If the “Queen of Tejano” music Selena Quintanilla Perez — simply known as Selena — were alive today, the Grammy Award-winning superstar would be 53 years old. Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of her death.
Yet, her standing as a musical and cultural icon was evident Monday, when President Joe Biden presented the 2022 and 2023 National Medals of Arts to a prestigious group of Americans including film directors Steven Spielberg and Spike Lee, the singer/actor Queen Latifah — and posthumously, Selena.
The National Medal of Arts is the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the federal government. It is awarded by the president to recipients for “their outstanding contributions to the excellence, growth, support, and availability of the arts in the United States.” Suzette Quintanilla Arriaga accepted the award on her sister’s behalf. She later posted an image of the award on Instagram Stories, noting “Extreme grateful for this honor given to (my) sister today.”
Although the ceremony honored other recipients posthumously, Selena’s inclusion was notable because it came almost three decades after her death. Many devoted fans posted messages on social media platforms in response to news of the honor, with comments such as “She absolutely deserves every recognition in the world!!” and “Congratulations! Siempre (always) Selena!”
Deborah Paredez, professor at Columbia University and author of “American Diva,” said she was not surprised that Selena is still receiving honors and acclaim.
While teaching undergraduates recently, she was “amazed” at her young students’ fond memories and connections with Selena and her music. “It shows how she is part of our cultural inheritance,” she said.
“Because Selena was modeling a way of being for young women, for bicultural young people, that part of her legacy and persona continues to be something that appeals to young people, again and again,” Paredez noted.
Born in 1971 in Texas, Quintanilla rose to fame as the ‘Queen of Tejano, or Tex-Mex, music. After growing up performing with her family, she achieved success in the Latin music market by blending a variety of Latin music styles with contemporary pop sounds. In 1995, she was shot and killed by the president of her fan club.
The outpouring of emotion that followed Selena’s death demonstrated the growing demographic and economic power of Latinos — and marked the beginning of her enduring stardom across generations of Latino fans. Her posthumously-released bilingual album, “Dreaming of You” (1995) became a global hit, making her a pioneering crossover artist.
According to Paredez, Selena “reminded so many industry people of the importance of Latine performers and the need for them, because she carved a space for more representation of Latinas in Hollywood and the music and entertainment industries.”
Selena’s life inspired a 1997 film starring Jennifer Lopez, a 2020 Netflix miniseries, books, tribute concerts, clothing and makeup lines, stage musicals and innumerable other commemorations. A remastered version of her multiplatinum 1994 album “Amor Prohibido” topped the Billboard charts earlier this year.
“Everyone seems to have a stake in remembering (Selena), whether it was young girls who were Latina and from other communities who were dressing like her and singing her songs, or whether it was corporate sponsors who were tapping into Latino-based marketing,” Paredez previously told NBC News.
In death as in her short life, Selena has remained a phenomenon. Since her death, she has been celebrated from her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to exhibits at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.
“She (Selena) meant a lot to different people and constituencies,” Paredez said. “People en Español launched as a result of the success of the sales from the magazine announcing her passing; gay Latino and trans communities still honor and remember her.”
In a quote widely attributed to her, Selena once said, “The goal is not to live forever — but to create something that will.”
Selena was an extraordinarily gifted performer, Paredez said.
“At the same time, and because Latinos are still struggling for representation in the entertainment industry, there haven’t been enough people to replace her, and not because there aren’t extraordinary talented Latine artists out there. They just don’t get the opportunities for representation — this award really speaks to her enduring meaning and significance for our communities,” she said.
Among the other Latino recipients of the 2022/2023 honors were actor and producer Eva Longoria, noted accordionist and “conjunto” musician Leonardo “Flaco” Jimenez, and photographer Randy A. Batista. Writer and former poet laureate of the U.S. Juan Felipe Herrera was awarded a National Humanities medal.
Both first lady Jill Biden and the president spoke to the honorees and their guests at a brief reception following a private ceremony. “The power of the arts and matters. It matters now more than ever. This is a very consequential time for the arts and the humanities of America,” the president said. “Extreme forces are banning books, trying to erase history, straight misinformation … You make history. You combat lies with truth.”
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