Daring to dream, Edgar Garcia kicks off Our Esquina influencer series

HOUSTON, Texas – Edgar Garcia is more than a Dreamer. The Houston entrepreneur puts the can in Mexican, rising from undocumented immigrant to Dreamer and eventually a legal resident while building oil, travel and construction companies.

At 38, he has already helped build a mobile fuel delivery service company that was sold off to Shell.

The married father of two arrived in the United States from Queretaro in 1995 at 6 years old. He settled into Houston.

Thanks to President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy that passed in 2012, Garcia became a Dreamer in 2013, the same year he graduated from Lone Star Community College and transferred to the University of Houston.

Edgar Garcia lives out soccer passion

By then, he already had his own construction company. He was the first investor in Instafuel, the company that was bought by Shell. Now his construction company AECS operates in 15 states, and his ELECTRIP car service operates in Texas.

Edgar Garcia is also one of Our Esquina’s FIFA World Cup influencers, amplifying the voices and stories of Latino fans throughout the World Cup. 

“I’m so honored to kick off our influencer series this World Cup with Edgar Garcia, who truly embodies Latino excellence and soccer passion,” said Our Esquina Founder and CEO Jose de Jesus Ortiz. “As the World Cup kicks off at Azteca Stadium, it’s perfectly fitting to have Mexican excellence serve as the eyes and ears for our followers on social media.”

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Our Esquina’s World Cup coverage will be led by Ortiz, the former Houston Chronicle national soccer columnist who was the first person to have a Mexican Soccer Federation president and men’s national soccer team coach address a major American newspaper’s editorial board.

Soccer columnist Carlos Leon-Trejo and Houston-based photographer Ricky Vega will also cover matches in Houston and Dallas for Our Esquina. 

Led by Remodel Texas CEO Eddie Mendoza, Our Esquina has recruited a talented group of Latino soccer influencers who will travel around the U.S. and Mexico attending matches. The list of influencers includes a person who played a pivotal role in helping Houston become one of 16 host cities for the 2026 World Cup.

Dr. Laura Murillo adds voice

Dr. Laura Murillo, the president and CEO of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, is Our Esquina’s most high profile World Cup influencer. Murillo is a board member and executive committee member of the Houston Harris County Sports Authority. 

Our series begins in Mexico City, where Mexico will face South Africa in the opener of the 2026 World Cup that will be held in Mexico, the United States and Canada. The homecoming is a special one for Garcia.

“Attending Mexico’s World Cup opener feels like one of life’s defining moments,” Garcia said.  “The same emotions I felt when my first daughter was born and when I got married – pride, joy, gratitude and pure love – are the emotions I feel when I see Mexico walk onto that field.

“It’s not just a soccer match. It’s a celebration of who we are, where we come from and what it means to be Mexican. Viva Mexico.”

Garcia will attend nine World Cup matches this summer. He’ll start in Mexico City and then attend four matches in Houston, four in Dallas and the final with Mendoza at New York – New Jersey Stadium. Mendoza will attend 17 matches in his fourth World Cup.

’Amazing opportunity’

“I think it’s an amazing opportunity so that we can capture fans’ points of views,” Mendoza said. “From the opening match to the final, we will be covering every goal and celebration. It’s very special to watch the World Cup on your home soil.” 

Our Esquina’s fan influencers also include Nathan Navarro, the business development manager at Navarro Insurance. He’s attending his second World Cup. Samuel Castillo, a business control consultant at Motiva LLC, will attend his first World Cup. 

Texas Strong Builders LLC CEO Emiliano Valencia will attend 11 matches at his first World Cup, including the final.

“I feel pride, gratitude, excitement and emotion,” Garcia said. “You realize you’re witnessing a moment with generations of Mexicans, whether they’re at the stadium or anywhere. Just for those minutes nothing else matters.”