Her music still attracts fans even after her death over 31 years ago, and more than one generation recognizes her top three hits–“Como La Flor,” “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom” and “Amor Prohibido.” Her name is Selena Quintanilla-Perez, mostly known as just “Selena,” and the late Tejano singer is the subject of a panel and community discussion at Del Mar College as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.
“Selena: Memory, Culture & Legacy” features three panelists who will share their perspectives about one of Corpus Christi’s iconic legacies this Thursday, Oct. 1, at the college’s Heritage Campus, and the public is invited to attend. The event is presented by Del Mar College’s Languages Program, DMC Libraries and the college’s chapter of the Texas Association of Chicanos in Higher Education (TACHE).
“Selena’s legacy is part of the history and identity of Corpus Christi, and our featured panel brings together voices that know that story firsthand,” said DMC Spanish Professor Javier Morin, who is among the organizers of the event. “We’re going to have a real conversation about the impact she continues to generate throughout our community and even beyond.”
The free panel and community discussion is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 12:20 p.m. in Room 227 in the Solomon Coles Building. Doors open at 10 a.m. with coffee and pastries provided by TACHE, and the discussion begins at 10:30 a.m. The Heritage Campus is located at 101 Baldwin Blvd. (78404). Get online directions and a campus map to locate the venue.
Questions? Contact Professor Morin at 361-698-1582 or jmorin@delmar.edu.
During the panel-led discussion, participants can explore Selena’s enduring cultural legacy and her significance to Corpus Christi and South Texas as local voices share personal, scholarly and literary experiences connected to the singer, including
author Diana Lopez, who wrote Sing With Me: The Story of Selena Quintanilla (and the Spanish: Canta Conmigo: La Historia de Selena Quintanilla) and the novel adaptation of the Disney/Pixar film Coco: A Story About Music, Shoes and Family,
historian Amanda Márquez, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (TAMU-CC) professor and contributor to The Selena Reader published by The University of Texas Press, who will provide perspective on Selena, Tejano music and the Mexican American experience, an
Yndalecio Isaac Hinojosa, TAMU-CC English professor and co-editor of The Selena Reader, who will bring a literary and cultural perspective about the singer’s legacy.
These guest panelists will examine Selena’s legacy through the lenses of literature, cultural memory, identity, representation, music, family and South Texas history as they share their perspectives and reflect on the ways Selena continues to be remembered, represented and interpreted across generations.
Moderated by DMC Libraries Head of Technical Services Jennifer Jimenez-Perez, the panel discussion will also include a Q&A session, an interactive audience activity and a short musical performance.