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Try to be something that that has a purpose.

We have to believe in ourselves and just take one step at a time.

Our strengths come through weaknesses.

All are welcome to sell.

I'm Melanie Mendez Gonzalez, your host.

The spotlight on this episode is on Latin, as in the world of arts and entertainment.

We're going to meet author and former poet laureate Carmen Tafoya and dancer Vanessa Bessler.

But we start with a San Antonio music legend, Dr. Patti Torres.

She's been called the princess of Tejano music.

Her career started in the early 1980s, and by 1987, among many honors, she won the HANO Music Award for Female Entertainer of the Year.

In 1996, she won the Songwriter Award at the BMI Latin Awards.

But as you'll hear, she didn't stop with leading the music.

She has also earned a doctorate degree.

Let's go meet Dr.

Patsy Torres, who's get me that many that don't give a fighting chance.

Dr.

Patsy Torres.

Can I call you Dr. Torres?

Sure.

Well, you worked really hard to have the title, Doctor.

How does it make you feel when they address you in that way?

When maybe you're on stage?

It's.

It's a validation, you know, of the hard work I did and the fact that education does change you.

And I try to impress upon people that it's not just a piece of paper.

It changes you on the inside, how you look at yourself, how you look at others, how you look at life.

So how did you get into becoming a music performer?

Well, it's actually it was because my little sister, she she is a true muse.

She was a true musician.

And she, like my father, was a jazz musician.

So he was playing jazz in the house all the time.

And so we grew up listening to jazz.

And my mom would be playing like theater, movie, movie soundtracks.

So it was always all this music going on in the house.

So I started playing trumpet.

That's what got me into music.

And then a talent show came up and I had all these friends now in the band and we're like, Let's make a band for the talent show We did, and then we won.

And then we were like, We're so good.

Let's make like a regular band.

And we made a regular band and we named Blue Harmony.

So when did you start singing?

When, When we graduated, my sister got married and left the band.

Some of the guys went to the military.

People left.

So the guys that came in, they were older guys like 20 were like, Oh, they're old, but they still they figured we don't need a brass section.

And they said, Well, maybe if you could sing, we could try it out, see how it goes.

There's a lot of bands having girl singers now.

Jett I met, I felt really lucky that that I was getting this this opportunity because it was paying for my school, but it was always because I wanted to be a medical doctor like my grandfather, Dr. Tours.

And so I went to second.

I was taking science courses.

Meanwhile, playing in the band to pay for it when I started becoming known as a singer, you know, because they recorded me.

And of course, right away, the record company wants you to start doing promotions.

They started inviting me to do Career Days because they said, Oh, here's a singer that's going to school, and she's talking about education.

So career days, I was there, you know, with the lawyer and the policeman and the fireman, and and I was one of the speakers.

So when I spoke, I made this connection with the kids.

So things like that kept happening to where I said, wow, if I could give my message, but do it with music.

And they could see I could show them about being in my element, so to speak.

How much more impact could I have on them?

And that's when I started doing it with the band.

So when I was graduating from SAT in my science degree, I sat down with my grandfather and I knew that I couldn't do both anymore at that point.

And I said, Well, I have to make the choices, I guess, you know, so I can't do both anymore.

You know, You can't.

I said, Well, I have to give up one.

Yes, you will.

You need to sing.

I went, But my grandfather, who you know, I knew he wanted me to be doctor.

He said, Chiquita, you have a God given talent.

So you're working with the kids.

You're making a difference.

You're healing the soul.

You can be.

You can do preventative medicine.

Dr. Missal, what about kids today?

Dr. Toys, what would you say about so many young people who, you know, we've heard that the the day they're going to be YouTubers or influencers, so it's still like entertainment.

But what what would your advice be to that?

My advice is that try to be something that that has a purpose and not just be famous or not just make money, be of service, like I consider myself to be what's called a service, a servant leader.

My leadership is more of a transformational type of leadership, and it's about respect.

It's about giving value to to people what they can do.

Communication.

And so for you to be really happy, really happy in what you do, have something that has purpose, that gives you purpose, you feel purpose.

But how did you get to become a doctor?

How to do what was the journey for your God again?

Here I'm doing all these concerts, doing all these things at university in the Carnegie work called me and they said, We'd like to do we'd like you to do some promos for us, but we can only pay you a semester hours.

They gave me a course and oh, my gosh, I just absorbed being in school again and learning.

And I was like, Oh, I love this.

And I made straight A's.

And they said, How would you like to get a degree here?

And I said, Yes, yes, we'll give you a scholarship.

Just keep doing things for us.

So I got my master's and I made a 4.0.

So the professors talked to the president and they said, we think he should go.

It took me five years, which was pretty good.

And that's including I did I did all my courses.

I did my dissertation and did my descents.

I did my final, you know, the testing and everything.

And I did it.

Yeah.

Congratulations.

Oh, thank you.

So let's talk about your music, Dr.

Choice.

Where do you find the inspiration for making your music, writing your music Everywhere.

Sometimes it's something that someone said, something that something happened.

My songs always have to have purpose.

I don't know.

But again, the purpose of things.

You got to have purpose.

Yeah.

What about mentors?

Did you have mentors along the way?

My grandfather and grandfather, Dr. Taurus, was my mentor, and then my professors became my mentor.

They were just so supportive and I loved them.

And they were the ones.

You can do it, you can do it.

And they were just always so positive.

And my, my, my husband.

Yeah, so supportive.

You know, Dr. Torres, you are known for being the first to many things, specifically as a female and at the piano music industry.

What was that like?

See, I didn't know it at the time, but what is it like to know that for a lot of these people, the first time on TV, the first time people see it has to Texas.

You're introducing them to our culture.

You're introducing them to the economy.

Yes.

What does that mean to you?

Well, it means bringing them together and that being able to share culture.

So what advice do you have for up and coming artists or songwriters or producers?

What's your advice to them to make it in the industry?

Well, you have to search your soul and anything that you want to go into.

You want to get training.

If you want to be a songwriter, then there's there's a lot of courses.

YouTube has all these great things you can learn how to write your songs.

And I've talked about how important it is to copyright your songs, make your own publishing company, publish your own songs, and then do it for the right reasons.

It's show business.

It's show, which is what lures a lot of the people in there, but it's business.

So you've got to know the business or it'll eat you up.

So the biggest thing is like, make sure it's a really good quality song and good quality recording.

And because if that's a good song, a good quality recording and the artist is truly talented, then it's going to go somewhere.

Right.

Are there challenges that are specific for women in the industry?

I think that women tend to think that they have to sexualize themselves, and I've never done that ever.

And and I remember being kind of criticized in the beginning, like, oh, why don't you show more and do this act more sexy or whatever?

I'm like, Why?

For who?

It was challenging to stay true to yourself.

No, I guess I was always very strong about that.

I guess the challenge was for the people to accept it when I didn't do something with someone or that, you know, they couldn't believe it.

Yeah.

Like, all the other girls did, I was like, Wow, you know that I like the other girls.

I know.

And they go, Well, then you're not going to make it.

I said, Okay, well, I guess I'm not going to make it.

And that company went under.

I'm still here.

Mm When you hear the word Latina, what comes to mind for you?

I would say passionate.

You know, whether it's a family, you know, or emotional or descriptive, you know, we love sometimes we get to be stubborn about numbers, but it's always with passion, you know, when when we worship, it's with passion.

Mm hmm.

So I would say passion, passion, passion.

I love it.

It's about helping others and making the world a better place.

And especially for those around you.

Anyone you can help.

Oh, that's beautiful.

Thank you.

We're glad that you.

Thank you.

Continue to make a difference to me and that.

Vanessa, tell us about what is it that you do?

Well, to put em in charge words and what I do, I. I say that I'm a ballerina maker.

I take the children from a very early age.

They start at three, four, five year olds to to prepare on the discipline of dance.

And then we take them for 12 years.

We prepare them when they finish high school.

Then they are skilled dancers that can go and perform in professional companies.

But there is a lot more behind the education of the dancers.

So I feel that part of what I do is empowering people.

Tell us a little bit about how you became a prima ballerina since age four.

I remember to sing The Nutcracker in a small TV at home and I told my mother, This is what I want to do for life.

This is when I got that what I want to do when I grow up.

By the time I was 16, I was invited to dance with the professional company in secondary roles, in supporting roles.

And by the age that I was 18, I was invited to join the company and pretty quickly was a given soloist roles to become a principal dancer.

It was a long journey and you need to pass a lot of obstacles and climb the ladder until you work considered and ready for the role.

So by the time I was 20, I was the youngest principal dancer.

It gave me so many opportunities.

And that's what I, I do here at the Children's Ballet.

We allow the young dancers that demonstrate the drive, the dedication and the skills to put them at the level where they are, regardless of the age, and give them early opportunities.

So by the time they leave or they have a big rate of experience and explorations of lead roles, what you're describing and what you do with the children here, that takes a lot of organization, strategy, leadership.

Yep.

Vanessa How would you describe your own leadership style?

I find my leadership style very nurturing.

I believe in discipline and in respect and the ethics, working ethics.

So, so at the same time that in nurture them as as early as my pupils and I demand a lot from them and I have a lot of rules and an ethics that have to be followed generally how to talk in class.

You need to be ready before class.

You need to prepare your mind, body and soul before you get into classes.

I'm very passionate in my in my teaching.

I want to give them all the knowledge that I have and not not reserve anything for me because I want them to to to carry on the traditions and carry on and follow my steps and one day be the future leaders of the earth.

And how did you become that way?

Were there mentors in your life that helped you develop that mindset?

I believe in Always learn.

So I have many, many mentors.

Wherever I go, I try to learn and I pass to my to my students.

I tell them, you know, whatever you go from, whether it cross your way, you can learn from them.

And I have many great mentors in my life, my colleagues that check experiences with me.

And I still call so many people when I have questions.

But my mother especially, she was one of my strongest mentors.

She wanted me always to be better, always to do better.

And because she knew me and she saw me growing and she knew my weakness and my strength, and she she will she'll give me excellent feedback that for me to keep building on.

And of course, she was my biggest fan as well.

And my father and my siblings were what it was.

She didn't up for whatever I do.

I would tell you a little bit more about your role as a teacher or even when you were a dancer, as a woman, as a Latina.

Did you feel that that was challenging for you?

Yes.

Yes.

The world of ballet came from Europe.

You know, regions are very different than the Latin to Latin in Latin American costumes, styles and body types.

So am I.

It was something that that I constantly was wondering, you know, is do I'm really good for the East?

Why do I look like the.

One of the things that happened to me is Michael Fontaine that is was a prima ballerina of the world, a extremely famous ballerina from the Royal Ballet.

She was living in Panama by the time I was entering in the school.

So one day I arrive in the school and see this this lady that looks like a vision.

She's just so gorgeous and so perfect.

And a lot of the things that I saw in that moment are with me still now.

And I look at him and say, I want to be like hair when I when I grow up.

But she was British and and with all the differences that come from being a Latina and to look up to the British prima ballerina and and Estella in those difference very quick and but I pushed to I trust and belief on myself and I I did the work that you need to be done.

I want everybody to feel that they have opportunities shall they do the work and and follow the steps and follow the instructions?

How to work, dedication and perseverance take a long way, no matter what.

And there is nothing to stop you if you have those three qualities.

That's beautiful, Vanessa.

Talk to me about particularly young Latina, either dancers or young Latinos who see you and think, I want to do that with my life.

What advice do you give to those future Latina leaders?

Mainly is just is stay true to yourself, follow your dreams and believe in you.

If we don't believe in our self, if we don't believe we can do it, it doesn't matter who believe in us.

We have to believe in our self and just take one step at a time and don't let one door that closed close them all.

You just keep knocking the door until they open.

And we are a strong woman.

Latina and Latin Latinas are race to be strong woman am and and that is who we are and we know how to push through.

So she supported me and and just stayed true.

But basically the message is this, which is why.

Carmen, thank you so much for having us in your home today.

Thank you.

For people who might be meeting you for the first time, what do you tell them you do?

I say I'm a writer and that's all I say.

And they start to ask, What do you write?

And I say pretty much everything except instructions on how to assemble things that I don't do.

But yeah, just I'm a writer.

San Antonio knows your name.

Carmen, too, for you.

But tell us what?

Why did they know your name?

Probably because I'm old and I've been around a long while.

But I think also because I've been writing and I've been doing what I call cultural work in for everybody.

Sort of social work and social workers.

But I think that a lot of artists are cultural workers.

We work on helping cultures survive and evolve and blend and interact with other cultures, and we document the culture.

And when I was growing up right here in San Antonio, on the West Side, we did not have access or empowerment for our voices.

Our voices were kind of stolen the way I grew up, never seeing anything about Mexican-American culture or history.

I grew up at a time period when even speaking my home language was against state law.

And so I guess the reason I'm known a lot in San Antonio is because a lot of San Antonio recognizes themselves.

In my writings, they hear things that they recognize and they love and they feel proud of or they laugh with.

And I think I my writing has, I guess my my my biggest compliments is when people come up to me and say, that feels like my home.

I'd like to put San Antonio on the map.

But my family was a family of storytellers and we would sit down on Saturday nights and family friends.

We out in the Rancho down in Somerset, my dad would put down, visit his friends, and in Somerset we'd be sitting outside around a kerosene lamp, you know, just telling stories.

That was our Saturday night entertainment business in order to get some audio.

And they'd go on and on telling the story of the lady that went down.

And then they heard this great thing in the coffin.

And these were meant to be scary.

Stories are meant to be all you're going to see, and you are.

This is for real.

But I, I learned a lot of things, true and untrue, that that fit within a narrative that had meaning.

So those were my first writers, My my parents.

My mother read to me that night, and we didn't have many books in the house.

We didn't have hardly any books.

But I went to church and we learned to read and they all read in Spanish.

I learned to read in school in English.

And then they were all reading the Bible in Spanish.

So, you know, I learned to read in Spanish, so I became bi literate.

So let's talk about your books, your career as an author.

Tell me about the first time you wrote a book.

I had a book published.

It was 1975 when I was approached by two other poets here in San Antonio, Reyes, Cardenas and Cecelia Garcia, and we put out a book of poetry together, the three of us called Get Your Tortillas Together.

And it was 1976 by the time it was published.

So tell me about challenges that you've had along the way.

I am sometimes criticized for not following the standard path, the course among writers.

We love that because we always want to find, especially poets.

We want to find a different way to use language.

And so I think that writing and poetry is the perfect area for someone who is bilingual or bicultural because we've learned there aren't absolute boundaries.

And so we explore areas that might be transformative where you can actually invent new things and explore new things, and then people begin to respect it and jointly later on, you know, if you're going to be honest to what you really want to do, you have to be very ethical.

You have to be very careful with your words.

Words have power.

And so you have to be careful that you use words that give the message.

You want to give messages that honor the people.

My next question was going to be what advice would you give to Latinas, Chicanos who want to be who want to follow in your footsteps?

I think you can forge your own path.

Don't follow someone else's life.

Find your own voice and and try to make that voice as honest as it can be.

You have to go inside yourself and say, Is this the best I can do?

Is this what this character would say?

Is this what would really happen in this circumstance?

My first job was walking down the streets of the West Side.

I had just graduated with my bachelor's.

And finally Father Sheldrick is as well.

The Lupa Church hired me to collect the folklore of the West Side.

It was a dream job, and I learned so much from these beautiful people that were in every way professorial.

They were professors of our culture.

They had the knowledge and the wisdom and experience I learned from them.

And I still hold them very dear in my heart as they were my mentors.

They were cultural workers.

But I'm glad that you met them because you learn from them and we continue to learn from you.

KOPAN Thank you so much for sharing that with us.

Thank you.

And that's a wrap, as they say in show biz, what tremendous leadership and tenacity these women have to be successful in this competitive field.

It's been wonderful to meet them all today.

And we'll meet more Latino leaders next week on Salon Nos Vemos channel their supported by Texas Mutual Workers Compensation Insurance Company.