Hundreds of onlookers sat, stood and partied along Mission Street on Saturday as a motorcade of lowriders cruised by to honor Selena, the 23-year-old “queen of Tejano music,” who was murdered by the president of her fan club 29 years ago.
Dozens in the crowd wore Selena T-shirts and hats as they to her music, which blared from cars and the sound systems of fans.
One group partied and danced at the intersection of 25th and Mission streets as a biker blasted mariachi, cumbia and, of course, Selena hits like “Como la Flor,” “El Chico del Apartamento 512,” and “Bidi Bidi Bom Bom.”
Jose Yepez made a Selena-themed lowrider bicycle for his wife, Berta Yepez. The shiny handlebars held a purple-and-red frame with a photo of his wife’s favorite singer.
“She captivated the whole world and represented us [Chicano and Latino]” said Berta Yepez as she grooved to her favorite song, “Amor Prohibido”.
“A lot of people gave her a hard time because she didn’t speak Spanish but the language doesn’t matter,” added Yepez.
Her husband agreed. He had a favorite Selena song in Spanish and in English. In the end, he decided he had a slight preference for “Como la Flor.”
This was one of the first lowrider events in the Mission since Gov. Gavin Newson signed State Bill 436 last year repealing a ban on cruising. Even though the ban had long been ignored, Rudy Lugo, from the Council for the San Francisco Lowriders, celebrated its end.
“In the past, cops would mess with us, but it looks a lot different now,” said Lugo. “They are even working and coordinating with us now.” While Lugo spoke, he directed traffic at the intersection of Mission and 26th streets to make room for an autonomous vehicle traveling between lowriders heading south on Mission Street.
Nearby, a long line of patrons waited for tacos from La Taqueria and beer from a liquor store — and danced.
At the corner of 24th and Mission streets, Robert L. Powell, Edgar Morales and Luis Castillo watched the cars drive by.
Powell said it was a special day to be among Mission community members. As for Morales, he said he and his friends were “OG, OG, OG,” which he defined as Mission long-timers who had devoted time and energy to the neighborhood through the years — and sometimes seen friends die along the way. However, his focus today was to celebrate those friends, and “to look young.”
Just a few feet from the group, Christina Mary Gonzalez stood next to her green 1941 Chevy Deluxe, appreciating the number of other vintage cars.
“When I see another woman driving one of the cars, I go like, ‘Chingona,’” said Gonzalez, using an expression of appreciation for another woman. Gonzalez hoped to dance to her favorite song “Baila esta Cumbia” at some point during the day.
Across from Gonzalez, Valeria Villasol sat her two children in her lowrider.
“Everybody’s in a positive energy,” she said. “These are generations and generations here in the Mission, the kids of the kids.”
The event was scheduled to end by 8 p.m., but the Selena tunes went on through the evening.
by Oscar Palma.
Get on YouTube and type in the search bar ( young mexican girl she’s salean & Michael Jackson in He’ll and listen to wht she say selwan tell her to come back and tell people…