Hispanic Heritage Month Spotlight: Gloria Estefan
By Jasmine Clark, Live Well Enhance You Contributing Writer
“I believed in the music and I didn’t know how it was going to happen but I just knew something was gonna happen.”
Hispanic Heritage Month is recognized each year from September 15th to October 15th. Its purpose is to honor the history, culture, and achievements of Hispanic people. There are many Hispanic people worth shining a spotlight on, but today I wanted to talk about the iconic Cuban-American singer Gloria Estefan. September also happens to be the month of her birthday and wedding anniversary (September 1st and 2nd). Enjoy her inspiring story and ways you can celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month while having some fun!
How it all began
Estefan was born in Cuba and immigrated to the US when she was a toddler.
Estefan got her start as the lead singer of the Latin crossover band Miami Sound Machine, formerly known as the Miami Latin Boys. She married the band’s founder, Emilio, in 1978. Emilio is an incredible success in his own right, having produced music for his wife and other Latin legends like Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, and Ricky Martin.
Miami Sound Machine created many Spanish songs that were hits in Spanish-speaking countries, but then they decided to expand their audience with English songs. They released their first English album in 1984 and continued to make songs in English – but their music never lost its Latin flavor. Led by Gloria’s catchy, electrifying vocals, the group made more beloved songs in the 80s including "Anything for You," "Can't Stay Away From You," “1-2-3,” “Bad Boy,” Words Get In the Way,” and “Conga,” which achieved a special milestone: It was the first single that made it onto Billboard’s dance, Latin, soul, and pop charts at the same time.
Breaking cultural barriers
In a 2022 interview, Estefan described how she was pressured to change her music because she didn’t fit neatly into one cultural box. “They wanted to water us down for the American audience. Take out the horns and the percussion, make us change our name. And then for the Latinos, they thought, ‘Why are you singing in English?’” She didn’t want to change her music because she felt like the blend of American and Latino influences was true to who she was. She decided to make music in the style she wanted, resisting the pressure to conform. “There’s nothing more motivating to Emilio and me than the word no.”
This turned out to be an excellent decision because in 2015, Estefan and her husband were given the Presidential Medal of Freedom for making Latin music more popular in American culture. If they had watered down their sound to fit into a narrow box, they may never have had the enormous impact they did. The story of the Estefans’ rise to fame was made into a musical called On Your Feet! featuring some of Gloria’s greatest hits such as “Rhythm is Gonna Get You,” “Don’t Want to Lose You Now,” and of course, “Get On Your Feet.”
Triumph over pain
But Gloria’s story wasn’t all wonderful. In March 1990, her back was severely injured after a tractor-trailer crashed into Miami Sound Machine’s tour bus. She had to undergo extensive surgery and physical therapy and she temporarily stopped making music. She could have let that be the permanent end of her career, but she wasn’t done. A year later, she got back into the music scene with Into the Light, her comeback album. Many more albums followed, including Mi Terra in 1993, Abriendo Puertas in 1995, and Alma Caribeña in 2000, all of which won Grammys.
Estefan has continued her spectacular career with more music in both Spanish and English, plenty of awards won, and additional ventures outside of music. She’s a cookbook creator, owner of Estefan Kitchen restaurant with her husband, a children’s picture book author, and founder of the Gloria Estefan Foundation which promotes charitable causes. She’s a bona fide superstar, well-loved by people in America and around the world – she even has her own collectible Barbie doll.
Fun ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
I hope reading Gloria’s story inspired you and uplifted your mood. She’s a perfect example of the powerful influence Hispanic culture has had on society. Now that we’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month, here are a few ideas you can try.
Look for Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations in your area - Search and find out if there are any festivals, markets, exhibits, or other events in your area to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. Bring a friend!
Watch Hispanic movies and TV shows - Movies and TV shows aren’t just a fun way to pass time. They help shape the culture and provide representation to groups in society that need more recognition. Here’s a list of shows and movies with Hispanic stars and creators.
Buy from Hispanic-owned businesses - This is an important action you can take to support Hispanic people and boost the economy. Check out this list of Hispanic owned businesses and this list of Latina businesses if you want to support women specifically.
Learn Latin dance - This is a great way to recognize and honor the culture as well as get your body moving and heart pumping. Don’t worry about having good skills – just have a good time. You can search for Latin dance classes in your area, but if there aren’t any, YouTube is your friend.
Listen to Gloria Estefan! Enjoy her awesome songs and music videos on her official YouTube channel.
How will you take part in Hispanic Heritage Month? Celebrate however you wish, and encourage your family and friends to join in. Whether or not you’re Hispanic, it’s fun to celebrate this beautiful, vibrant culture and its diverse subcultures.
Jasmine Clark is a freelance writer from North Carolina. She enjoys writing about topics such as stress relief and positive thinking. She likes to encourage others to find ways to calm down and relax. In her spare time, she loves to write fiction stories and watch TV and YouTube. You can find her on Instagram @cozysachi.