In its final installment for the academic year, Student Government’s “What Matters to U” speaker series will bring Armando Christian Perez, also known as Pitbull, to the Coral Gables Campus on Tuesday, March 29, at 6 p.m. in the Watsco Center.
Following the same format of previous “What Matters to U” events, Matthew Calle, a senior majoring in music therapy, and Serona Elton, professor and director of the Music Industry Program, will moderate the program.
“Pitbull’s story is beneficial for students to hear because of his resilience and determination. Success was not handed to him. He had to fight for it at every stage of his career,” Elton said. “We live in uncertain times, where there are more opportunities than ever before, but also more distractions. I look forward to students hearing his story of how, through focus and hard work, he turned his dream into his reality.”
Pitbull, a Miami-native and son of Cuban-American expatriates, is a Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, and record producer whose motto “turn a negative into a positive” has guided his business and philanthropic endeavors. Having sold 6 million albums and 70 million singles worldwide, Pitbull has released songs at No. 1 in more than 15 countries. Not only has his music appeared in movies like Men in Black III and The Penguins of Madagascar, but he has also made appearances on popular shows such as Empire, Shark Tank, and Dancing with the Stars.
In addition to his famed status as “Mr. Worldwide” for his multiple successes in the music industry, Pitbull also serves as an ambassador for the Miami-based Sports Leadership and Management (SLAM!) charter schools he helped to establish. In recognition of his many contributions, Miami awarded Pitbull a key to the city in 2009, and he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2016.
“I hope our conversation with Pitbull touches on the impact that his cultural background has had on his art and business ventures,” Calle added. “He gives back to the Miami and Cuban communities, and I hope students are excited to hear about his favorite projects of the past and future.”
Tickets to the event are available for undergraduate, graduate, medical, and law students and can be claimed beginning Tuesday, March 22. Tickets are required to attend, however, a ticket does not guarantee admission as seating is filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Full event details, including ticketing information, are available at sg.miami.edu/wmtu.
