This weekend everyone was definitely bailando esta cumbia in honor of the very loved Queen of Tejano music, Selena Quintanilla (#AnythingForSelenas). The Como La Flor singer has long been known for being more than a superstar singer: she was also known for her kindness and her importance to the Latinx culture in the early nineties. So when Doris Muñoz, head of Solidarity for Sanctuary -a non-profit organization that assists families dealing with immigration issues- was looking to create the tenth installment of her sold out concert series, looking to the Tejano Queen was a no brainer. Doris’ latest concert became an ode to the Dreaming of You singer and was aptly named Selena For Sanctuary. This momentous concert was held on Saturday, August 18, at the Central Park SummerStage.
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Selena represented the first time many Latinxers saw themselves in someone that was so entrenched in the U.S. pop culture at the time. The El Chico del Apartamento 512 songstress also helped usher in the ‘crossover’ Latinx movement that blew up in the 1990s — along with Jennifer Lopez, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony and Santana. But Selena was the first.
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Doris chose this iconic Latinx superstar due to the importance she had on our culture and the importance of her music years after her passing
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The concert was headlined by Kali Uchis, a Colombian-American singer and songwriter known for her doo-wop, reggae and early 2000s R&B influences. She was also joined by guitarist Cuco, Helado Negro, Selena’s nephew Principe Q, and The Santuario House Band (directed by Adrian Quesada), to name a few. Doris created this concert series initially to help raise funds for her parents’ legal fees, but when she saw how successful the event became, she decided to make it into something much bigger. Through the organization she has sought to help other Latinx immigrants and has raised over $14,000.
