Thirty years after her tragic death, the legacy and memory of Selena Quintanilla-Pérez is alive and well. Here are some ways that Southern California celebrated the Tejano queen over the last week.
Butchona’s Selena Tribute Party
Butchona, a free, monthly party for lesbians who enjoy Spanish-language music hosted at Little Joy in Echo Park and founded by Latinx DJs Fran Fregoso, 33, Rocío Flores, 37, and Vanessa Bueno, 40, kicked off the celebrations with a Selena-themed party on Sunday, March 23.
More than 300 people showed up to honor the slain Tejano star and to dance along to hits like “Como La Flor.”
“Selena was the first artist growing up that I enjoyed listening to because she embraced her Mexican American culture through music, which allowed me to tap into it,” said Bueno, who goes by the stage name DJ Killed by Synth.
“I remember I was devastated when she got murdered,” said Melissa Reyes, 45, an attendee at the party. “I am from Orange County and I didn’t grow up with a lot of Latinos in my neighborhood so she was my connection to my culture and when she died it was a big deal.”
Selena Sip N’ Paints in Santa Ana
Since May 2024, Sip N’ Paints has been hosting Latino-focused events across the Southland where patrons sip on cocktails and paint a canvas with a printed image on it. The company’s most popular recurring event features the “Techno Cumbia” singer.
“Overall, we’ve probably had over 1,000 people come through for Selena nights,” said owner Hector Aceves, 24.
On Wednesday, March 26, the company hosted a Selena Sip N’ Paint at Amor Y Tequila Restobar in Santa Ana, which was attended by 55 people.
For Griselda Soto, 26, who organizes the events, Selena’s struggle with Spanish resonated with her. “She didn’t speak Spanish so well in the beginning, and has covers in English so that hits good for us [Latinos] from the U.S. too,” she said.
Como La Flor: Selena Kitty Night at Pura Vida Market
On Friday, March 28, Pura Vida Market, an Inland Empire and Latino-based night market, hosted Como La Flor: Selena Kitty Night in Ontario.
“Instead of celebrating her death, it’s about celebrating her life,” said owner Alicia Echevarría, 27.
The evening featured Selena trivia, hourly raffles and a Selena-themed Hello Kitty plush doll giveaway. Although she was born two years after “El Chico del Apartamento 512” singer’s passing, Echevarría says her family constantly played her music.
“Even when my markets are not Selena-themed, we still play her cumbias,” she said. “It brings me joy and makes me think about my childhood.”
Riverside fan honors Selena with a heartfelt altar
Elizabeth Hernández first heard of Selena when she was 5.
“My mom always played her [music] when she would clean on Saturday mornings,” said the now-31-year-old.
Since 2019, the Riverside resident has built an altar on her kitchen counter to commemorate the Tejano Madonna’s death anniversary (March 31) and birthday (April 16). It’s made up of a talavera flower vase filled with marigolds, a swing top bottle of agua bendita and a reusable tote bag of Selena’s beaming smile.
Hernández said that she first saw herself reflected onscreen after watching the 1997 biopic film “Selena” at the movie theater.
“She had long brunet hair, brown eyes and a big smile just like me,” she said.
“She was really different compared to most celebrities and singers. She just felt more down to earth and wasn’t very shy about expressing who she is.”
Selena’s Hollywood Walk of Fame star
Gilbert Andrade felt lucky to have found a parking spot on the crowded Hollywood streets. On Monday, the 37-year-old Palm Springs resident made his way to Selena’s Walk of Fame star, located on Vine Street, in front of the Capitol Records building. He carried a plastic bag full of red and white roses, which he then placed around the star after cleaning it with soap and water. He also taped two photos of her right below her name.
“She is a staple to the Latino community,” said Andrade. “It’s her spirit and music that lives on and you can see artists today that are inspired by her.”
Selena’s star was unveiled on Nov. 3, 2017, drawing a record-breaking crowd of 4,500 fans, according to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Since its unveiling, fans like Andrade have treated it as a memorial altar, leaving tokens of remembrance on her death anniversary or birthday.
“Even people who don’t speak [Spanish] know who she is,” he said as non-Latinos passed by to take pictures. “It just goes to show the impact that she has made in this world.”
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