With cheers and applause, an audience of more than 200 people welcomed Mr. Amigo 2018 Arturo Elías Ayub last Thursday to the Texas Southmost College Performing Arts Center.
The stage was decorated with colorful papier-mache flowers and black charro hats. From the ceiling, papel picado of different colors hung throughout the stage.
“Thank you so much for inviting me to this beautiful campus,” Ayub said in Spanish. “After seeing the list of events I had to attend as Mr. Amigo, the one that excited me the most was coming to this campus.”
Ayub is a businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist and star of the reality TV show, “Shark Tank Mexico.” He has served as the chief executive officer of Sociedad Comercial Cadena and as the CEO of the TELMEX Telcel Foundation. He is the CEO of Multimedia and Strategic Alliances of América Móvil, CEO of the TELMEX Telcel Foundation, director of Uno TV and president of the Instituto TELMEX del Deporte, according to the official TSC Amigofest pamphlet.
Each year, the Mr. Amigo Association honors a Mexican citizen to promote international friendship and goodwill between the U.S. and Mexico. The honoree is recognized during Brownsville’s Charro Days Fiesta. Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, holds Fiestas Mexicanas at the same time. Previous Mr. Amigos include Cantinflas, Juan Gabriel, Verónica Castro, Lucha Villa and Pedro Fernández.
“We just came from a beautiful event at the bridge where we talked a lot about the relationship between Mexico and the United States,” said Ayub, who was wearing a light-brown Cuera Tamaulipeca costume. “We talked about the friendship, the love and the appreciation each country has for each other. We need more bridges, not walls.”
Ayub, who said he likes giving talks at universities because his children are the same age as students, spoke about the importance of following one’s passion while staying humble.
“I want to talk to you all about life,” he said. “I know it sounds kind of funny ‘about life,’ but I am very happy to be here,” he said. “I am going to give you some advice that has worked for me throughout my life: Always dream big and do what you really like to do. Follow your passion.”
Mr. Amigo encouraged the audience to not let society change their dreams and to live with strong values.
“Don’t ever let anyone get into your heart and tell you that you have to do this or that,” he said. “You have to do what your heart wants. I have always liked to live my life with values. These two countries have beautiful values that we have to continue.
“The strong value of honesty the United States has is something we have to follow. Not being honest may bring some short-term benefits, but in the long run, things will always end bad.”
The entrepreneur also emphasized the strong sense of family values Mexico has.
“The importance we as Mexicans place on family unity is something we should never lose,” he said. “Don’t ever lose this. The biggest blessing in my life is having my family together; this cannot be exchanged for anything in the world.”
Jesús Roberto Rodríguez, president of TSC, said this is his second year participating in the Charro Days festivities.
“We are very proud and excited to be hosting TSC Amigofest,” Rodríguez said. “I [am] overwhelmed by the community and how everyone comes together, from both sides of the border, to celebrate these traditions. These traditions [are] what makes Brownsville such a unique and beautiful community to be part of.”
Members of the audience also expressed their gratitude toward the continuation of these celebrations.
“I love that these celebrations are being preserved for future generations,” UTRGV Lecturer II Lupita Strong said to The Rider in Spanish before the Mr. Amigo presentation. “Everything looks very beautiful, and even more so because my daughter is going to dance.”
Before Mr. Amigo’s arrival, Mariachi Siete Leguas performed songs such as “El aventurero,” “El mariachi loco” and “Como quien pierde una estrella,” while the audience clapped, danced and sang along to the well-known Mexican songs.
Two students from Incarnate Word Academy danced in China Poblana and Charro costumes. Also performing were The Los Fresnos High School Folklórico group and Mariachi Nuevo Halcón, and the TSC Raúl J. Guerra Early Childhood Center students.
“You should always dream as high as the sky, but keep your feet on the ground,” Mr. Amigo 2018 said. “Humility will always take you far.”
Incarnate Word Academy China Poblana & Charro perform a dance number last Thursday during the TSC Amigofest held in the Texas Southmost College Performing Arts Center.
