Protest During Go Tejano Day At The Houston Rodeo NRG Stadium

Tejanos are set for another major protest against the HLSR on Sunday at the NRG Stadium during the Go Tejano Day celebration at the Houston rodeo.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 10, 2015

Houston, Texas - On Sunday,  Houston area Tejanos are set to protest at the NRG Stadium during the Houston Livestock Show (HLSR) and Rodeo Go Tejano Day at 2:00 p.m. for the rodeo organizers decision not to include Tejano bands or conjuntos to be featured at the arena main event concert. In the last eight years, the $133M revenue generating 19-day rodeo event has discriminated against Tejanos and their cultural music, which the all White Executive HLSR Committee, its President and CEO including the Chairman of the Board of the non-profit HLSR organization have claimed that Tejano music is no longer popular and doesn't generate ticket sales to fill the NRG arena. But, the HLSR encourages Tejanos to attend the rodeo and spend their money at the annual event. In prior years, all Tejano groups that were featured at the arena during Go Tejano Day had full house attendence.

The local Univision 45 morning news cast even mocked Tejanos and their music. Laura Sierra, one of the morning commentators at Univision 45 said, that the  "Music Tejana ya no pega" (Tejano music is no longer popular). Members of the Tejano community in Houston and José Vega, one of the protest organizers had requested an apology from Sierra and Univision 45 or face a boycott, but as of today, Martha Kattan, the KXLN 45 News Director or Sierra have yet to publicly apologize for mocking Tejano music and the community.

HLSR in Houston has become Ground Zero for the resurgence of Tejano music at the rodeo during Go Tejano Day, which is on Sunday, March 15 at the HLSR rodeo NRG Stadium event.

HLSR contact e-mail: 
questions@rodeohouston.com, lyons@rodeohouston.com or 832-667-1000

HLSR Chairman of the Board 

● Jack A. Lyons

Executive Committee 

● Jim Bloodworth

● Brady F. Carruth

● Wayne Hollis

● J.P. "Hap" Hunnicutt

● Don D. Jordan

● Ed McMahon

● Chris Richardson

● Charles R. "Butch" Robinson

● Paul G. Somerville

● R.H. "Steve" Stevens Jr.

● P. Michael Wells

● James A. "Jim" Winne III

Chief Executive Officer/President 

● Joel Cowley

Chief Operating Officer/Vice President 

● Dan Cheney

There are between 190 to 350 HLSR Board members.

E-mail for Martha Kattan, KXLN 45/Univision news director at UnivisionHouston@Univision.net