In this short unit of study, we learned about Selena Quintanilla, a tejana music icon whose tragically short musical career left a lasting legacy among her fans. We read a biographical “mini-novel” in Spanish describing the life and career of Selena and listened to podcasts from the podcast series “Anything for Selena” exploring the influence of Selena on race, identity, language, and belonging. Through this project we developed a deeper understanding for why Selena’s legacy has been so long lasting and so important for the latino community, both here and abroad.
Selena Quintanilla was a Mexican-American singer who had an enormous impact on Spanish speakers all around the world, but especially in the Americas. Selena grew up in Texas, and her family didn't have much money. One day when her father heard her singing, he decided to form a band with Selena and her siblings named, 'Selena y Los Dinos'. That was the start of the epic legacy of Selena. Through her fame, Selena married the guitarist in her band, Chris Perez, and won several awards, including a Grammy. Selena accomplished a great many things at a very young age before she was shot and killed by her ex-friend and manager of her boutique, Yolanda Saldivar at the age of 23.
As previously mentioned, Selena left a huge impact on Spanish-speaking communities because not only was she very charismatic and kind, but she also showed that being Mexican-American does not have to be an obstacle in achieving dreams. Many people idolized her, and she changed many lives and inspired a great many people through her music, her charisma, and her legacy. Selena was such a big idol to the Latino-American world that she was known as the queen of tejano music. Although she died more than 20 years ago, her influence has remained as powerful as ever.
As previously mentioned, Selena left a huge impact on Spanish-speaking communities because not only was she very charismatic and kind, but she also showed that being Mexican-American does not have to be an obstacle in achieving dreams. Many people idolized her, and she changed many lives and inspired a great many people through her music, her charisma, and her legacy. Selena was such a big idol to the Latino-American world that she was known as the queen of tejano music. Although she died more than 20 years ago, her influence has remained as powerful as ever.