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March 31, 2025, marks 30 years since the death of music superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez.
鈥淭he Queen of Tejano鈥� music died at the peak of her popularity after Yolanda Sald铆var, the president of her fan club, shot her in a Corpus Christi hotel. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles Sald铆var parole on March 27.
Decades after Selena's death, her music, style, and charisma continue to inspire generations of young Latinas. blazed a trail that has endured far beyond her music career.
Her songs can be heard playing at quincea帽eras and family gatherings across the country. Little girls celebrate their birthdays by throwing Selena-themed parties.
From her bright red lipstick to her joyful personality, Selena continues to influence a new generation of Latinas. They point to her as a symbol of empowerment who unflinchingly embraced her culture and identity.
Nine-year-old Trinity Gomez said she鈥檚 been listening to Selena鈥檚 music all her life. "She inspired a lot of people to sing and dance and be very confident," she said.
Gomez is part of the Danzavida de San Antonio Dance Company, which keeps Selena鈥檚 music and dance alive through tribute performances.
Krystal Diaz Mendez, the company鈥檚 owner and artistic director, explained that "[Selena] is a magnet to the younger generation and our youth."
Girls ages three to 17 in Diaz鈥檚 dance company now don the singer鈥檚 iconic purple jumpsuit while dancing to hits like "Como La Flor" and "Bidi Bidi Bom Bom."
Selena鈥檚 iconic 1995 concert at the packed Houston Astrodome was her last major performance and took place a month before she was killed.
The concert became a touchstone in pop culture, with hundreds of millions of views on YouTube.
So, what is it that made her stand out to newer generations?
Diaz Mendez said it鈥檚 because of the artist鈥檚 authenticity and her tenacity. 鈥淓ven a little girl from Texas [can ask herself,] 'if she had the ability to make such an impact on people all over the world, then why can't I do it myself?' "
At only 23 years old, Selena became the first female Tejano artist to win a Grammy, broadening the reach of the genre to other audiences.
Sonya Alem谩n teaches a Selena-centered at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
Alem谩n uses the singer's music in her classroom to discuss Mexican American identity. "When you play her, when you know her, when you sing to her, when you dance to her, it's an affirmation of their Mexican American or Tejano identity," she explained.
Growing up, Selena鈥檚 dominant language was English, yet her success came singing in Spanish. She powered on when she misspoke in Spanish interviews and often with a smile on her face.
Alem谩n says the singer鈥檚 bicultural and bilingual identity resonates with her students. "A good number of them are non-Spanish speakers. They point to Selena as someone who has helped them accept that aspect about their identity," she said.
Nine-year-old Trinity agreed: "It's very [inspiring] to me. Like, as it's hard for me to speak Spanish, that's how it was for her."
Trinity鈥檚 mother, Graciela, said it's been empowering to share her own love of Selena with her three daughters and to see them embrace Selena.
She said the singer has become a connecting force in their family.
鈥淭hey want to know more about her. They want to be more confident. They want to be joyful. And everybody's just together, comes together, and is enjoying Selena as a whole," she said. "To me, it's just something really beautiful to experience as a parent.鈥�
Selena鈥檚 career was cut short, but younger generations of girls still embrace her legacy, and they aspire to achieve in their lives what she was unable to achieve in hers.
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