Dodgers Selena S Legacy: Remembering The Queen Of Tejano Music
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez, the Queen of Tejano Music, remains an enduring icon nearly three decades after her tragic murder in 1995.
Her influence transcends music, shaping fashion, identity, and Latinx representation in the U.
S.
Yet, as her legacy is celebrated most recently through events like the Los Angeles Dodgers’ “Selena Night” questions arise about who controls her narrative, how commercialization shapes her memory, and whether her cultural significance is being diluted for profit.
While Selena’s legacy is rightfully honored, the increasing commercialization of her image by corporations, family estates, and media risks reducing her cultural impact to a marketable brand, often sidelining the grassroots Tejano community that shaped her and the socio-political struggles she symbolized.
Since her death, Selena’s image has been monetized extensively.
From MAC Cosmetics’ makeup line to Forever 21’s Selena-inspired collections, corporations have capitalized on her aesthetic.
Even the Dodgers’ “Selena Night” (2023), where fans received a bobblehead of the singer, raises ethical questions: is this a genuine tribute or a profit-driven spectacle? Critics argue that such events sanitize Selena’s working-class roots.
Scholar Deborah Paredez, in (2009), notes how posthumous commercialization often erases Selena’s connection to working-class Mexican-American struggles, repackaging her as a depoliticized “Latina Barbie.
” The Dodgers, a franchise with a history of gentrifying its fanbase, arguably contribute to this by transforming Selena into a consumable product rather than a symbol of cultural resistance.
Selena’s father, Abraham Quintanilla, has been both praised and criticized for managing her estate.
While he ensured her music’s longevity, some accuse him of gatekeeping her legacy.
The 1997 biopic, produced with family involvement, was criticized for glossing over tensions such as Selena’s desire for creative independence to present a sanitized narrative.
Moreover, the family’s legal battles, including trademarking “Selena” and suing small businesses for using her likeness, highlight tensions between protecting her legacy and stifling grassroots memorialization.
A 2021 investigation revealed how these lawsuits alienated fans who felt Selena belonged to the community, not just her estate.
For many Mexican-Americans, Selena represented empowerment in a society that marginalized them.
Her success in a white-dominated industry and her embrace of bilingualism resonated deeply.
However, as her legacy expands beyond Tejano circles, some argue it risks becoming a generic “Latina” icon, detached from her specific cultural context.
Scholar María Elena Cepeda (, 2010) warns of “pan-Latinx” commodification, where corporations flatten diverse identities into a single marketable category.
The Dodgers’ event, while celebratory, exemplifies this: Selena’s music was secondary to her image, reducing her to a symbol rather than an artist.
The debate over Selena’s legacy mirrors broader struggles over cultural ownership.
Older Tejano fans emphasize her regional roots, while younger, often non-Mexican Latinx fans embrace her as a broader icon.
Media plays a role here Netflix’s (2020) faced backlash for allegedly misrepresenting her story, with critics accusing it of favoring drama over authenticity.
Meanwhile, scholars like Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez argue that Selena’s legacy is inherently political, representing brown, working-class women’s visibility.
When corporations co-opt her, they strip away this radical potential.
Selena’s enduring influence is undeniable, but the ways in which her memory is leveraged by corporations, media, and even her family demand scrutiny.
While events like the Dodgers’ tribute introduce her to new audiences, they risk reducing her to a hollow brand.
True homage requires honoring not just her music, but the marginalized communities she uplifted.
The broader implication is clear: as Latinx cultural figures gain mainstream recognition, their legacies must be guarded against erasure.
Selena’s story is not just one of fame, but of resistance and that is a narrative too vital to be sold.