From the Editor

Just before the Dominican-inspired band Aventura performed for President Barack Obama, they reportedly asked him whether he knew about bachata. According to band members, Obama replied that he not only knew about the genre, but that he listened to Aventura. That must have been an amazing revelation to the four friends from the Bronx. Over the past few years, their fame has skyrocketed, thanks in part to their musical innovation—mixing rap, R&B, showmanship and dramatics into their new sound. And it’s this innovation that has made them stars. In this issue, our Young Icons special, we celebrate visionaries like the young men of Aventura who have redefined their field (p. 34). Take the artist Franck de Las Mercedes, who is spreading the message of love and peace through the mail (p. 68) or the new tastemakers styling our world (p. 26).
We also touch base with today’s leading men, from the Wolfman himself, Benicio del Toro (p. 46), to Andy Garcia (p. 70), to Emilio Estefan (p.64), to el portrillo Alejandro Fernández (p. 56). Enjoy!

Marissa Rodriguez
Editor