Bradly D’Souza has had a lifelong interest in finance. He has served as unofficial bookkeeper for his family since he was a child. These days, as an engineer at Tesla, he still gets requests from friends looking for financial advice.

“They’ve seen my crazy spreadsheets,” he said with a laugh. “They know I’m a numbers guy at heart.”

He traced his interest in finance to his experience as a child, watching his parents – Harold and Dancy D’Souza – navigate the financial system in the United States after emigrating from India. He has a distinct memory of sitting through a financial literacy seminar in the second-floor conference room at Cincinnati Works, where his parents were Members.

Harold has a similar memory of the seminar, which took place more than a decade ago. The theme was shopping smarter, and the instructor used the example of buying a Coke from a vending machine every day versus buying in bulk and bringing a Coke to work every day, which would save thousands of dollars over the course of a career.

Not long after the event, the D’Souzas were enjoying a rare dinner at a restaurant, and Harold was surprised when Bradly ordered a water rather than his usual favorite, Dr. Pepper. “I asked him why and he said, ‘Dad, did you see those prices?’” Harold recalled.

Cincinnati Works vision is, ‘We will lead the effort to eliminate poverty in our community” and their mission statement is, ‘Cincinnati Works will partner with all willing and capable people living to assist them in advancing to economic self-efficiency through employment.

Cincinnati Works 25 years celebration was organized at ADC Fine Arts on May 12, 2022.

 Rohan, Harold, Dancy and Bradly D’Souza

The smart-shopping lesson stuck with Bradly. So, too, did this lesson:

“My dad is an amazing role model,” he said. “All I’ve known around me is a great work ethic and a deep interest in learning.”

The D’Souzas are remarkable Members in many ways, from their experience with human trafficking in their first year in the United States to Harold’s recent experience working with multiple U.S. Presidents to combat trafficking. Harold and Dancy both built successful careers in Greater Cincinnati after coming to Cincinnati Works, and they purchased a home where they raised two high-achieving sons: Bradly and his younger brother, Rohan.

In that way, the D’Souzas are remarkably representative of our Members: Their persistence and determination in building stable careers has provided their children with the resources necessary to pursue the American Dream.

“It might not have been the best of circumstances that brought us to Cincinnati Works,” Bradly said, “but it laid the foundation for how I see the world today. I have nothing but gratitude for the experience.”