[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 21 (Tuesday, February 6, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E119-E120]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF BELLE ORTIZ, THE MOTHER OF MARIACHI

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GREG CASAR

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 6, 2024

  Mr. CASAR. Mr. Speaker, it is my honor to call the attention of the 
House in recognition of the life and legacy of Belle Ortiz, a legendary 
San Antonian and the Mother of Mariachi.
  Born on February 12, 1933, Isabel ``Belle'' A. Ortiz grew up on the 
west side of San Antonio, TX. She began her musical journey at the age 
of four, and as a youth, Ms. Ortiz performed across the city with 
various orchestras. After graduating from Our Lady of the Lake 
University, she began her career as a public school music teacher, 
eventually landing at Lanier High School, her alma mater, in 1970.
  At a time when speaking another language besides English was frowned 
upon, Ms. Ortiz was committed to teaching music that reflected the rich 
cultural diversity of Texas. At Lanier High School in San Antonio, she 
created the high school ballet folklorico program, the first of its 
kind in the country. Through her continued advocacy, thousands of 
schools,

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colleges, and universities worldwide now offer their student musicians 
a mariachi education.
  Ms. Ortiz helped co-found the Mariachi Campanas de America, an award-
winning ensemble of musicians that have performed all across the 
country, bringing the rich history of mariachi to places like the 
Hollywood Bowl, the Kennedy Center, and performed at the White House 
for five different U.S. Presidents.
  An active member of her community in San Antonio, Ms. Ortiz served on 
many local boards and committees, and was a recipient of many lifetime 
achievement awards and honors for her dedication to making mariachi and 
its rich history accessible to generations of aspiring musicians.
  Her life is now being celebrated in the award-winning documentary 
``Suena La Educacion: The Story of Belle Ortiz''. This month, the 
Lanier High School music building in San Antonio, TX, will be renamed 
in her honor.
  In Ms. Ortiz's final days, hundreds of mariachi musicians came to her 
bedside and played for her, paying tribute to this trailblazing icon. 
As the Congressman for the 35th District of Texas, I am honored to 
celebrate the life of Ms. Belle Ortiz, who left behind an incredible 
legacy that transformed mariachi music from a local tradition into a 
worldwide cultural phenomenon.