At iHeartRadio's Fiesta Latina in Miami this past weekend, I twerked, sang at the top of my lungs, and swelled with pride at being Latina. But one of my favorite moments was seeing Pitbull cry.
Yes, you read that right. Pitbull himself shed real, actual thug tears. For his work opening two SLAM charter schools, one in Nevada and another in his hometown of Miami, the rapper received iHeartRadio's Premier Corazon award for enhancing Latino communities in the U.S.
"For me to be a Miami born-and-raised Dade County, 305 representer...and to be up here...with kids that are just like me, that came from nothing and understand what it is to make something out of it, is a true honor," Pitbull, born Armando Perez, said. "And let me tell you, awards don't mean nothing to me, because my kids can't eat awards. But you know what it means to be able to be somebody that can build a school in their old neighborhood and give a future to kids that nobody believed in? This award means the world to me."
And just when I thought things couldn't get any sweeter, the 35-year-old proceeded to thank his childhood teacher. (I KNOW.) The electricity and emotion in that arena was palpable; I almost had to bring out the tissues myself.
"It's only right since a teacher changed my life...her name is Hope Martinez, she told me and she believed in me, she said, 'I don't ever want nothing from you in life. I just want you to say thank you to me when you win your first award,'" Pitbull told the crowd. "I want to say thank you to Hope Martinez for winning my most important award. Thank you."
Watch a video of the speech, below. I seriously think Mr. 305 and Mr. Worldwide should consider adding Mr. Adorable to his lineup of names. Dale!
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