Death of Selena

The speaker talks about their grandparents' involvement in the Mexican Revolution and the importance of musicians as heroes for the common people. They also discuss the racism and violence faced by Mexican-Americans, their move to Lake Charles for work, and the role of music as an escape from poverty. They mention the need for Mexican-American musicians to learn Spanish and play Mexican music to reach a wider audience. The speaker acknowledges the lack of cultural awareness and connection to ethnic roots among Mexican-Americans today, but emphasizes that it does not diminish Selena's achievements and impact. The speaker introduces the topic of Selena's death and the upcoming discussion. My grandfather is a documented, certified, verified hero of the Mexican Revolution and served as an officer in Pancho Villa's famous División del Norte. My grandmother was one of the many thousands of women soldiers who followed their men into battle and one of many who stormed the walls of the Rion Coahuila during the fighting. While it may not seem important when talking about Selena, we must remember that because of the racist oppression along the Texas-Mexican border, the desperate need to have someone to look up to, musicians became the heroes of the common people. In the same way, black rappers became heroes for the inner-city black youth of today. It is also important to remember the power of the police to disrupt and interfere in the Mexican-American community remains absolute. As a child in our barrio, called La Main, on the outskirts of Corvus Christi, we feared the police and the Texas Rangers. On many occasions and without reason, carloads of angry gringos would drive through our barrio throwing rocks and beer bottles at anyone they saw. These were not isolated cases, but occurred on a regular basis, especially during the summer when thousands of migrant families arrived to work in the fields. It is during this time that Abraham Quintanilla and his family worked in the fields. Because of continuous overt racism, violence and lack of opportunities, families like Selena's left South Texas and moved to Lake Charles to work in the oil refineries. It was because very few Mexican-Americans had an opportunity for an education and no real plans for the future that many turned to music as a way out of poverty. Very few of those conjuntos or band members were full-time musicians and most of them had regular 9 to 5 jobs. This part of the history is unknown and why Mexican-American musicians were so popular in South Texas and explains why Selena and her family did not speak Spanish. As it is today, the best way to distance yourself from discrimination is to distance yourself from those being oppressed. However, Selena and her family discovered that in order to tap into a larger market, they had to learn to speak Spanish and play Mexican music. This is in no way a criticism of Selena's lack of cultural authenticity. I state this fact in order to emphasize the fact that racism has played a part in the development of every Mexican-American in South Texas. Today, very few Mexican-American children are taught to value Spanish or to connect to their ethnic heritage. Listening to interviews after Selena's death clearly makes this known. I've yet to hear her husband speak a single word in Spanish and yet he continues to be a successful musician. Her lack of cultural awareness and connection to her ethnic roots may explain many of her characteristics and may help us understand some of her decisions and behaviors. It does not in any way distract from her accomplishments and the impact she had in the lives of millions of people across the country. And so we begin this chapter of Jorge's Corner, the voice of the Latino majority. Today we'll be talking about the deaths of Selena or Recordando la Flor.