Our Recipients

After completing their degrees in music in Boston, Antonio and Simone took a leap of faith to complete their Master’s degrees in Los Angeles, despite not having family in the area.

They quickly fell in love with the city and arts community, deciding it was where they wanted to start their family.

After six unsuccessful months, the couple became concerned. They saw a fertility specialist, but Simone’s test results were normal. It was then discovered that Antonio had a low sperm count, creating the necessity for sperm extraction surgery (micro TESE) paired with IVF.

“Because of the expense of the procedures, our chance of conceiving a child would be delayed for several years. As grant recipients, we are incredibly grateful for this opportunity and hope we will be blessed with a child in the near future.”

Ileyah and Iliana were born on February 20, 2019.