On Thursday, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied parole to Yolanda Saldívar, the convicted killer of Selena, bringing relief to her fans.
“It is best that Yolanda stays in prison because that crime was more than just gun violence,” Lauren Susan, a New York City-based performer, told NBC.
Susan, who said she “became obsessed” with Selena’s music after seeing the 1997 biopic starring Jennifer Lopez, is one of the legions of fans who have reacted to the announcement.
Some people have used social media to share memes thanking the board for its decision. Fans of Selena are wearing T-shirts and listening to her music to honor the “Queen of Tejano,” who was killed by Saldívar, the president of her fan club.
Sonya Alemán, an associate professor of race and gender studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio, explains that the 30th anniversary of the March 31, 1995 shooting and Saldívar’s parole news are more than just about Yolanda.
When it comes to Selena, “there is just such a love for her, and it gets manifested as a need to protect, and in some ways try to demand justice,” said Alemán, who teaches a class about the music icon’s life and career.
According to Alemán, fans believe Saldívar’s decision to take Selena’s life harmed the entire community.
This week’s outpouring of support from fans demonstrates the late singer’s ongoing popularity.
According to Mario Gomez, a volunteer who looks after Selena monuments, a bronze Selena statue has been restored and the flowers at a Selena mural have been replaced to welcome fans ahead of the anniversary. The city’s Selena museum attracts visitors of all ages.
Fans gathered in Dallas’ Oak Cliff neighborhood to commemorate the singer’s life during the 10th annual 214Selena celebration.
“We’re just celebrating that legacy, taking the time to hold space for all of those who connect with that Tejano identity,” singer and Selena fan Esti Romero told NBC Dallas.
Selena’s fan base has evolved over the years, beginning with people like Alemán, who grew up watching the late singer perform live in south Texas. Selena is a cultural icon for Mexican Americans and Latinos who came of age in the early 1990s.
Selena’s music and fashion sense mirrored many people’s own bicultural experiences. Selena Quintanilla-Pérez rose to prominence in the male-dominated genre of Tejano music, winning a Grammy in 1994 and emerging as a crossover Latina icon who sang in both English and Spanish.
When Selena’s eponymous biopic was released in 1997, she gained a large number of new fans of all ages, including Susan. The film not only helped to launch J.Lo’s career, but it also introduced many people to Selena’s life and the tragic events surrounding her death.
“That’s the first memory I have of Selena. Susan said, “I saw her movie in the theater when I was in seventh grade.”
Perhaps this explains why, according to Leila Cobo, chief content officer of Latin and Spanish music at Billboard, Selena is consistently one of the top five Latin female artists on the charts, serving as a pillar of Latin music history both in the United States and around the world.
Saldívar’s parole eligibility has been anticipated for a year, following the release of a controversial docuseries in which she claimed not to have killed Selena on purpose. The parole board stated that based on evidence, Saldívar remains a “continuing threat to public safety.”
Alemán stated that Selena’s death has resulted in a sense of collective injustice and grief among her fans. In the eyes of those who love her so much, what happened was so unjust.”
“There’s never going to be a point in which she is done paying for this sin that she committed,” Alemán said.
Following Saldívar’s parole denial, the Quintanilla family and Selena’s husband, Chris Pérez, issued a joint statement thanking fans for their unwavering support over the years. “Your love has been a source of strength and healing.”
“Selena left a legacy of love, music, and inspiration. “She lived with joy, gave selflessly, and continues to inspire generations with her voice and spirit,” the statement says. “We will continue to celebrate Selena’s life — not the tragedy that took her from us — and we ask that all who cherish her do the same.”
Alemán is fostering a newer generation of Selena fans in her college class, who are producing academic work and archives full of stories and memories about the Queen of Tejano music.
“The knowledge that the community carries about who she is, why she matters to them, is worth studying,” says Alemán.
