Latin Stars Fill Stage at 87th Annual National Convention
July 16, 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Music may make people dance and sing, but it can also unite, educate and inspire. Last night, the 87th Annual LULAC National Convention hosted a free concert with A.B. Quintanilla, Gilberto Santa Rosa and Jason Cerda at the Washington Hilton as a rally cry to encourage civic participation. The concert is a trademark to the LULAC convention, where people unite to advocate for pressing issues facing Latinos.
As a producer and songwriter, Quintanilla has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, including projects for his sister, Selena and other top-selling Latin artists including Ricky Martin, Juan Gabriel, Veronica Castro, Thalia, Christian Castro, Olga Tañon and his own band, the Kumbia Kings. Quintanilla has made a career of writing hit after hit. His music has been featured in commercials, soap operas and movies, earning him multiple Grammy awards.
With six Grammys and an ASCAP Latin Heritage Award, Santa Rosa is a salsa icon. Born in Puerto Rico, he has nearly 30 records to his name. He has also ranked the most #1 hits on the Billboard Tropical Album charts. Santa Rosa, like Quintanilla, has ventured beyond recordings. He was a special guest artist on Broadway’s Forever Tango, and he was also a star of a reality TV show.
Cerda’s music is a fusion of the sounds of the Caribbean and United States. Beyond his vocal abilities, he is a popular performer in the D.C. area, known for his gravity-defying choreography. Last year, Billboard named Cerda among one of the top five new artists.
“The LULAC convention includes seminars and workshops with expert panelists addressing the issues that most affect our communities—including, economic development, immigration reform, education opportunities, healthcare, and veteran’s benefits,” said LULAC National President, Roger C Rocha, Jr. “But we can also address important issues through entertainment. Tonight’s show is a perfect example of the meshing of message and music.”
“A.B. and Gilberto are joining LULAC to say Basta Ya,” said LULAC National Executive Director Brent Wilkes. “There has been an increasing amount of hatred, fear and prejudice sparked as a result of the presidential election campaigns. That, in turn, will only generate greater Latino votes at the polls. Through the power of music, we can unite and spread our unified messages for a kinder, greater, diverse America.”
This is the ninth year that LULAC has presented a free concert using music as a unifying theme to rally support around issues and causes central to the Latino community.
About LULAC
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) is the nation’s largest and oldest civil rights volunteer-based organization that empowers Hispanic Americans and builds strong Latino communities. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 1,000 councils around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC’s programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future. For more information, visit www.lulac.org.