Despedidas con Mariachis: Examining COVID-19's Impact on Mexican Americans in Southern California

Authors

Jessie M. Vallejo, Cal Poly Pomona
Latin American and Iberian Institute

Files

Description

Although the trope of silenced mariachis was common in early COVID-19 news stories about Los Angeles County, many mariachis were actively performing and supporting community wellbeing between 2020 and 2022. This talk discusses pre-existing sociopolitical challenges and reflects on the pandemic's traumatic impact on Mexican Americans in the region.

Dr. Vallejo's research areas focus on mariachi, music education, and Indigenous cultural-linguistic revitalization. She co-produced Smithsonian Folkways’ 2013 release ¡Así Kotama!: The Flutes of Otavalo, Ecuador. She has also published in Smithsonian Folklife Magazine, Ethnomusicology Forum, Sonocordia, and The Ethnomusicologists' Cookbook vol.2. Jessie is a founding member of ICTM's Study Group for Music and Dance in Latin America and the Caribbean; she is a co-editor of the online and open-access World Music Textbook; and she is an active freelance violinist in Southern California.

Publication Date

9-14-2023

City

Albuquerque

Recommended Citation

Vallejo, Jessie M. and Latin American and Iberian Institute. "Despedidas con Mariachis: Examining COVID-19's Impact on Mexican Americans in Southern California." (2023). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/laii_events/320