[MUSIC PLAYING][Celebrating Latino Culture in Chicago.]

PEPE VARGAS: You wanted to show me the brochurethat you were working on?Let's see where we are, Elizabeth.

ELIZABETH: Well, this is the old brochure.But as you can see I have very muted colors,and I was hoping that I could incorporate brighter colorsin the new brochure.So I was thinking of changing the compositionfrom vertical to horizontal.

PEPE VARGAS: Hello, my name is Pepe Vargas.[Pepe Vargas, Founder and Executive Director]I am the founder and executive directorof the International Latino Culture Center of Chicago.I mean, I visualize your idea, and also Ilike that this is new.And I think I certainly wanted your input because it's new.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And then, like I said, we've beenusing this for quite a while.The mission of the International Latino CulturalCenter of Chicago is, first, it's a Pan-Latino organization.And we created this to build awarenessabout the Latino culture.It's a non-for-profit organization.And we use the cultural expressions of our people

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: to let everyone know who we are, meaning we work with Latinosand non-Latinos to create awarenessand send a message about who Latinos are.We are the only organization in the US that has this mission.And that's what we breathe, and thatis what we live for-- it's the Pan-Latino.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: We are not concerned with the culture of one country,nor the single manifestation of the cultureof a particular country.We are the only one that embraces the Pan-Latino.And we are defined by cultures of more than 20different nationalities.It is difficult for people to really absorb

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: the concept because of the different nationalities.Pan-Latino means all of the Latino.[INAUDIBLE] America we were colonizedby Spain and Portugal.And that, sort of, defines us-- alsogeographically-- all of these countries in the Caribbean,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: south of the border from Mexico on, until the Patagonia.And when we put all of these together,we made more than 20 nationalities.So that is the Pan-Latino-- everyonewho has a connection to-- including,naturally, the native people who were in the Americas.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: From your draft-- you are working on a draftalready, so keep doing what you're doing.You don't have all the photos, so youcan reach out to Gustavo and [INAUDIBLE],get all the forms, all the piece-- all the informationabout each concert, and start plugging in.And also, you count lines when you don't

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: have the entire information.

ELIZABETH: Yeah.

PEPE VARGAS: Line for information, address.But that will allow you to really fill out the spaces.And then I will see the final, final.

ELIZABETH: OK.

PEPE VARGAS: If you like it, we go.Shall we do that?

ELIZABETH: Yeah.Yeah.That sounds perfect.That sounds perfect.

PEPE VARGAS: Yeah, because, I want-- I mean,also I want is your brochure, and itneeds to speak on behalf of the center.It's a program of the center.So we come out with something that is yours,and then you hide then.But you do know that you create it--

ELIZABETH: Yeah.

PEPE VARGAS: --and it's yours, but it'scarrying a message that is beyond you and me.It's the message of the center.And that goes along with everythingwe do on the branding.I mean, you are new here, but I certainlywanted you to embrace the mission,and I welcome your creativity.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: We bring people together through the artsby showcasing their talent, and we do thatthrough different events.Film festivals were the first thing,but we also do dance, poetry, visual arts, comedy shows,book presentations, CD releases, dance, even folk dance,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: and present them to everyone.We do that with a lot of respect,because some people will question you are not Mexican,and why you are dealing with a Mexican cultural expression.So we had to do it with a lot of respect, a lot of care.Because we enter in a territory that, yeah, this is ours

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: by choice, but still there is a border there--the nationality border.So we do that with respect-- showcase,use the talent of the creative minds of Latinosto really send the message that this is who we are as people,and how can we get united through the culture, the arts.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And when I say the arts, it's absolutelyevery cultural expression from the culinary artsto the poetry.It is difficult to find a common thread thatreally unites the Latinos, speaking from the artsperspective.Because let's see poetry-- we had great poets in Portugal,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: in Spain, and in Chile.We have two Nobel Prize winners, and one of them,say, Pablo Neruda, we say-- I'm paraphrasing him--we are where we grew up.We, kind of, absorb the thing, and then we become that.And so he was Chilean.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: It's really difficult to have something that is common.We had the Latin American literature boon.There were writers from Latin America,and each writer have a distinct wayof expressing-- Mexican writers, Argentinian writers, Brazilian,Chilean, Colombian.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: So it is really difficult to point out to one single thing.So there are many elements that made the culture.Let's see who this-- what you have there?

SPEAKER: I just wanted to show you.This came back from the printer, and it'sthe flyer for the film in the park, the next one.And I love the background, the grass--

PEPE VARGAS: You like it?

SPEAKER: Yeah, I do.I think Elly did a really good job with the design.And then, in the back it has the upcoming Reel Film Club,and I was thinking we could use that for the next Reel FilmClub--

PEPE VARGAS: Cover that.

SPEAKER: --upcoming events.Yeah, Elly could work on it.

PEPE VARGAS: She's good?

SPEAKER: Yeah, she's really good.

PEPE VARGAS: Good.

SPEAKER: So she could work on that.And also, we could get a head startand go ahead and advertise the Latino music festival, whichI think is really--

PEPE VARGAS: Yeah, it's not too early.Yeah.Sounds good.

SPEAKER: It's not too early, yeah.

PEPE VARGAS: Sounds good.

SPEAKER: Really get a head start with that.

PEPE VARGAS: She's working the brochure.

SPEAKER: Is she?

PEPE VARGAS: Yes.Yeah, we--

SPEAKER: Oh, that's great.OK.That's great.

PEPE VARGAS: Yeah, we talked about it.

SPEAKER: That's awesome.And then I wanted to let you know that I also updatedthe website so that the next film in the park is there.And Elly worked on that too, and she did a great job.

PEPE VARGAS: Immigration is a very interesting topic,very controversial.And in Chicago, for instance, I arrived here in 1980.Latino were about 300,000 people.Now it is reaching almost two million in the metro area.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And yet in the 80s-- early 80s-- the Mexicans,out of these 300 plus, they were the biggest percentage.It was 50 plus percent.And the Puerto Rican was a strong group.And then, there were people from everywhere.And that's the beauty of Chicago.Unlike any other cities-- LA, or Miami, or New York--here is a mix of every Latin American,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: even some Spaniards and a few Portuguese live in the city.And when we created the organization,we wanted something that really reflect this.And in a way we have the Latino diasporacovered through the arts and present

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: that this is who we are-- many nationalitieswith many different angles, and they can look at usfrom those perspectives.We use the culture of Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia,Cuba, so we present-- and then people, oh, I didn't know.And we try to respond to the, I didn't know.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: So here, learn, be aware of.And when you look at the Latino artsscene you will find a great and endless diversity, because youhad the murals that are, sort of, typical for Mexico,but not necessarily, there are other countries.And then the bright colors of the Caribbean.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: The color tends to be so intense.And why?Because it's the Caribbean.It's the intensity of these people that are having fun,enjoying life is different.And also, sometimes from the Andes, it's different.The Andes tends to be calmer.They are way up.The cold, the snow, the high that makes people different.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And so when they write with this cold, when they paint,when they make a film, that is the reflectionof their own living environment.So it is really difficult. And so weencourage people to look at us from every angle,every prospective they can because it's so diverse.The beauty of all of this is that people fall in lovewith this great diversity.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: That richness of our culture, it'sfound precisely on the diversity.And that's what we celebrate.We celebrate the diversity with the understandingthat the Mexican food or paintings, or poetry,or literature is not better, it'sdifferent than the Colombian, or the Peruvian, the Argentinian,the Brazilian.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: It's different, and therefore we put the emphasison the diversity-- how different we are, how rich it is,and for people, how this is from us.And then when they consume that, their lives most definitelychange.A change for the good.

SPEAKER: Well, I've been reviewing the foundationthat we talked about and their take.And I think that our best bet wouldbe to take one of our existing programsand expand on the strength of that program.I think the film in the park would probablybe our best bet because--

PEPE VARGAS: Can you put together a draft, and then we--

SPEAKER: Sure.

PEPE VARGAS: --work together.

SPEAKER: Definitely.

PEPE VARGAS: I mean, I read the guidelines ,so I think we fall into that.[INAUDIBLE] and economically stressed communities.

SPEAKER: Yeah.

PEPE VARGAS: And you are good at that.

SPEAKER: Yeah.

PEPE VARGAS: You build the case.

SPEAKER: And we could tie in-- they seem to focuson anti-violence, so maybe we can find an angle where maybe--

PEPE VARGAS: Well, the arts and culture can help.

SPEAKER: Yeah, arts and culture.Maybe films that are specifically showing childrenthat crime doesn't pay, kind of thing, or maybe with a theme.I don't know.

PEPE VARGAS: I mean, watching a film is enough--

SPEAKER: Yeah.

PEPE VARGAS: --for them to be inspired and do something else.Nationality is pretty much defined by the placethat you were born, and then sometimes in the processwe adopt another one.In my case, I am a Colombian.Nobody will take that away, even if I hadto resign to my nationality.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: But then I adopted a nationality where Imake a great part on my living.I learned the language and have become.And so I am a US citizen as well,so I have two nationalities.Ethnicity is something that is more subjective.It's really difficult to define by one single word.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: It's a lot of things-- the way people move, the way peopledance, the language they speak, howthey feel connected to the music they dance,the accent they have, and who they relate best to.In my case, I'm a little different,and that is why I do what I do.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: Because I grew up in Colombia, and thenI kept growing up in Argentina.I became a lawyer living in Chile,had traveled extensively, then went back to Colombia,lived in Mexico.So that makes me a different kind of individual.Besides the formal education, I have traveled and have learned.I have seen.I have been a part of.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And I wanted to, in a way, pay back or do somethingwith my experience.Because experience is not what you learnedor what you have gone through, it's what do you do with that.So I found the perfect job for me-- the Pan-Latino.How can I?And that was a question.When I say here discrimination-- work in a restaurant,how I was mistreated.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And people did not do that because they were bad people,evil.No, they do that because lack of awareness.They did not know that we are capable and able to domore than washing dishes, and do the floor, clean the bathrooms.How can I do something that will change that view?

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And I have personal experience.My name appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times.When they saw my name in the Sun-Timesin the restaurant I worked at, they couldn't believe.How come?This is you.Yes, it is me.So in a way, I realized I had became a human being, apartfrom the 14 other Mexicans who worked there.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And then they started treating me different as to awareness,education.It's what transforms this-- embrace these barriersand the stereotypes.And people start treating each otheraccording to what they know.And so that is the challenge that we have.How can we, by using a tool of such power--the soul and talent of our artists--

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: to educate, to create awareness, to let peopleknow this is who we are.That's what we celebrate-- the difference among ourselves.And then we present that through this Pan-Latino cultureand organization for them to learn the true Latino spirit.Let's put this together.Next week, once we have the draft for the Latino Music

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: Festival, then you call the printer and startworking on the details.And also working with Alejandro.Did you call Alejandro?Are you sure?Start sending press releases or the other--the consultant that's going to work with him.

SPEAKER: And we need to gather photographs, and synopsis,and descriptions for the print flyers.So we need to gather all that information.

PEPE VARGAS: So make sure all of those elements are in,and you check.And then, I think with that we would be able to close it.So let's say a week and this?

SPEAKER: Maybe a week and a half, but yes.Depending, I think we have what--how many concerts do we have?We have about--

PEPE VARGAS: 14.

SPEAKER: 14?So--

PEPE VARGAS: Sounds good.So work on that, and then you can take a vacation.

SPEAKER: Sounds like a plan.Then I can take a vacation.

PEPE VARGAS: Good.I am a Latino.And that means a lot to me because the different thingsthat I have observed, I can claimthat I am not Argentinian, but a lot of Argentinian thingsare within me.And I lived in Mexico.A lot of Mexican things came to me.I have traveled throughout the continent,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: and so that went inside me.And when we show films in the park,we tried our best when we go to a Mexican neighborhoodto show an Argentinian, a Colombian, a Puerto Rican film.And when we go to a Puerto Rican neighborhood, we do the same.Because naturally, sometimes peopletry to give the Mexican the Mexican thing.I try otherwise.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: How can I give the Mexicans a different-- and sowe start getting to know ourselves.And then, we present a different pictureto the ones who are not Latinos.People are not evil.They were mistreating me.And not even mistreating me, treating me in a waythat they thought was the right thing.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And that was the standard.So understanding that it's not the standard,we have to change that.It is our responsibility to reallyestablish our presence here, whether they like it or not.Because they like of us to be working and producing,and also that we consume, and we provide things to society.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: Therefore, we had to claim our place hereand be part of society.And in this case, I mean, the number is big.But number per se is big, but it's not important.It's important a number of educated people,people who are aware.People who go out and vote.And people who start protesting and asking,and be part of this political system,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: and be part of a society.Hello, Maria.

MARIA: Hello, Pepe.How's your day today?

PEPE VARGAS: So far, so good.How about you?Let's see what you have.

MARIA: So I've been working on the submissions,and we've gotten quite a few, so that's good.But that means we need to finalize the film selectioncommittee--

PEPE VARGAS: How many?

MARIA: --as soon as possible.We have 25 so far.

PEPE VARGAS: I see.That's a lot.It's too early.

MARIA: And we've only been running it for three weeks.I think that's great.I have [INAUDIBLE], Sandra, Luis, and Carmelo confirmed.And then you said you spoke to Rebecca.

PEPE VARGAS: Yeah.She's confirmed, yeah.

MARIA: And we just need you to confirm [INAUDIBLE].

PEPE VARGAS: I will follow up with her.So we got men, women--

MARIA: Can you do that before the end of this week,preferably tomorrow?Just so next week I can start sending out--

PEPE VARGAS: No, I'll call.Yeah.Yeah, sounds good.I will.

MARIA: --sending out the film selection review form.

PEPE VARGAS: Yeah, sounds good.Great.

MARIA: Then we can start distributing the films.

PEPE VARGAS: Good.All of these communications and social media.Before it was the telegram, and then the phone, and thenthe cell phone, and now Facebook people communicate with.And then they learn what is happeningin their respective countries, communicatewith their family, sharing photos, and memorabilia,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: and things, and inviting.So social media has been-- and then also for us to shareand putting on the websites, so people get to see.We, for instance, have an app for the Chicago Latino FilmFestival gets so many complimentsfrom Australia, Switzerland, France, Italy, Denmark.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: So it's the possibility to be connected and also becomemore cosmopolitan.It gives people tools to really communicate,but also they are extremely dangerous toolsbecause people just get glued to that and limit themselves.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: Before it was the Bible-- the Bible had the last word,and now the internet has a last word, and people stay there.So it becomes-- I mean, it's a sword of double edge.When we use them appropriately-- and that'swhat we try here-- how can we present ourselvesbetter through the message that wesend via Facebook and emails.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And then Instagram, the type of pictures that we put therethat really speak about the Latino,how vibrant our culture is, and share those kinds of things.Share poems and the culture culinary recipes and sharefilms.All of that, it helps it advance.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: It gives people the opportunity to really be connected and alsoconnect with the families at home,and back and forth, and all of that.And then people go to places because of Facebook,and somehow run a campaign, and people end upbeing there together.And oh, yeah, I didn't know you were here.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: Well, I didn't know you were here, but you are hereand I'm here.What else?

MARIA: We need to send out the e-newsletterthat you blast for this Saturday, the exclusive one.You just want me to send out the Reel Film Club,or should I also put the film in the park in there as well?

PEPE VARGAS: This Saturday?

MARIA: Yeah.

PEPE VARGAS: I think we should put the other two Saturday.

MARIA: You'd like to put both?

PEPE VARGAS: I mean, Tuesday and Wednesday, so they go together.

MARIA: OK.So I can do that.Is there anything else you need me to put, or that's fine?

PEPE VARGAS: I think it's OK.

MARIA: What time should I send it at?

PEPE VARGAS: Noon.

MARIA: Noon?

PEPE VARGAS: Yeah.Any diversity strengthens the communitybecause it's the sense of belonging.Belonging to a group that is bigger than me.And then when people discover the power on the unified group,so we go together, and that's whypeople are so proud to come at least once a year and parade.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: For instance, paint the river green.And so they have to feel that-- the Mexicans isrunning the horses.And then you see the flows with the [INAUDIBLE],the New Year for the Chinese, all of those thingsunite people.And they do it with a lot of pride.They want it to be seen and perceivehow good our culture is.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And then we celebrate in that, some people just to get drunk.And they do, but it's a lot of appetite to learn.And that's why we go to China Townto see the dragons and the New Year.And we go to Greektown and cross all of these borders,and start mingling together and learning.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And there's masses of people to cometo see the river, the ceremony.And I see a lot of Mexicans dressingin green for Saint Patrick's, and vice versa.And all of these crosses, and that makes somethingthat is vibrant, is rich.It speaks of the great diversity of a city like Chicago.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: Happens in other parts, but Chicago I think ithappens more than anywhere-- anywhere else.And that's the beauty of Chicago.

SPEAKER 1: So this is the navigationthat we approved last week.So as you can see, this is closed now,and tomorrow's meeting is going to beabout what's the skeleton of this navigation--the wireframe.The rebranding was approved also.So the thing now is to merge this documentand the new rebranding of the [INAUDIBLE]

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: into the new website.And the final logo is going to be like that.But I want you also to see the logo is kind of flexible,so we can have space when we do the 33rd Chicago Latino FilmFestival, or the 11th Latino Music Festival.So the thing is to have that spirit, the colorfuland the tasteful typography into the website.

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: So what we are going to give to the master web, to Abraham,is going to be something like this.As you can see, Pepe, are seeing also on the screen?This is a skeleton.It's not the final design.It's just so you can see.We have a full width website.That's something that we don't have now.As you can see, we have space on both sides that are empty,

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: and we are not using them.It's also something really good for the responsive thingthat we talk about.And it's like this.So Abraham is going to have his document, a bunch of PDFs,so he can go and just look to all the sections where allthe material is going to be.

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: And once we have that, which is somethingthat we need to approve tomorrow.

PEPE VARGAS: The way we measure the success of everythingthat we do-- it's one thing that is not tangible, yet speakstons.It's looking at people when they smile, or they cry.Recently we have a group of people for the Latino MusicFestival-- a group of children from Paraguay

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: who play instruments made out of recycled garbage.And I saw people, Latinos and non-Latinos,crying at the concert.And that is a crystal clear messageof how much difference, how much we touch by the work we do.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And then the press coverage is another waythat we-- the press reviews, the attendance.There are great events, high quality that are poorlyattended, so we see we failed in promoting and lettingmore people know.But in general, we look at the press coverage and the critics,and then the attendees.And the case of the Latino Film Festival, the first one

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: was attended by some 500 people, second one 3,500,and then it went to 10,000.At this time, it's way above 25,000 people.So there is-- I mean, it's undeniable--that is, it's tangible.The way we measure success, the growth-- the growth

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: and the budget.The first film festival that we put together was $10,000.Now things are way above $1 million.The growth is not only in terms of attendance, also expenses.And there is one thing that is crystal clear,and I am humbled and proud that my work is recognized.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: I've been recognized, with a Doctoral degree.And a University would not give a Doctoral degreeto somebody who has done nothing.So a Doctoral degree, I feel good.And the Chicago Sun-Times made me the Chicagoan of the Year.And then they sent out their Chicago storyin the Chicago Tribune, a remarkable person.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: So I feel good, but also I understand that it did notcome out of the blue.And then the most important also,I am aware of the responsibility that Icarry to really keep doing a good job, be responsible,have an ethics that is unquestionable.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: I am fully aware that I am doing something important.And that's the way.I mean, the success of the festival, music, and dance,and everything that we do has given usa sense of responsibility.Something that we had to take carebecause we understand it is important,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: and above that it is necessary.I mean, the Chicago Latino Film Festivalhas given us so many beautiful things.Out of the film festival I've created the Latino MusicFestival.We do a lot of comedy shows, theater,dance, a lot of other programs that came out.But the most important thing that

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: has come out of the Latino Film Festivalis a dream that we have.And that dream has become a project.It's to build in Chicago a world class cultural center.A place that really we can call my house, your house.There's a house-- is the mecca, where all the cultural Latino

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: expressions can be housed and shared.A restaurant where people can come and be themselveswith the culinary arts of all of these nations.And also they can have Tequila, wine,the best coffees in the world.They can have Colombian coffee, Guatemalan, Costa Rican coffee.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: I mean, dance and learn to dance the tango and the sambaand the flamenco, and enjoy their literature,purchase products from all of these countries.Like I say, it's the mecca.And that's what we want too.There is no such a thing anywhere in the country.And we are-- it's a dream that was conceivedby us because of the things that we do,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: the mission that is Pan-Latino.And so we are in the right place at the right moment.And all of that is because of what we have done.Because the key question is, what do we do with the successthat we have been able to achieve?This mecca, this place will be for Latinosand for everyone else.And that is what we preach, and that is what we work for,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: and that is what we are fully convinced thatis going to happen.Why?Because it's needed.

MARIA: Is that going to be gray and black?

SPEAKER 1: Oh, no, no.This is the wireframe.It's a document only, so the webmaster can know wherethings are going to be placed.So this is just a skeleton, no designing--

MARIA: OK.

SPEAKER 1: --in it.[INAUDIBLE] the ones that are going to be at the end.This is so he gets a sense of the organizationof the website.And for that, after tomorrow we approve that.We need to send him this, which is justa folder that we are going to upload to Google drive.And in there he's going to have, for example, if we come here

SPEAKER 1 [continued]: and we are at the homepage, he justneed to go to the folder on the drive and he's going to have,for example, the home page in here.And he is going to have the images, all the text.So he just needs to grab the image, grab the text,put it in there, and we need to approve it.

PEPE VARGAS: Who will upload that?

SPEAKER 1: That's something that Lourdes and meare going to do next week.

MARIA: I guess it could be a group effort.We can all contribute and take that information and put it in.

SPEAKER 1: Oh, yeah, yeah, for sure.That's why it's going to be on Google drive, so everyone of uscan--[INTERPOSING VOICES]

SPEAKER 1: --in the folder.

PEPE VARGAS: As time goes by, we have no other choicebut keep moving.And then there's one thing that we have,everything that we do has to be-- because see,this speaks on behalf of the community,speaks about the community.So he has to be good.And then, I mean, quite honestly we

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: have been able to accomplish that.So what is next?Something even better.And as time goes by, better.And this, I mean, I can attest for.The 13th Latino Film Festival was good.It was difficult to make it, but then wefocused on making the 14th even better.And then we kept doing this.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: At some point we got to the 25th anniversary.It was spectacular.Then we committed to make sure that the 26th was better.We got to the 30th.The 30th was spectacular.It was really good.Something that we said is somethingdifficult to really do something better than this.And what did we do?The 31st was better, and then we recommitted ourselves

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: to make sure.So that is what we are doing.The music festival-- the first, second, 10th--we got a great 10th anniversary last year.What is next?The 11th festival has to be better.It's fun.It's exciting.It's a learning experience.And we have another thing that we pretty muchinvite people to just visit us.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: Make a trip to any one of our countrieswhen they attend our festival.And encourage them to think and plan and dreamabout going to the real thing-- going to Rio,going to Buenes Aires.But in the mean time to stop by, and see a tango performance.Next it will be a trip to Buenes Aires.

MARIA: Has Abraham seen the design already?

SPEAKER 1: No, not yet because this is just the preview.So tomorrow when Philippe also comes here,we need to go one by one, so we can take notes.And then for next week, I can have the final wireframe readyand all the material ready.

MARIA: OK.

SPEAKER 1: That's it for him.

PEPE VARGAS: So for now we are in agreement.[INAUDIBLE] us about [INAUDIBLE], and thenthe most important contribute.

SPEAKER 1: Exactly.That's most of it.Tomorrow is going to be a quick meeting,just going on the skeleton.And after that, my last week in hereis going to be just about the website and--

MARIA: So do we have a deadline for the--

SPEAKER 1: Yes

MARIA: --website?

SPEAKER 1: Tomorrow is just the skeleton.Next Friday, that's the deadline to haveeverything ready to Abraham.

MARIA: OK.

SPEAKER 1: So he can start working in Auguston the website.And that's something that Elly, then is going to work also.So one, Abraham-- I don't know, he needs maybe to recite someimages, some photography, or whatever,then he can contact her and she can--

MARIA: Because we have had that issue before.

SPEAKER 1: Yeah.

MARIA: Usually the images we get don't work for the website,so the dimensions have to change.So, Elly you can help us with that.

ELIZABETH: I can take care of that.

PEPE VARGAS: There's one thing that I would tell every jobperson going to school and being ready to get outin the real world.Just be you.Really reach out to your innermost partthat everything you need to know is there.And be honest with yourself, and then you

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: will find what it is you want to do.And then you will be armed to do your bestand do what it takes to really succeed and accomplish youdreams.That is what will make anyone happy.You will be happy by accomplishing your dreams.And do it the way you can do it, and do your best

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: to make sure that it stands out in the crowd.Reach out to your own self conscience,and give your heart the opportunityto really speak through your mind and your bodyto perform the duties that are necessary to do what you dreamabout and plan for, and then here you got the results.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And that is the advice.And also get up early.And things take time.Good things take time, take focus, take energy.Manage your energy.Forget about your time.Take vacation, rest, and have fun.Enjoy it.I have fun doing what I do.I mean, I think one thing that is important,

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: and sometimes I made that overt-- forget about money.Everyone is concerned about money,either making to live well.I live well without really money-- having tons of money.I work.I make my living.I'm happy.And I devote my time and energy to keep

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: doing what I do because that fuels my soul,and so I'm happy with that.So, people, don't limit yourself because of money.Because people in general found a great number of people who,I can't-- because I don't have money, I can't do this.No, you dream.And your dream will become a reality when you focus.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: And money, yes, it's needed.The mega center that we are planning is some $70 million.I don't have the money, but I livein a city that does have the money.It's a project that is needed, thathas to happen because it is needed, regardless of money.So forget about the money, focus on what you wanted to do.

PEPE VARGAS [continued]: The outcome of your dreams.And then everything will fall into place.And money is one of the elements that comes and goes, soforget about money and focus on making your dreams becomea reality.