Resiliencia y Más Corazón: Las Tejanas, The Soul of Mexican American Music

This is a community event hosted by the UTSA Mexican American Studies Program and facilitated by Dr. Rachel Yvonne Cruz. It is a lecture/performance that examines the contributions of Tejana musicians to the evolution of Mexican American music. This conversation focuses on the roles played by influential Tejana artists, highlighting their unique blend of talents and cultural expressions, as well as the challenges they have faced in an industry shaped by heteronormative and gender-normative precepts.

The plática will include a discussion with prominent figures in Tejano music: Patsy Torres and Shelly Lares.

The lecture will be complemented by a performance from Mariachi Las Valquirias, a group renowned for their fusion of mariachi traditions with modern sensibilities. This performance promises to not only entertain but serve as a practical demonstration of the lecturer’s themes, showcasing the vibrant and evolving nature of Mexican American music.