Good evening everyone and welcome. Tonight is more than a banquet. It's a celebration of what happens when a community gets to dream together.
At this time, I would like to recognize our elected officials, literally from all over the (Rio Grande) Valley. We are very proud to say that we have elected officials from McAllen, Pharr, Hidalgo, San Juan, and Edinburg. And, we are also very happy to say that we have representation from San Benito and Brownsville.
I am pleased we have representation from San Benito and Brownsville because I believe it takes a village. And by a village I mean a region. It takes the whole RGV region to come together to make this happen.
For years, many of us in this room have shared a common vision, to create a place where every child in the Rio Grande Valley can discover their talent, nurture it, and turn it into a lifelong calling. That dream is now becoming a reality through the RGV Conservatory of the Arts. That's why we are here tonight.
This conservatory will be a home for young musicians, actors, dancers and visual artists. A place where culture, education and opportunity come together. It will serve as a bridge between our local groups and the professional world of the arts. And most importantly, it will give our children the structure, mentorship, pedagogy and inspiration that they need to thrive in life. This conservatory includes but is not limited to mariachi or band education. It also involves programs such as Norteño, Tejano, pop, rock, jazz, and modern dance, to mention a few.
And none of this would be possible without the vision of our regional leadership, our cities, our schools and all of you, donors, families and friends who believe that Art is not a luxury, because it's not. It's also a necessity of the human spirit.
So, tonight as we share this meal and these stories, let's remember that we are not just raising funds, we’re raising a generation, a generation that will define the cultural future of the RGV. Thank you for being here, for believing in this dream, and for helping us build the Conservatory of the Arts, one student, one song, one story at a time. It does take a village. Thank you.
