On November 12th, the award-winning band La Santa Cecilia was invited to share their music, stories, and perspectives in their journey of 18 years. The event was titled, “Empathy in Action: Art and Advocacy with the Award-Winning Band La Santa Cecilia”. It was co-sponsored by George Mason University’s Center for Performing Arts, Folklore Program, and Institute for Immigration Research (IIR). IIR Director and Professor of Folklore Dr. Lisa Gilman moderated the discussion. In her introduction, Dr. Gilman emphasized that “it is important to highlight that American culture is what it is because people from all over the world, (including those indigenous to what is now the U.S.) continue to shape all aspects of our lives: language, food, music, celebrations, literature, fashion, art, sports, and political culture.”
The band members shared music with La Marisoul taking a lead with her vocals, Jose ‘Pepe’ Carlos playing the accordion/requinto, Alex Bendaña on the bass, and Miguel ‘Oso’ Ramirez playing the percussion. They began by sharing about their individual journeys that inspired them to create the band and illustrated what music-making means to them as Los Angeles-based musicians steeped in Latin American heritage. They shared about learning traditional instruments and music-making while being influenced by a wide range of musical genres from around the world. Important themes in the discussion included relationships between music, migration, advocacy, and activism. They shared four songs; the majority were originals, and one of them was an interpretation of “Strawberry Fields Forever” by The Beatles.
The highlight of the event was the band sharing the story behind their most popular song - Ice El Hielo. Hearing them perform this song live was especially powerful for all those who were present.
The event concluded with a brief conversation with the audience where audience members asked questions, shared their comments, and enjoyed refreshments. The key takeaway that the band wanted us to leave with was that their music is for everyone, for all communities, and that they love sharing their music to support people in moments of both sorrow and happiness.
November 19, 2025