Our First Seventy-Five Years

Consuelo (Chelo) Cordero was born in Havana, Cuba. She attended the American Dominican Academy in Havana for the first ten years of her education. Chelo arrived in the USA in 1961 and finished her high school at Notre Dame Academy in Miami. She earned a Bachelors Degree Magna Cum Laude from Barry College in Miami, and a M.A.T. in Spanish from Georgia State University in Atlanta. Chelo taught languages, especially Spanish, and was Chair of the Foreign Language Department at St. Pius X High School in Atlanta.

Jess Len was born in Holgun, Cuba, and attended several schools in Cuba. He arrived in the USA in October 1960, graduating from Archbishop Curley High School in Miami. Jess earned a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and a M.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Florida. He went on to complete all the requirements but the final dissertation for a Ph.D. at the Georgia Institute of Technology of Atlanta; he later earned a M.B.A. from Georgia State University. Jess worked in several companies in the US and Europe, including various start-ups, and retired as SVP and Chief Development Officer after twelve years at Ciena Corporation.

Some say that Chelo and Jess were "meant to be" because her last name, Cordero, translates to "lamb" while his last name, Len, translates to "lion," a reminder of the Biblical saying, "and the lion shall lay down by the lamb." They were married in Miami in 1967.

Chelo and Jess wrote their memoirs to convey to their grandchildren the importance of a strong faith in God, the value of family, hard work and perseverance, and the impact of their Cuban heritage in their lives. Chelo wishes to be remembered as a loving and grateful person that always tried to treat others with kindness. Jess wishes to be remembered as a person who tried to live in accordance with his Christian upbringing and beliefs.