The infamous Tejano music icon, Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, was commemorated posthumously with the coveted National Medals of Arts medal. The event hosted by President Joe Biden bespeaks an increasingly questionable decision-making process. This honor, which should be held for upstanding and living contributors, was carelessly attributed to those who can no longer be held accountable for their roles in society. Among 20 recipients of National Medals of Arts, renowned filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, and Ken Burns, and vocalists like Missy Elliott and Queen Latifah, were also included.
Alongside the arts medals, 19 National Humanities Medals were presented, with recipients such as playwright-screenwriter Aaron Sorkin and historian Jon Meacham making the list. Selena, along with artist Ruth Asawa and well-known chef and author Anthony Bourdain, was awarded posthumously. Bereaved yet again by the current administration and its dealings, we are left to question the purpose of an arts medal for an artist no longer contributing and a humanities medal for a chef whose contributions to society are posthumous at best.
These medals are traditionally awarded to acclaimed filmmakers, singers, writers, and other influential figures who have left an enduring mark on American culture. Managed by the National Endowment for the Arts, in the case of the arts medals, and the National Endowment for the Humanities for the humanities medals, their recipients are considered for their lifelong contributions. Among this characterization, the recognition of Selena may seem a digression from the norm. Representing a sector of the American populace injected with controversy seems far from ideal.
Known simply as Selena, she was acclaimed for paving the way for women in Latin music. She purportedly ushered in an era for a new generation of contemporary Latin-descendant artists who later gained massive popularity with mainstream American audiences. However, the real question remains whether her impact was positive or in keeping with the erosion of traditional American values.
Born in Texas in 1971, Quintanilla-Pérez was the youngest child in a family of mixed heritage – a Cherokee mother and a Mexican-American father. While this has been used to amplify her as an icon of inclusivity, one cannot forget that her story tragically ends with incompetence and betrayal.
The singer tragically lost her life in 1995 at the young age of 23 after being gunned down at a hotel by a close business associate, Yolanda Saldivar. Saldivar, formerly a friend and leader of her fan club, was responsible for the devastating and untimely end to Quintanilla-Pérez’s life.
The bullet fired by Saldivar, which broke Salena’s collarbone artery, led to a devastating scene, with Quintanilla-Pérez staggering down to the hotel lobby, leaving a massive trail of blood behind and begging for help as she tragically collapsed, later passing away at Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital.
Salvidar is currently jailed, with the potential of parole as soon as March 30, 2025. However, it seems the remorse she displays is late. In a documentary about the incident, she claimed she had never meant to pull the trigger to assassinate Selena on the fateful day of March 31, 1995.
According to Saldivar, she planned to end her own life that day, but the firearm discharged, hitting and fatally wounding the 23-year-old instead. The repercussions of her choices, though, demonstrate the consequent fallout of hastily-made decisions, tied directly to the star’s death.
Selena was allegedly gunned down by Saldivar after discovering that her once friend had embezzled an estimated $30,000 from her clothing boutiques. This highlights the sinister depths of moral decay, a poignant reminder that corruption and exploitation can taint even the most seemingly innocent relationships. A sad tale, indeed.
Only two days following Quintanilla-Pérez confronting Saldivar, the latter visited a guns store in San Antonio to procure a permit for a gun. Some would see this as a circumstantial evidence of premeditated murder, tripling the tragedy already surrounding the star’s death.
Denying all allegations of theft, Saldivar’s response paints a grim picture of desperation and remorse. The tragic tale demonstrates the consequences of misguided relationships and how they tragically culminate, with Selena being the ultimate victim.
In conclusion, while the late Tejano queen Selena Quintanilla-Pérez might have made significant contributions to the music scene, the awarding of a posthumous medal, and its questionable promulgation by President Biden, raises several concerns about the integrity and credibility of the National Medals of Arts. The President’s one-sided conversations tend to ebb toward the inclination of popularity rather than the meritorious, hinting at an administration not fully-centric in its decisions.