Nos vestimos de luto

To my dear Amigo, Compadre, Hermano – Rafael Eli, we at HispanicAd and our families do not have the words to express our gratitude and respect to you for the unique relationship and the bonds that united us for so many years.

Our conversations and emotions about literature, art, cinema, business, innovation, relationships, love and the future we both worked towards ensuring that the US Hispanic and Multicultural communities are respected and looked upon as socially, politically and economical viable will be missed.  They filled my days and nights, waiting for our next discussion.

After our conversations, for hours my house and office would be abuzz after the loud discussions, the laughs and insights brought forth by our typical Latino to Latino conversations, they were highlights for many of our dinner conversations.  You brought your “Jibaro y Guajiro” points of view along with my “Jibaro, Guajiro y Gaucho” views.  ¡Que mezcla!

I remmember as if t were yesterday on the corner of Lexington Ave and 42nd Street in NYC in 1999, you were the first person I mentioned that we were going to launch HispanicAd to serve the US Hispanic advertising, marketing, media, public relations and research executive Industry.  You said, ¡Pa’ Lante, ni un paso para atraz! 

People say that you are lucky if you have one true friend, I count you as one of mine.

Gene Bryan

Fortes en Fide