Today we’d like to introduce you to Luis Cortes.
Hi Luis, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My name is Luis Cortes. I originaly hail from Mexico City, from the city’s most famous and popular neighborhood, widely known for its rich history of athletes and commerce: Tepito.
Back in 2003, when I was a teenager in high school, the opportunity came up for me to go work in the United States. Thanks to my father—who had immigrated years earlier to work in Tennessee—his company was able to help me secure a work visa.
Once settled in Nashville, my adventure began in that beautiful country and city. At first, adjusting to the culture and the language was very tough. It was just as hard at my job in landscaping, where I had zero experience since I had just turned 18. But within a single year, I managed to adapt to the language, which proved to be the absolute key to success in my Nashville journey.
My artistic career started with the rise of a platform called YouTube. I used to watch videos posted by everyday people like me, which inspired me to start uploading videos of my daily life, showing off the beautiful woods and lakes of Nashville. I wasn’t doing it for fame; the main reason was simply to create personal memories I could look back on when I get old.
I didn’t realize back then that if you didn’t use a YouTube channel regularly, videos could be deleted, which made me really sad—especially since I had no one around to advise or guide me.
Three years after my first channel, I decided to start a new one, this time with more experience under my belt to create better content, heavily influenced by Nashville’s identity as Music City and the broader artistic world.
On this new YouTube channel, I began recording my daily life working for Landscaping by John E. Waller. Filming beautiful areas like Brentwood, Belle Meade, and Franklin inspired me to fully dive into the vlogging world. Drawing inspiration from the YouTuber Casey Neistat, I was able to really find my stride.
Destiny was pushing me toward acting, leading me to Atlanta where my acting career officially began while studying at the Alpharetta campus.
I appeared in several episodes of international TV shows, mostly Spanish-language programs.
In 2017, I had to return to Mexico, back to my home neighborhood in Mexico City: the famous Barrio Bravo of Tepito.
It was during this stage that my channel truly took off. Focusing on and showcasing my neighborhood made me the first YouTuber to do so. I was honored with an award at the Hayek awards, featured on the front page of the Pásala newspaper, and spotlighted in a national broadcast report about my career on TV Azteca.
Today, I am preparing to act in an upcoming Netflix series centered around the neighborhood of Tepito.
I would like to thank Nashville Voyager for this interview.
I am a Nashvillian because I lived in that beautiful Music City, USA, for 13 years.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road, but every challenge ended up shaping where I am today.When I first arrived in Nashville at 18 years old, the transition was tough. Moving from Mexico City to Tennessee meant facing a complete culture shock, a language I didn’t know, and physically demanding work in landscaping—an industry where I had zero prior experience. Adapting to a brand-new environment while learning English from scratch during that first year was one of my hardest hurdles, but mastering the language became the real turning point for my success in the city.Navigating the digital and creative world had its own learning curve, too. When I first started creating content on YouTube to preserve memories of my time in Nashville, I didn’t have anyone around to guide or mentor me. Losing my initial channel because I didn’t know how the platform worked was really discouraging, but I used that set-back to start fresh, learn the platform, and refine my content.Looking back, none of it was easy—from adjusting to life far from home as a teenager to carving out a path in acting and content creation without a roadmap—but every struggle pushed me to adapt, grow, and keep moving forward.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
What I do & What I specialize in:
I am a content creator, YouTuber, and actor. My creative work centers on digital storytelling and cultural vlogging. I specialize in bringing audiences authentic, real-time glimpses into everyday life—whether that was documenting the scenic spots, parks, and culture of Nashville, Tennessee during my 13 years living there, or capturing the real human spirit and daily energy of Mexico City. As an actor, I focus on Spanish-language television and dramatic roles, working on international broadcast productions and preparing for upcoming streaming series.
What I am known for:
I am most widely known for being the pioneer content creator to focus directly on my hometown neighborhood of Tepito in Mexico City. Before my channel, Tepito was rarely showcased through the eyes of someone born and raised there. I brought a fresh, human perspective to the neighborhood, highlighting its deep athletic heritage, rich commercial roots, and vibrant community culture.
What I am most proud of:
I am most proud of the cultural impact and recognition my work has brought to my roots. Being honored at the Hayek awards, featured on the front cover of Pásala, and having my journey highlighted on national television by TV Azteca were unforgettable milestones. On a personal level, I am deeply proud of using my platform to secure opportunities in international acting, leading up to my role in an upcoming Netflix series centered around Tepito.
What sets me apart:
What sets me apart is my cross-cultural journey and lived perspective. Moving from Tepito to Nashville at 18 with no English or landscaping experience taught me adaptability and grit, while living in Music City exposed me to a world of artistic expression and vlogging inspiration. Returning home years later allowed me to bridge those two worlds—combining American digital storytelling techniques with the raw, authentic reality of Mexico City’s most famous neighborhood. I don’t just tell stories about a place; I live them.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
My Perspective on Risk:
I don’t look at risk as something reckless or dangerous—I view it as the price of admission for growth and change. To me, staying comfortable in one place or routine is often the biggest risk of all because it means staying stagnant. Taking a calculated risk means betting on your ability to learn and adapt, even when you can’t predict the outcome.
Major Risks I’ve Taken:
Leaving Mexico City for Nashville at 18:
Moving to a new country as a teenager was the first major risk of my life. I left behind everything familiar to move to Tennessee with no fluency in English and zero experience in landscaping. Stepping into a totally different culture and physical labor was terrifying, but taking that leap laid the foundation for everything that followed—from adapting to the language to discovering my passion for vlogging in Music City.
Transitioning into Acting & Content Creation:
Choosing an artistic path instead of a conventional career is always a risk. When I moved to Atlanta to study acting and build a foundation in international television, I was stepping into an industry with no guarantees. Similarly, starting a new YouTube channel after losing my first one required putting myself out there all over again without knowing if anyone would watch.
Pioneering Content in Tepito:
When I returned to Mexico City in 2017, focusing my channel entirely on Tepito was a distinct risk. Tepito is often misunderstood or portrayed negatively in the media, and no creator had dedicated their platform to telling authentic, everyday stories from inside the neighborhood. Choosing to highlight the heart, culture, and sports history of my home neighborhood required taking a stand, but it proved to be the single most rewarding decision of my career.
How I Think About Risk Today:
Whenever I face a major choice, I ask myself: “Will I regret not trying this when I look back years from now?” That was my exact mindset when I first started filming YouTube videos to create memories for my older self. Taking risks isn’t about avoiding failure—it’s about trusting that even if things don’t go according to plan, you will gain the experience and resilience needed for your next step.
Pricing:
- YouTube & Digital Content: Free to watch and access across all public social media channels and YouTube.
- Brand Collaborations & Sponsorships: Available upon request for sponsored videos, brand integrations, and cultural features highlighting local businesses, sports, and neighborhood culture.
- Acting & TV/Film Inquiries: Bookings, rates, and representation details are available upon contact for acting roles, commercial appearances, and media projects
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/@Guayaboyka
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guayaboyka/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61554932870041
- Twitter: https://x.com/guayaboyka07
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Guayaboyka
