By H. Nelson. Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
February 28, 2015
Houston, Texas - On Saturday, thousands of Tejanos and Tejano music enthusiasts gathered along the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLSR) parade route holding up signs calling for the GO Tejano Committee to include top Tejano bands and conjuntos at their major event arena during Go Tejano Day on Sunday, March 15 instead of continuing to phase out the music from the annual rodeo event. In the last 8 years, the HLSR has not allowed top known Tejano artists to share the stage with other Latino music genre artists during the "Go Tejano" day at the rodeo major events.
An estimated 40 percent of the Tejano population is concentrated in Houston alone and many of them do volunteer their services at the HLSR, a non-profit organization that reported more than $117M in revenues per year. Tejanos who volunteer at the HLSR do spend money during the event, but the HLSR has not included Tejano music at the NRG arena for years. Tejano bands and conjuntos are placed in outdoor stages indicating that they are less appealing to the HLSR for generating funds in ticket sales and those attending the rodeo event. Tejanos disagree with the HLSR position to discriminate against their music, including culture and say that Tejano music is popular. In most days during the rodeo events, Tejanos do make the second largest attendence at the rodeo.
José Vega, one of the protest organizers from Tejano Heritage Alliance during a press conference on Saturday said, that more demonstrations and other events are being planned to bring attention to the HLSR discriminatory practice not to book Tejano bands or conjuntos during the Go Tejano day at the Houston rodeo.
The HLSR annual event became Ground Zero for the resurgence of Tejano music at the Houston rodeo. Major corporations sponsor the HLSR event and unfortunately none have stepped forward to sponsor top Tejano artists for their consumers of products during the Go Tejano day at the arena.
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