HAINES CITY, Fla. — One Haines City Commissioner is being recognized with one of Mexico’s highest honors, the Mexicano Distinguido award, which is presented by the government of Mexico to a Mexican national living abroad.
Commissioner Omar Arroyo was this year’s recipient.
From a very young age, Arroyo says he was taught the value of hard work.
He immigrated to the U.S. at 15 and went straight to working in construction, which eventually turned into owning his own business.
“Everything I do is possible thanks to this,” he said.
His construction business helped him build connections that led him to run for the Haines City Commission in 2021. Although he lost, he didn’t give up and eventually secured a seat the following year, becoming the first Mexican elected to the City Commission.
“I wanted to get involved in it,” he said. “I didn’t know much about it, but I saw the need and I saw that I could help because of what I do.”
He said his goal is to bring representation to the Hispanic community that is rooted in the city.
“The more you learn about government, the more you get involved,” Arroyo said. “It’s just so big that there is so much need everywhere.”
The past few years he has served as a commissioner, vice mayor and mayor, getting involved at schools and helping construct more parks in the city.
But he said there’s still a lot to be done, and he is hoping other members of the Hispanic community will join the effort.
“After I ran, every year there has been at least one Hispanic running,” Arroyo said. “They haven’t won yet, but they will, eventually they will — especially if they keep going.”
Arroyo said his path to get to where he is wasn’t easy, but that is what makes it so rewarding.
“I thank God every day for putting me where he put me, because I found a real passion,” he said.
AIt is a passion that he hopes won’t end with him, but will open the doors for more Hispanics to get involved in local government.
Arroyo has one more year left in his term with Haines City, but said he plans to continue to be involved in government affairs in the future.
Lizbeth Gutierrez
Source link