[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 61 (Monday, April 3, 1995)]
[House]
[Pages H4091-H4093]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              TRIBUTE TO THE LATE SELENA QUINTANILLA PEREZ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Kingston). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Ortiz] is recognized for 60 
minutes.
  Mr. ORTIZ. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart that I rise today to 
pay tribute to an outstanding young international recording star and 
businesswoman, Selena Quintanilla Perez, known throughout the world as 
simply ``Selena.''
  She was murdered on Friday by a disgruntled employee.
  Today, I want not to dwell on the circumstances of her tragic death, 
but on the way that she faced adversity, overcame the odds, and how she 
really lived each and every day of her 23 years.
  Selena was born near Houston, Texas and began singing in Corpus 
Christi at age 5 with her father's band, Los Dinos.
  When she began performing at age 9, the band became known as Selena y 
Los Dinos.
  She grew up in the humble Molina barrio of Corpus Christi where the 
neighbors all know each other. In 1994, she took home the Grammy Music 
Award for ``Selena Live,'' in the category for Best Mexican-American 
Album.
  This year, her album, ``Amor Prohibido'' or ``Forbidden Love'' went 
quadruple platinum.
  Ironically, Selena's newest song, ``Foto y Recuerdos,''--
``Photographs and Memories''--was No. 4 on the Latin charts on the day 
she died. Her song, ``Amor Prohibido,'' earned another Grammy 
nomination for this year.
  Selena was known as the Queen of Tejano music, which is the late 20th 
century version of the popular Tex-Mex conjunto, an accordion based 
rhythmic style of music. Selena has described her music as a 
combination of polka, country, and jazz.
  Last month, at the Tejano music awards, she won seven major awards, 
including female entertainer of the year. However she or anyone else 
wishes to categorize her music, Selena's music touched the hearts and 
souls of her listeners.
  She spoke to the everyday obstacles and triumphs in our lives.
  She spoke to the fears, anxieties, hopes and ecstasy in all of us, 
simply because she knew well all these aspects of the human spirit.
  While Selena's hits were recorded in Spanish, her first language was 
English, and she had just begun recording in English in an attempt to 
cross over into the pop mainstream. She was still recording her first 
album in English when she died.
  She was one of our young people who could reach across the divides 
that separate us as a society to show this country, through her music, 
how much we share as human beings.
  Selena was a woman who paid back the generosity of her community.
  She always went to the schools and spoke to the children about drug 
abuse, honesty, and staying in school to get an education. Her 
community loved her so much, I have never seen such an outpouring of 
support and love from a community. People all over Texas drove with 
their headlights turned on, and tied black ribbons to their car radio 
antennas, on in silent tribute. She was genuinely kind and plesant, 
always with a generous manner for her fans or her hometown people.
  She was one of us.
  She was a role model for the young people in the community. The young 
people mimicked her songs and her easygoing persona. They admired the 
fact that she never forgot her roots, and they felt stronger because 
they shared those roots. Young people could look to Selena and know 
that she had come up out of the barrio and had made a huge success out 
of her life and her music.
  They believed that she spoke to them through both her music and her 
deeds, and they loved her for that.
  When word spread on Friday that Selena had been murdered, millions of 
her fans simply stopped what they were doing and just cried, both at 
the tragedy of a woman dying so needlessly so young, and for their 
personal pain at the loss. Her life was far too brief.
  She was only 23 years old when she was murdered, and there is little 
doubt that her greatest years were on the horizon.
  I will miss Selena very much.
  Just 3 years ago, when I was the chairman of the congressional 
Hispanic caucus institute, she entertained at the institute's annual 
gala at my invitation, and as always she brought down the house.
  While she was in Washington for the gala, I took her to the largely 
Hispanic Mount Pleasant neighborhood to entertain DC's Hispanic 
community.
  Since we both came from low income neighborhoods, it was important 
for both of us to share the abundance of the annual gathering with 
those less fortunate.
  That night we took another Mexican star with us, Rosa Gloria 
Chagoyan. Thousands greeted her and were deeply moved by her music. But 
most of all she will be missed by those to whom she spoke through her 
music, to the hearts she touched with her message, and to those who 
just plain loved the melodic sound of her beautiful sultry voice.
  This Easter, think of Selena. On this Easter Sunday, who would have 
been 24 years old.
  In closing, let me say a word to the young people to whom Selena 
meant so much. Just bacause she is gone, please do not forget her 
message--stay off drugs, be honest, get an education, care about each 
other, get involved--and no matter what--never give up.
  We will always carry her music, her message and her love in our 
heart.
  To her husband, Chris Perez, her parents Mr. and Mrs. Abraham 
Quintanilla, her brother and Sister and her entire family, we offer our 
deepest sympathy. May she rest in peace.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield to my good friend, the gentleman from New Jersey 
[Mr. Tejeda].
  Mr. TEJEDA. Mr. Speaker, I join my colleague from Corpus Christi and 
the tens of thousands of fans in south Texas and around the world to 
mourn the loss of a talented young Tejano Artist, Selena Quintanilla 
Perez. Known internationally for her talent and vivacious personality, 
Selena was murdered this past Friday in her hometown of Corpus Christi, 
TX. Just 2 weeks shy of her 24th birthday, Selena leaves us a legacy of 
spirit and hope. My heart goes out to her family, her friends, and her 
many fans.
  Nothing I can say will reduce the pain, the heartache. Nor can I 
begin to answer the difficult question: Why, how could this happen to 
one with so much promise, so much talent, and so much to give. News of 
her death sent shockwaves from Washington to south Texas, from Los 
Angeles to Miami, from Mexico to South America.
  Selena began her singing career at a young age, singing with a family 
band. From her humble beginnings, she succeeded in winning a Grammy and 
obtaining international fame. Her success did not take her away from 
her family, she and her husband lived next door to her parents' home. 
Now a senseless criminal act has taken her from us, but her legacy will 
live on.
  Selena was more than a rising star in the vibrant Tejano music 
industry. Selena was a role model for many, from young children to 
senior citizens. She represented hope, speaking out against drugs and 
preaching the need to stay in school and obtain an education. Even with 
her frequent travels and the demands of her growing singing career, 
Selena earned her high school degree through correspondence courses.
  Despite her overwhelming popularity, Selena consistently held strong 
ties to her Hispanic heritage. Selena succeeded in bringing Tejano 
music into mainstream America and is recognized not only in Texas, but 
in all of America, Mexico, and South America. Her latest release, 
``Amor Prohibido,'' has topped the Latin charts for 43 consecutive 
weeks. Prior to her death, her 
[[Page H4092]] album had sold nearly 500,000 copies, enough to qualify 
for gold record status. Playing the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 
for the past 3 years, she sold out the Astrodome's 62,000 seats.
  Our loss is great, not just because of the music we will miss or the 
flash of a bright smile. We have lost a voice, a voice for our 
children, a role model for success, for hope, and for life.
  She was in the process of making a crossover into pop music by 
recording her first English album, venturing into what for her was 
uncharted waters. True to her personality, she did not shrink from
 the challenge but rose to meet it. We will never know the extent of 
her potential accomplishment.

  Although Selena has been equated with the greatest pop stars of the 
day, she had her own style in her music and concert apparel. She 
conveyed her messages of happiness, of life, in her songs through her 
emotions on stage. Her audience could not resist singing and dancing 
with her as she performed on stage. Her talents were many. Building on 
her stage appearances, Selena realized one of her dreams last year when 
she expanded into the clothing industry with the opening of clothing 
boutiques in Corpus Christi and San Antonio to sell her fashion 
designs.
  We have all felt this overwhelming loss. This past weekend many 
Texans remembered Selena with candlelight prayer vigils organized as 
early as Friday evening. In San Antonio, two vigils were held in area 
parks. Many fans prayed at Selena's home and at the hotel where she was 
shot, leaving messages of love and support. People poured into Corpus 
Christi to pay their last respects. The road between San Antonio and 
Corpus became a highway of cars painted with prayers and expressions of 
love. Thousands stood in line to pay their last respects at a special 
memorial service in Corpus Christi, with wreaths of flowers 
overpowering the stage.
  To those who grieve, I say your loss is real, but we must give life 
to this tragedy. We must not give up the hope and the light which 
Selena exemplified. I repeat her message: Work for your dreams, stay in 
school, say no to drugs, foster hope in your own life and the lives of 
your family and friends. Selena gave us the tools to remember her every 
day, in everything we do. Her challenge to us is to live up to the high 
standards she set for herself. It is my hope that Selena Quintanilla 
Perez will be remembered not for this tragedy, but for all that she 
gave to her family and to all who loved her.

                              {time}  2030

  The road between San Antonio and Corpus Christi became a highway of 
cars painted with prayers and expressions of love. Thousands stood in 
line to pay their last respects at a special memorial service in Corpus 
Christi with wreaths of flowers overpouring the stage.
  Mr. Speaker, to those who grieve I say, ``The loss is real, but we 
must give life to this tragedy. We must not give up the hope and the 
light which Selena exemplified.''
  I repeat her message:
  ``Work for your dreams. Stay in school. Say no to drugs. Foster hope 
in your own life and the lives of your family and friends.''
  Selena gave us the tools to remember her every day in everything we 
do. Her challenge to us is to live up to the high standards she set for 
herself. It is my hope that Selena Quintanilla Perez will be 
remembered, not for this tragedy, but for all that she gave to her 
family and to all of those who loved her.
  Again, Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas [Mr. Ortiz], my 
friend and colleague from Corpus, for organizing this special order and 
allowing me this time.
  Mr. ORTIZ. I thank the gentleman, and I would like to yield, Mr. 
Speaker, to the ranking member of the Committee on Agriculture and one 
of the most senior members of the Hispanic Caucus, the gentleman from 
Texas [Mr. de la Garza].
  Mr. de la GARZA. Mr. Speaker, I thank my distinguished colleague for 
allowing me to join him and my colleague, the gentleman from Texas [Mr. 
Tejeda] on this occasion. For all of us it has been a very sad 
occasion. Texas, the Nation, and perhaps all of the continent mourn the 
loss of such a young, talented, productive life as that of Selena 
Quintanilla Perez.
  Mr. Speaker, young people from throughout Texas and in my area in 
south Texas mourned, cried. They had a candlelight vigil, as has been 
mentioned. They went to churches. They drove with the lights on, with 
mourning black ribbons on the antennas of their cars. But the 
outpouring of love was not at the point in time when she died. It has 
been there all along. They had come to her concerts. They had come to 
see her, to touch her, to listen to her.
  One thing that I think we should look at is that
   the youngsters, children, see through falsehood. Children know who 
is real and who is fake, and the youngsters throughout the area that I 
live in, and throughout all the other areas, came and believed in 
Selena. They wanted to touch her, they wanted to be like her, and I 
think this is very important because they have shown us that here in 
such a short period someone has reached the pinnacle in their 
professional life that is a very difficult life.

  Mr. Speaker, the music business is not easy. Traveling in that 
atmosphere is not easy. The temptation for drugs, for alcohol, is 
insurmountable at times for many of those, and this young lady--and we 
talk here about family values and moral values--here is a family that 
worked together, that stayed together, and it is a tremendous loss for 
them and for us because all of the endeavor has been done in a family 
style, in a family group, in helping each other along the way.
  I think it also should be of importance to us--and it has been 
mentioned--she recently was in San Antonio with the San Antonio Spurs 
visiting schools, stay in school, do not get into drugs. She devoted so 
much time to working with the youngsters. But there is no age limit to 
those who are admired and listen to her music. I know personally in my 
family that, from everyone in the family, regardless of age, enjoyed 
her music and looked at her in a very respectful, admiring way because 
she had what in Spanish is called El Don de Gente. That is an old 
Spanish saying that is given to a very special few that can touch you 
and make you feel they are part of you, that can speak to anyone 
regardless of stature, regardless of economic level. Those that have 
that special talent are but a very, very few, and she had that very 
special talent.
  So I join my colleagues, and I urge, as my two colleagues have said, 
to the youngsters to remember to stay off of the drugs, to stay in 
school, and to work with others of good will.
  Mr. Speaker, I am reminded of an old song in my youth, ``The Old Lamp 
Lighter,'' which ended with the old lamp lighter, he made the world a 
little brighter wherever he would go. This was what Selena Quintanilla 
Perez was all about. She made the world a little brighter wherever she 
would go, and there have been the flowers, and there have been the 
signs, and there will be a tomb with a monument, I am sure, of some 
kind. But she will remain in the hearts, and the minds, and in the 
souls of everyone.
  But she will go beyond that, and there is an old Spanish saying also 
that one of the Spanish explorers, when they first came to the area 
where we live was asked by one of his soldiers, ``Will anyone ever know 
we came through here?''
  So he took his sabre and on the side of a rock wrote the date and his 
name, and at the bottom he put, ``Paso por aqui,'' he came this way.
  So I would join my colleagues in saying that the world is a little 
better, she shed light, good light, wherever she went like the old lamp 
lighter, and no one should ever forget that, once she came our way in 
23 short years in the minds, and memories and hearts of all of those 
who heard her music, all of those who met her and admired her. The 
Nation, and we as a people, and the Hispanic culture, and the music 
world, all of them would have been benefited and will continue to 
benefit because a young girl that lived only a very short 23 years paso 
por aqui.
  I thank my distinguished colleague for allowing me this time.
  Mr. ORTIZ. I thank my two colleagues for joining me, and today we are 
really honoring a real role model. We talk about a close-knitted 
family. 
[[Page H4093]] Members of the band; it was her brother, her sister, her 
husband, and her father was the manager. Yes, a real role model.
  I thank the gentleman for coming and joining me today.
  

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