Florida International University (FIU) in Miami has announced a $10 million gift from Leon Medical Centers chairman and founder Benjamín León in support of a center to will highlight and preserve the story of the Cuban diaspora and its impact on South Florida.

The gift will establish FIU CasaCuba at the Benjamín León Jr. Building, a multidimensional Cuban cultural and academic center that aims to facilitate the discussion and study of Cuban affairs. Slated to open in 2027, the $40 million, 43,000-square-foot building will be prominently located near an entrance to FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus, and will include exhibition space, as well as classrooms and other academic space.

A longtime supporter of the university, León arrived in Miami at the age of 16, after the Cuban Revolution of the 1950s. His previous gifts include support for FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine and the creation of the Benjamín León Center for Geriatric Research and Education.

“With this gift, our story lives on for generations to come,” said León. “Like many exiles, my family had to start anew, and they succeeded through hard work and perseverance. It is a great privilege to be able to contribute to the preservation and propagation of this American story.”

(Photo credit: Florida International University)