said the idea to paint a mural started in the spring after the company gave a $100,000 grant to the coalition to help renovate the youth center.

Entrevista con Nelson Placa de Walt Disney World:

“When I turned around and saw this plain wall, it literally was just a beige looking color I got inspired and started thinking about it,” Placa said.

That’s when Gomez got the call to come and share ideas.

Gomez had just painted a mural at Disney Springs’ Art Walk in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which reads “Tu Calientas Mi Corazon” which means “You Warm My Heart.”

Entrevista con artista Colombiano Leo Gomez:

And his work is doing just that for the kids who have big dreams.

“They get to see this every day and it’s really an inspiration for them to come out here and see this and give them something to look forward to and it keeps them pushing and so thank you Leo, from the bottom of my heart,” Youth Program Coordinator Natasha Yeung said.

To learn more about Leo Gomez, click here.


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About the Author

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

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